Acoustic wave touch actuated switch with feedback

• US 7,463,249 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texzec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Bremigan, Charles F. III, Knowles, Terence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/998,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,576 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/19.01, 310/313.R, 310/313.B
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/054 Acoustic pick-up, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96011 with propagation, SAW or BAW

Abstract

An acoustic wave switch includes a substrate with an acoustic wave cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity. A transducer is mounted on the acoustic cavity for generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the cavity. A touch on the touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity absorbs acoustic wave energy and produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer. Various feedback mechanisms can be employed to provide a user with a tactile, audible and/or visual response indicating actuation of the switch by a touch.

Claims

1. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch having a touch sensitive surface comprising:

a deformable dome overlying the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch, the dome in an unactuated position being spaced from the touch sensitive surface of the switch; and

an acoustic wave absorbing material disposed between the deformable dome and the touch sensitive surface such that in response to a force acting on the dome, the dome deforms and contacts the absorbing material and the absorbing material contacts the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch with sufficient pressure to actuate the acoustic wave switch.

2. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave absorbing material is mounted on a surface of the dome.

3. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave absorbing material overlies the touch surface of the switch and is spaced from a surface of the dome in the unactuated position of the dome.

4. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch having a touch sensitive surface comprising:

an actuator overlying the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch and an acoustic wave absorbing material mounted on the actuator, the acoustic wave absorbing material being spaced from the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch when the actuator is in an unactuated position and the acoustic wave absorbing material contacting the touch sensitive surface of the switch actuating the acoustic wave switch in response to a force acting on the actuator to move the acoustic wave absorbing material into actuating contact with the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch.

5. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 4 wherein the actuator is a deformable dome.

6. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 5 wherein the deformable dome is a truncated dome.

7. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 4 wherein the actuator includes a plunger extending through an aperture in a metal plate spaced from the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch, the absorber being mounted on a bottom surface of the plunger and further including at least one magnet mounted on the plunger between the absorber and the metal plate to hold the actuator in the unactuated position.

8. A feedback mechanism for an acoustic wave switch having a touch sensitive surface comprising:

an actuator overlying the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch and an acoustic wave absorbing material mounted on the actuator, the acoustic wave absorbing material being spaced from the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch when the actuator is in an unactuated position and the acoustic wave absorbing material contacting the touch sensitive surface of the switch actuating the acoustic wave switch in response to a force acting on the actuator to move the acoustic wave absorbing material into actuating contact with the touch sensitive surface of the acoustic wave switch, wherein the actuator includes a rocker having a pivot with a magnet mounted on the rocker on a first side of the pivot to hold the actuator in an unactuated position and the magnet returns the actuator to the unactuated position when the force is removed.