Laminated touch screen

• US 8,760,433 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert M. David
• Original Assignee: Albert M. David
• Inventors: David, Albert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Raudenbush, Ellen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frost, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US12/910,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conducting surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface, the improvement comprising the flexible outer membrane, wherein the flexible outer layer consists of an ultra-thin glass layer, a polymer layer; and an optical adhesive between the ultra-thin glass layer and the polymer layer, the optical adhesive holding the ultra-thin glass layer to the polymer layer.

Claims

1. A flexible membrane for a resistive touch screen display, said flexible membrane comprising:

a glass laminate, wherein said glass laminate comprises;

an ultra-thin glass layer and a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces; and

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer;

a non-elastic pressure sensitive adhesive for mounting the glass laminate onto a backing surface, the pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on the side of the lower surface of said polymer layer in a peripheral region of said polymer layer; and

an elastic tensioner for applying an outwardly tensioning force to said polymer layer relative to the backing surface for biasing the polymer layer into a taut state, the elastic tensioner disposed on the side of the lower surface of said polymer layer in a peripheral region of said polymer layer and outwardly of the pressure sensitive adhesive.

2. The membrane of claim 1, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

3. The membrane of claim 2, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

4. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

5. The membrane of claim 4, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

6. The membrane of claim 5, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

7. The membrane of claim 1 comprising an insulating film applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

8. The membrane of claim 7 wherein said insulating film is ultraviolet ink.

25. The flexible membrane of claim 1 wherein said elastic tensioner is silicon rubber bonded to said polymer layer.

9. In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conductive surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the improvement comprising:

the flexible outer membrane comprising a glass laminate, the glass laminate comprising;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces; and

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer;

a non-elastic pressure sensitive adhesive for mounting the glass laminate onto a backing surface, the pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on the side of the lower surface of said polymer layer in a peripheral region of said polymer layer; and

an elastic tensioner for applying an outwardly tensioning force to said polymer layer relative to the backing surface for biasing the polymer layer into a taut state, the elastic tensioner disposed on the side of the lower surface of said polymer layer in a peripheral region of said polymer layer and outwardly of the pressure sensitive adhesive.

10. The touch screen of claim 9, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

11. The touch screen of claim 10, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

12. The touch screen of claim 9, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

13. The touch screen of claim 12, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

14. The touch screen of claim 13, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

15. The touch screen of claim 9 comprising an insulating film applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

16. The touch screen of claim 15 wherein said insulating film is ultraviolet ink.

26. The touch screen of claim 9 wherein said elastic tensioner is silicon rubber bonded to said polymer layer.

17. A resistive touch screen display, said display comprising:

a backing surface having an upper surface;

a non-elastic pressure sensitive adhesive disposed between a peripheral region of a polymer layer and said upper surface of said backing surface;

an elastic tensioner disposed between the peripheral region of said polymer layer and said backing surface for biasing the polymer layer into a taut state, said elastic tensioner being disposed outwardly of said pressure sensitive adhesive;

a first conductive layer applied to said lower surface of said polymer layer;

a second conductive layer applied to said backing surface;

sensors used to detect where said first conductive layer contacts said second conductive layer; and

a flexible membrane, wherein said flexible membrane comprises;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

said polymer layer, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the peripheral edges of said glass layer by a predetermined distance in each direction; and

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin class layer and said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer.

18. The touch screen of claim 17, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up against said peripheral edges of said glass layer.

19. The touch screen of claim 17, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

20. The touch screen of claim 19, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

21. The touch screen of claim 20, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

22. The touch screen of claim 17, wherein said ultraviolet ink film is applied in a band to extend inwardly, by predetermined amount, onto said lower surface of said polymer layer relative to said pressure sensitive adhesive to provide a zone of insulation between said lower surface of said polymer layer and said backing surface inwardly adjacent of said pressure sensitive adhesive.

23. The touch screen of claim 22 additionally comprising an area insulator layer between said polymer layer and said pressure sensitive adhesive.

24. The touch screen of claim 23 wherein said area insulator layer comprises an ultraviolet ink film.

27. The resistive touch screen display of claim 17 wherein said elastic tensioner is silicon rubber bonded to said polymer layer.