Sanitizing a touch panel surface

• US 7,626,579 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ullrich, Chris Jason, Bolt, Mark, Hague, Richard David, Bakircioglu, Munibe M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/555,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/18.08, 178/18.09, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/028 Using ultrasounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A touch panel system that sanitizes a touch panel surface includes a substrate coupled to the touch panel surface. The system further includes an impedance interface coupled to the touch panel surface and a vibration source coupled to the impedance interface. The vibration source vibrates the substrate to generate pressure waves which destroy contaminants on the touch panel surface.

Claims

1. A sanitizing touch panel system comprising:

a touch panel surface;

a substrate coupled to said touch panel surface;

an impedance interface coupled to said touch panel surface; and

a vibration source coupled to said impedance interface;

wherein said vibration source causes vibrations on said substrate to generate pressure waves.

2. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said impedance interface comprises a plurality of polyurethane layers.

3. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said vibration source comprises a piezoelectric transducer.

4. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a coating.

5. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a liquid.

6. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a transparency.

7. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said vibration source generates vibrations in the range of approximately 20-100 KHz.

8. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said vibrations cause said substrate to generate pressure waves on said surface.

9. The touch panel system of claim 1, wherein said surface collects contaminants having one or more natural frequencies, and said vibration source generates vibrations approximately equal to the natural frequencies.

10. The touch panel system of claim 1, further comprising an air mechanism.

11. A method of sanitizing a touch panel surface comprising:

generating vibrations;

coupling the vibrations to the touch panel surface, wherein the surface is coupled to a substrate; and

inducing pressure waves through the substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vibrations are generated by a piezoelectric transducer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling the vibrations comprises sending the vibrations through a plurality of impedance matching layers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the vibrations are generated in the range of approximately 20-100 KHz.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

inducing an airflow across the touch panel surface.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a natural frequency of at least one contaminant that may be present on the touch panel surface; and

generating the vibrations at the natural frequency.

17. A system for sanitizing a touch panel surface comprising:

means for generating vibrations;

means for coupling the vibrations to the touch panel surface, wherein the surface is coupled to a substrate; and

means for inducing pressure waves through the substrate.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for inducing an airflow across the touch panel surface.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a natural frequency of at least one contaminant that may be present on the touch panel surface; and

means for generating the vibrations at the natural frequency.