Hidden touch pad structure

• US 7,995,037 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First International Computer Incorporated (FIC Global Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First International Computer Incorporated (FIC Global Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lu, Ying-Ta, Chuang, Wan-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/743,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 345/176, 345/178, 345/901, 345/905, 345/962, 178/18.03, 178 1808- 1811, 348/14.03, 326/26, 326/29, 326/600
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

A hidden touch pad structure adapted for an electronic product includes a touch pad and a plate covering the touch pad. The plate includes a pad-recognizing portion corresponding to the touch pad. A circuit board is electronically connected to the touch pad for receiving a pressure signal when pressing the pad-recognizing portion of the plate.

Claims

1. A hidden touch pad structure adapted for an electronic product, comprising:

a touch pad;

a plate having a periphery defining an area and a top surface, with the top surface being continuously flat within the area, with the plate covering the touch pad, with the plate comprising a pad-recognizing portion corresponding to the touch pad and smaller than the area; and

a circuit board electronically connecting to the touch pad for receiving a pressure signal when the pad-recognizing portion of the plate is pressed, wherein the plate and the pad-recognizing portion are originally integrally formed in one piece, with the touch pad being under the pad-recognizing portion and the plate, wherein the pad-recognizing portion is formed by different printed colors on the plate.

2. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 1, wherein the plate exposes at least one clicking button, and with the clicking button electronically connecting with the circuit board.

3. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 1, wherein the plate covers at least one clicking button, and with the clicking button electronically connecting with the circuit board.

4. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 3, wherein the plate further comprises a click-recognizing portion recognizes the clicking button.

5. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 4, wherein the click-recognizing portion is formed by different printed colors on the plate.

6. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 4, wherein the click-recognizing portion is formed with a different surface on the plate.

7. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 1, wherein the plate has various thicknesses.

8. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 7, wherein the plate further comprises a recess concaved from a bottom surface with a predetermined depth to form the various thickness, the recess is formed on the plate integrally in one piece, the recess includes an inner surface spaced from the top surface and intermediate the top surface and the bottom surface, and the touch pad is disposed in the recess of the plate, with the bottom surface being opposite to the top surface.

9. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 8, wherein the predetermined depth is substantially equal to a thickness of the touch pad.

10. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 8, wherein the touch pad has a top surface retained against the inner surface of the recess and adjacent to the recess of the plate.

11. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 8 further comprising a lighting device around the touch pad and received inside the plate and disposed in the recess with the touch plate;

wherein when the circuit board receives the pressure signal, the circuit board further drives the lighting device to provide light, and the touch pad is recognized by the lighting device.

12. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 11, wherein the lighting device comprises a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

13. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 12, further comprising a guiding member disposed between the plate and the LEDs, and with the guiding member electronically connecting with the circuit board for obtaining uniform light of the LEDs.

14. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 13, wherein the guiding member is a guide light strip.

15. A portable computer comprises the hidden touch pad structure of claim 2.

16. The hidden touch pad structure of claim 1, wherein the plate and the pad-recognizing portion are originally integrally formed in one piece, with the touch pad being under the pad-recognizing portion and the plate.

17. A hidden touch pad structure adapted for an electronic product, comprising:

a touch pad;

a plate having a periphery and a top surface, with the plate covering the touch pad, with the plate comprising a pad-recognizing portion corresponding to the touch pad and smaller than the area; and

a circuit board electronically connecting to the touch pad for receiving a pressure signal when the pad-recognizing portion of the plate is pressed, wherein the plate and the pad-recognizing portion are originally integrally formed in one piece, with the touch pad being under the pad-recognizing portion and the plate, wherein the pad-recognizing portion is formed by different printed colors on the plate with a surrounding wall defined in the top surface of the plate.