Acoustic contact detecting device

• US 7,193,617 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Kaneda, Hiroshi, Kanbara, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/019,190
• Time in Patent Office: 2,455 Days
• Field of Search: 345/177, 345/173, 345/18.01, 345/18.04, 345/179, 178/18.04, 178/18.01, 310/313.A, 310/313.R, 310/313
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device of touch-type capable of giving an electric signal to a transducer, even if a piezoelectric vibrator having electrodes on both surfaces thereof is employed.

A device according to the present invention comprises: acoustic wave transducers (piezoelectric vibrators) 3a and 4a, each functioning for oscillating a bulk wave (a first wave) toward a top surface 2 of a substrate 1; a planar wiring 7 formed on a back surface of the substrate 1 by the method such as transfer printing with conductive paste, for supplying said piezoelectric vibrator with electric power; a connecting device 8 for connecting said planar wiring with an electrode of each of said acoustic wave transducers 3a and 4a; diffractive acoustic wave mode couplers 9a–10b, each functioning for converting said bulk wave into a surface acoustic wave (a second wave) and vice versa; and a means for detecting a scatter in the surface acoustic wave (the second wave) on the top surface of said substrate. Employing the combination of the planar wiring and the connecting device can resolve the problem of fragility associated with a cable wiring even in the piezoelectric vibrator having the electrodes on both surfaces thereof.

Claims

1. An acoustic contact detecting device comprising

(a) a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

(b) an acoustic wave transducer for coupling with a first wave representative of a bulk wave being propagated between the top surface and the bottom surface through said substrate along an axis crossing said top surface, said acoustic wave transducer comprising a piezoelectric substrate and a piezoelectric vibrator having electrode sections disposed on both surfaces of said piezo electric substrate;

(c) a planar wiring for supplying said acoustic wave transducer with electric power, said planar wiring comprising a first wiring section capable of contacting with one of said electrode sections of said piezoelectric vibrator by way of line or face contact and a second wiring section spaced and insulated from said first wiring section;

(d) a connecting device for connecting said acoustic wave transducer with the planar wiring, said connecting device being formed in a form capable of connecting the other electrode section of said piezoelectric vibrator with said second wiring section;

(e) a diffractive acoustic wave mode coupler having a mode of converted wave having high energy on said top surface and functioning for coupling a second wave being propagated along an axis parallel to said top surface with said first wave; and

(f) a means for detecting a perturbation in the energy of said second wave.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said wiring is formed by using conductive paste.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, in which said wiring is formed by way of transfer printing.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said wiring is formed by way of transfer printing.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said wiring is formed on the bottom surface of the substrate.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said connecting device is made of conductive material having a step corresponding to a profile of said acoustic wave transducer.

7. A coordinate input device of touch-type comprising:

a propagation medium having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface being capable of propagating an acoustic wave;

a bulk wave generation means for propagating a bulk wave in a crossing direction with respect to said top surface of said propagation medium, said bulk wave generation means comprising an acoustic wave transducer comprising a piezoelectric substrate and a piezoelectric vibrator having electrode sections disposed on both surfaces of said piezoelectric substrate;

a planar wiring for supplying this bulk wave generation means with electric power, said planar wiring comprising a first wiring section capable of contacting with one of said electrode sections of said piezoelectric vibrator by way of line or face contact and a second wiring section spaced and insulated from said first wiring section;

a connecting device for providing an electrical connection between said bulk wave generation means and said planar wiring, said connecting device being formed in a form capable of connecting the other electrode section of said piezoelectric vibrator with said second wiring section;

an acoustic wave generation means for converting said bulk wave into an acoustic wave and propagating said acoustic wave on the top surface of said propagation medium; and

a detecting means for detecting a scatter in the surface of the acoustic wave from said acoustic wave generation means.

8. A device in accordance with claim 7, in which said wiring is formed by using conductive paste.

9. A device in accordance with claim 7, in which said wiring is formed by way of transfer printing.

10. A device in accordance with claim 7, in which said wiring is formed on the bottom surface of the substrate.

11. A device in accordance with claim 7, in which said connecting device is made of conductive material having a step corresponding to a profile of said acoustic wave transducer.