Electrostatic discharge apparatus for touch key

• US 8,149,560 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ryu, Seung-Woo, Yun, Heung-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bauer, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/286,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 361/56, 361/220
• US Class Current: 361/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96019 using conductive paint
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge apparatus for a touch key. A need for a conductive material or a ground layer included in the touch key is removed and a ground pattern portion is formed to prevent damage caused by static electricity introduced into the touch key. The electrostatic discharge apparatus for a touch key having a touch sensing unit and a connector unit extending from one end of the touch sensing unit includes a ground pattern portion having at least one ground pattern, which is included in the touch key and formed on a static-electricity path of the touch key, and a conduction-processing portion connecting the ground patterns with each other and connected with a main body, thereby removing a need for a ground layer provided along an internal circumference of a conventional touch sensing unit, reducing cost by not including EMI paint on the entire surface of the touch key, and preventing static electricity from being introduced into internal circuits of the touch key by causing static electricity introduced into the ground pattern portion to be discharged without passing through the internal circuits of the touch key, thus improving the stability and durability of the touch key.

Claims

1. An electrostatic discharge apparatus for a touch key having a touch sensing unit and a connector unit extending from one end of the touch sensing unit, the electrostatic discharge apparatus comprising:

a ground pattern portion, which is included in the touch key and formed on at least one static-electricity introduction path of the touch key, the ground pattern portion comprising;

a first ground pattern included at one end of an inner side of the touch sensing unit and configured to absorb static electricity introduced through an inner side of the touch key; and

a second ground pattern included at one end of an outer side of the touch sensing unit and formed between the touch sensing unit and the connector unit, and configured to absorb static electricity introduced through an outer side of the touch key; and

a conduction-processing portion connected with the ground pattern portion and a main body of a portable electronic apparatus associated with the touch key.

2. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein one end of the ground pattern portion forms at least one angulated corner.

3. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern are formed adjacent to each other with respect to circuits included in the touch key and are spaced from the circuits included in the touch key.

4. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensing unit comprises an insulation-processed portion which is insulation-coated to prevent static electricity from being introduced into the touch sensing unit.

5. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduction-processing portion comprises:

a conductive paint connecting the first ground pattern with the second ground pattern and included in the connector unit; and

a conductive member included in the conductive paint and adhered to the conductive paint through a conductive double-sided adhesive member, wherein the conductive member is made of a metal plate, one face of which is adhered to the conductive paint through the conductive double-sided adhesive member and the other face of which is adhered to the main body.

6. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern are not connected with circuit lines included in the touch key.

7. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein a back side of the connector unit is coated with conductive paint to electrically connect the first ground pattern with the second ground pattern.

8. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, the ground pattern portion has a smaller resistance than the touch sensing unit.

9. The electrostatic discharge apparatus of claim 1, wherein one end of each of the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern forms at least one angulated corner.

10. A touch key comprising:

a touch sensing unit;

a connector unit extending from one end of the touch sensing unit; and

an electrostatic discharge apparatus comprising;

a ground pattern portion formed on at least one static-electricity introduction path of the touch key, the ground pattern portion comprising;

a first ground pattern included at one end of an inner side of the touch sensing unit and configured to absorb static electricity introduced through an inner side of the touch key; and

a second ground pattern included at one end of an outer side of the touch sensing unit and formed between the touch sensing unit and the connector unit, and configured to absorb static electricity introduced through an outer side of the touch key, and

a conduction-processing portion connected with the ground pattern portion and a main body of a portable electronic apparatus associated with the touch key.

11. The touch key of claim 10, wherein one end of the ground pattern portion forms at least one angulated corner.

12. The touch key of claim 10, wherein the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern are formed adjacent to each other with respect to circuits included in the touch key and are spaced from the circuits included in the touch key.

13. The touch key of claim 10, wherein the touch sensing unit comprises an insulation-processed portion which is insulation-coated to prevent static electricity from being introduced into the touch sensing unit.

14. The touch key of claim 10, wherein the conduction-processing portion comprises:

a conductive paint connecting the first ground pattern with the second ground pattern and included in the connector unit; and

a conductive member included in the conductive paint and adhered to the conductive paint through a conductive double-sided adhesive member, wherein the conductive member is made of a metal plate, one face of which is adhered to the conductive paint through the conductive double-sided adhesive member and the other face of which is adhered to the main body.

15. The touch key of claim 10, wherein the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern are not connected with circuit lines included in the touch key.

16. The touch key of claim 10, wherein a back side of the connector unit is coated with conductive paint to electrically connect the first ground pattern with the second ground pattern.

17. The touch key of claim 10, the ground pattern portion has a smaller resistance than the touch sensing unit.

18. The touch key of claim 10, wherein one end of each of the first ground pattern and the second ground pattern forms at least one angulated corner.