Touch screen

• US 8,179,383 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Chang, Jung-Wen, Tsai, Wen-Ji, Lin, Wan-Chi, Wu, Chih-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTCHER, BRIAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/402,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

The present application provides a touch screen including a panel module, an image sensor module, and a bezel surrounding the panel module. The image sensor module includes a circuit board and an image sensor unit electrically connected thereto, and both are disposed on the panel module. The image sensor unit has an image sensing surface substantially perpendicular to the circuit board for object detection on a display surface of the panel module.

Claims

1. A touch screen, comprising:

a panel module, comprising a display surface, a rear surface opposite to the display surface and a lateral surface connecting the display surface with the rear surface;

at least one image sensor module, comprising a circuit board, an image sensor unit and a flexible printed circuit electrically connecting the circuit board with the image sensor unit, wherein the circuit board and the image sensor unit are respectively disposed on the display surface and the rear surface of the panel module, and the image sensor comprises an image sensing surface substantially perpendicular to the circuit board; and

a bezel, surrounding the panel module, the image sensor module and the flexible printed circuit,

wherein a top portion of the image sensor unit abuts the bezel, and the circuit board contacts the panel module,

wherein the flexible printed circuit is extended from the display surface through the lateral surface to the rear surface.

2. The touch screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image sensor module further comprises a light source disposed on the circuit board.

3. The touch screen as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light source comprises an LED.

4. The touch screen as claimed in claim 2, wherein the touch screen further comprises a light reflector disposed on the panel module to reflect light from the light source.

5. The touch screen as claimed in claim 4, wherein the light reflector is U-shaped.

6. The touch screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bezel and the circuit board form a gap therebetween.

7. The touch screen as claimed in claim 6, wherein the touch screen further comprises a wireless module or an antenna disposed in the gap.

8. The touch screen as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gap has a width substantially equal to a height of the image sensor module along a direction perpendicular to the circuit board.

9. The touch screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image sensor unit is fixed to the circuit board.

10. The touch screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image sensor unit further comprises a line sensor disposed on the image sensing surface.

11. A touch screen, comprising:

a panel module, comprising a display surface, a rear surface opposite to the display surface and a lateral surface connecting the display surface with the rear surface;

two image sensor modules disposed at two adjacent corners of the panel module, wherein each of the image sensor modules comprise a circuit board, an image sensor unit and a flexible printed circuit electrically connecting the circuit board with the image sensor unit, and the circuit board and the image sensor are respectively disposed on the display surface and the rear surface of the panel module, and the image sensor comprises an image sensing surface substantially perpendicular to the circuit board; and

a bezel, surrounding the panel module, the image sensor modules and the flexible printed circuit,

wherein a top portion of the image sensor units of the image sensor modules abut the bezel, and the circuit board contacts the panel module,

wherein the flexible printed circuit is extended from the display surface through the lateral surface to the rear surface.

12. The touch screen as claimed in claim 11, wherein the image sensor module further comprises a light source disposed on the circuit board.

13. The touch screen as claimed in claim 12, wherein the touch screen further comprises a light reflector disposed on the panel module to reflect light from the light source.