Electrostatic-capacitance-type coordinate input device

• US 7,737,952 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shigetaka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holton; Steven E
• Application Number:
  US10/618,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-177, 178 1801- 1806
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

An input sensor is bonded on the rear surface of an insulating support plate which supports the input sensor. By forming the input sensor to be thin, a device in which an input device having the input sensor is incorporated can be formed very thin.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an electrostatic-capacitance-type input sensor including a flexible substrate;

a plurality of X electrodes that are formed on one surface of the flexible substrate and that are disposed on an insulating layer and a plurality of Y electrodes that are disposed on the insulating layer; and

an extension section that is extended from the flexible substrate; and

lead wiring of the X electrodes and the Y electrodes bundled in the extension section and connected to a non-flexible circuit substrate, wherein the Y electrodes are connected to the lead wiring via a through-hole part provided on the insulating layer,

wherein a detection electrode S comprising two comb-shaped electrodes is disposed on a surface of the insulating layer, each electrode of the comb-shaped electrodes is disposed alternately with respect to the Y electrodes, the front ends of the combs are disposed opposite left to right, the comb-shaped electrodes are clustered as one electrode in the center in the Y direction, and these extend up to the predetermined through holes,

wherein a protrusion dimension of a portion of the insulating layer which overlaps the extension section is shorter than a protrusion dimension of the extension section such that the insulating layer does not overlap an end portion of the lead wiring of the X and Y electrodes bundled in the extension section, the extension section having a plurality of extension holes, and

wherein the X and Y electrodes are connected to the non-flexible circuit substrate provided on one surface of the extension section, and the other surface of the flexible substrate of the electrostatic-capacitance-type input sensor is bonded to the reverse surface of a curved portion of a support plate, and the other surface of the flexible substrate of the extension section is bonded to a flattened portion continuously disposed from the curved portion so that an input operation is conducted by performing a contact operation along the obverse surface of the curve portion without viewing the electrostatic-capacitance type input sensor and the circuit substrate from an outer surface.

2. An electrostatic-capacitance-type coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein a recess to which the input sensor is fitted is formed on the rear surface of said support plate at a position where said input sensor is bonded.

3. An electrostatic-capacitance-type coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein a pointing section for pointing a position of said input sensor is formed of a recessed portion or a projecting portion, a color display, or changes in surface roughness matching the shape of the input sensor.

7. An electrostatic-capacitance-type coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the reverse surface of the flexible substrate corresponding to the extension section is bonded to a rear surface of a planar portion of the insulating support plate.

4. A device, comprising;

an input device having a coordinate-input sensor formed on a flexible substrate and having an electrode layer that includes a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes formed on one surface of the flexible substrate for detecting electrostatic capacitance, the X electrodes and Y electrodes having lead wiring;

a device housing having an insulating layer having obverse and reverse sides the obverse side being exposed;

wherein the input sensor is disposed on the reverse side of the insulating layer and an input operation is performable at the obverse side,

wherein the coordinate-input sensor has an extension section, a non-flexible circuit substrate to which the electrodes are connected, the non-flexible circuit substrate being disposed on one surface of he extension section, the other surface of the flexible substrate of the input sensor being bonded to the reverse surface of a curved portion of a support plate, and the other surface of the flexible substrate of the extension section being bonded to a flattened portion of a support plate continuously disposed from the curved portion, so that an input operation is conducted by performing a contact operation along the obverse surface of the curve portion without viewing the electrostatic-capacitance type input sensor and the circuit substrate from an outer surface,

wherein a detection electrode S comprising two comb-shaped electrodes is disposed on a surface of the insulating layer, each electrode of the comb-shaped electrodes is disposed alternately with respect to the Y electrodes, the front ends of the combs are disposed opposite left to right, the comb-shaped electrodes are clustered as one electrode in the center in the Y direction, and these extend up to the predetermined through holes,

wherein the lead wiring of the X electrodes and the Y electrodes is bundled in the extension section and connected to the non-flexible circuit substrate, wherein the Y electrodes are connected to the lead wiring via a through-hole part provided on the insulating layer, and

wherein a protrusion dimension of a portion of the insulating layer which overlaps the extension section is shorter than a protrusion dimension of the extension section such that the insulating layer does not overlap an end portion of the lead wiring of the X and Y electrodes bundled in the extension section, the extension section having a plurality of extension holes.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the input sensor is bonded to an arcuate section formed in the insulating portion.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the input sensor is bonded to a recessed area formed in the reverse side.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the reverse surface of the flexible substrate corresponding to the extension section is bonded to a rear surface of a planar portion of the insulating support plate.