Printable electromechanical input means and an electronic device including such input means
First Claim
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1. An electromechanical input device for a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a first layer of conductive or resistive material,a second layer of conductive or resistive material, which second layer at least partly overlaps the first layer so that the overlapping parts of the first and second layers together are responsive to touching or pressing to produce an electric input signal to the portable electronic device,a dielectric support layer for the first layer, anda dielectric support layer for the second layer;
wherein at least a part of the dielectric support layer for the first layer continues passed the first layer and is bent back to act as the dielectric support layer for the second layer.
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Abstract
Electromechanical input means for a portable electronic device comprise first and second layers of conductive or resistive material. The second layer overlaps the first layer at least partly so that the overlapping parts of the first and second layers together are responsive to touching or pressing to produce an electric input signal to the portable electronic device. There is a dielectric support layer for the first and second layers. At least a part of the dielectric support layer for the first layer continues past the first layer and is bent back to act as the dielectric support layer for the second layer.
10 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An electromechanical input device for a portable electronic device, comprising:
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a first layer of conductive or resistive material, a second layer of conductive or resistive material, which second layer at least partly overlaps the first layer so that the overlapping parts of the first and second layers together are responsive to touching or pressing to produce an electric input signal to the portable electronic device, a dielectric support layer for the first layer, and a dielectric support layer for the second layer; wherein at least a part of the dielectric support layer for the first layer continues passed the first layer and is bent back to act as the dielectric support layer for the second layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
so that the overlapping parts of the first and second layers are responsive to pressing to produce an electric input signal that results from a galvanic connection which a conductive patch in the second layer causes between fingers in the first layer.
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7. An electromechanical input means according to claim 5, wherein the dielectric support layer for the second layer comprises dome-shaped deformations each having a convex side and a concave side, of which the concave sides of the dome-shaped deformations are towards the first layer and comprise the second layer in the form of conductive patches.
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8. An electromechanical input device according to claim 1, additionally comprising other layers that are conductive or resistive and supported by a dielectric layer that is of the same piece of material as the dielectric support layer of the first and second layers.
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9. An electromechanical functional module for a portable electronic device, comprising:
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a flexible printed circuit board for supporting electronic components and conductive tracks between electronic components, a first layer of conductive or resistive material on a surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and a second layer of conductive or resistive material on a surface of the flexible printed circuit board; wherein a portion of the flexible printed circuit board separates the first layer from the second layer, thus allowing the flexible printed circuit board to be bent around an imaginary axis crossing said portion of the flexible printed circuit board, so that after bending the second layer comes to at least partly overlap the first layer, and the overlapping parts of the first and second layers together are then responsive to touching or pressing to produce an electric input signal to the portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A portable electronic device, comprising:
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a flexible printed circuit board, an engine module, which is a microprocessor, attached and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board, and electromechanical input device for producing electric input signals for the engine module; wherein the electromechanical input device comprises a first layer of conductive or resistive material on a surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and a second layer of conductive or resistive material on a surface of the flexible printed circuit board, which second layer at least partly overlaps the first layer, and wherein the flexible printed circuit board acts as a dielectric support layer for the first layer and continues passed the first layer and is bent back to act as the dielectric support layer for the second layer. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification