Compact input device

• US 8,330,061 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher, Moolsintong, Jan, Fisher, Joseph, Sander, Wendell, Kocalar, Erturk
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/051,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.R, 200/6.A, 200/600, 200/511, 200/512, 341 20- 22, 341/33, 341/34, 345/160, 345/161, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 174/250, 174/254, 174/255, 174/260, 174/268, 361/748, 361/749
• US Class Current: 200/5.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7006 comprising a separate movable contact element for each switch site, all other elements being integrated in layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/81 characterised by electrical connections to external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/004 Printed circuit tail
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/004 in different planes to increase density
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/032 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/042 Briefcase; Note-book
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/018 Ground conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

Compact input devices formed on flexible substrates are disclosed. The input devices may be formed using three or more conducting layers. By including three or more conducting layers, the diameter of the input device may be minimized. In addition, to improve the flexibility of portions of the input device mounted, some portions of the input device may be made to have fewer layers than other portions of the input device.

Claims

1. A flexible substrate comprising:

a first portion comprising a first set of layers; and

a second portion comprising a second set of layers,

the first set of layers and the second set of layers being different, and

the first portion comprising a first sensor area of an input device and the

second portion comprising a second sensor area of the input device.

2. The flexible substrate of claim 1, wherein the first sensor area comprises a central sensor area of the input device, and the second sensor area is circumferentially arranged relative to the first sensor area.

3. The flexible substrate of claim 2, wherein the first set of layers has a lesser number of layers than the second set of layers.

4. The flexible substrate of claim 2, wherein the first set of layers has a lesser number of conducting layers than the second set of layers.

5. The flexible substrate of claim 4, wherein

the first set of layers comprises a conducting layer comprising a sensor and a conducting layer comprising a trace, and

the second set of layers comprises a conducting layer comprising a sensor, a conducting layer comprising a trace, and a conducting layer comprising grounding.

6. The flexible substrate of claim 1, wherein the first set of layers has only one conducting layer and the second set of layers has only three conducting layers.

7. The flexible substrate of claim 1, wherein the first set of layers has only two conducting layers and the second set of layers has only three conducting layers.

8. A flexible substrate comprising:

a first portion comprising a first set of layers; and

a second portion comprising a second set of layers,

the first set of layers and the second set of layers being different, and

the first portion comprising a controller area of an input device and the second portion comprising an area of the input device between the controller area and a connector area of the input device.

9. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the first set of layers has a greater number of layers than the second set of layers.

10. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the first set of layers has a greater number of conducting layers than the second set of layers.

11. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the first set of layers has only three conducting layers.

12. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the controller area comprises a controller configured to control sensors associated with the input device.

13. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the second set of layers has a single conducting layer.

14. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the connector area comprises a connector configured to connect the second portion of the flexible substrate to an electronic device.

15. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the connector area comprises contacts and a stiffener.

16. The flexible substrate of claim 8, wherein the connector area comprises a ZIF connector.

17. A flexible substrate comprising:

a first portion comprising a first flexibility; and

a second portion comprising a second flexibility,

the first flexibility and the second flexibility being different due to a difference in a number of layers of the first portion and the second portion, and

the first portion comprises comprising a first sensor area of an input device and the second portion comprises comprising a second sensor area of the input device.

18. The flexible substrate of claim 17, wherein the first sensor area comprises a central sensor area of the input device, and the second sensor area is circumferentially arranged relative to the first sensor area.

19. The flexible substrate of claim 18, wherein the first set of layers has a lesser number of layers than the second set of layers.

20. The flexible substrate of claim 18, wherein the first set of layers has a lesser number of conducting layers than the second set of layers.

21. The flexible substrate of claim 20, wherein

the first set of layers comprises a conducting layer comprising a sensor and a conducting layer comprising a trace, and

the second set of layers comprises a conducting layer comprising a sensor, a conducting layer comprising a trace, and a conducting layer comprising grounding.

22. The flexible substrate of claim 17, wherein the first set of layers has only one conducting layer and the second set of layers has only three conducting layers.

23. The flexible substrate of claim 17, wherein the first set of layers has only two conducting layers and the second set of layers has only three conducting layers.

24. A flexible substrate comprising:

a first portion comprising a first flexibility; and

a second portion comprising a second flexibility,

the first flexibility and the second flexibility being different due to a difference in a number of layers of the first portion and the second portion, and

the first portion comprising a controller area of an input device and the second portion comprising an area of the input device between the controller area and a connector area of the input device.

25. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the first set of layers has a greater number of layers than the second set of layers.

26. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the first set of layers has a greater number of conducting layers than the second set of layers.

27. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the first set of layers has only three conducting layers.

28. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the controller area comprises a controller configured to control sensors associated with the input device.

29. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the second set of layers has a single conducting layer.

30. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the connector area comprises a connector configured to connect the second portion of the flexible substrate to an electronic device.

31. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the connector area comprises contacts and a stiffener.

32. The flexible substrate of claim 24, wherein the connector area comprises a ZIF connector.