Structure and method for mounting protection panel with touch input function

• US 8,811,033 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Suetomi, Yoshiko, Nishikawa, Kazuhiro, Kai, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jinhee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US12/922,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 411/178
• US Class Current: 361/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1099 Screw

Abstract

A mounting structure includes a protection panel (1) with a touch input function for protecting an electronic device display window, mainly formed of the protection panel body made of a resin plate, and a panel fitting portion (32a) of an exterior housing (32) into which the protection panel (1) is fitted from outside so that an outer face of the protection panel (1) is in the same plane as a portion of the exterior housing surrounding the outer face. In this structure, nut mounting holes are formed in a back side rim portion of the protection panel body and nuts (33) each having a female thread formed in an inner periphery thereof are attached to the respective nut mounting holes, and male screws (34) are screwed into the respective female threads of the nuts (33) through through-holes (32b) formed in the panel fitting portion (32a) of the exterior housing (32).

Claims

1. A structure for mounting a protection panel with a touch input function for protecting an electronic device display window which protection panel is mainly formed of a protection panel body made of resin, in which structure the protection panel is fixed to a panel fitting portion of an exterior housing from outside, the structure comprising:

a plurality of nuts each having a female thread formed in an inner periphery thereof; and

a plurality of male screws,

wherein

the nuts are inserted in respective nut mounting holes formed in a back side rim portion of the protection panel body,

the protection panel is fitted into the panel fitting portion of the exterior housing from outside so that an outer face of the protection panel is in the same plane as a portion of the exterior housing surrounding the outer face, and

the male screws are screwed into the respective female threads of the nuts through respective through-holes formed in the panel fitting portion of the exterior housing, and

wherein

each of the nuts includes a protruding portion which protrudes from the protection panel body, when the nut is inserted in the nut mounting hole,

the panel fitting portion includes first recesses, dimension of each of which corresponds to a shape of the protruding portion of the nut, and

the protection panel is fitted into the panel fitting portion with the protruding portions of the nuts received in the respective first recesses.

2. The structure for mounting a protection panel with a touch input function according to claim 1, wherein

the protection panel with a touch input function comprises:

a lower electrode panel including

the protection panel body which is non-flexible,

a lower transparent electrode, and

a lower circuit provided in a portion surrounding the lower transparent electrode,

the lower transparent electrode and the lower circuit being formed on an upper face of the protection panel body;

an upper electrode sheet including

a first flexible transparent insulation film,

an upper transparent electrode provided at a position opposingly corresponding to a position of the lower transparent electrode, and

an upper circuit provided in a portion surrounding the upper transparent electrode,

the upper transparent electrode and the upper circuit being formed on a lower face of the first flexible transparent insulation film,

the upper electrode sheet being stuck to the lower electrode panel at rim portions to allow the upper transparent electrode and the lower transparent electrode to be opposed to each other; and

a decorative sheet including

a second flexible transparent insulation film, and

a decorative layer for concealing the lower circuit and the upper circuit to form a transparent window,

the decorative layer being provided on at least one face of the second flexible transparent insulation film,

the decorative sheet being stuck to the upper face of an upper electrode sheet.

3. The structure for mounting a protection panel with a touch input function according to claim 1, wherein

each of the nuts includes a cylindrical barrel portion having the female thread in the inner periphery thereof, and a flange projecting outwardly from the barrel portion,

the protection panel body includes second recesses, dimension of each of which corresponds to a profile of the flange, and

the profile of the flange is a polygonal shape or a circular shape with linear portions.

4. The structure for mounting a protection panel with a touch input function according to claim 1, wherein

each of the male screws includes a body portion to be screwed into the corresponding nut, and a head portion with a larger diameter than that of the body portion,

the exterior housing includes third recesses, dimension of each of which corresponds to a shape of the head portion, the third recesses being formed at positions corresponding to the through-holes on the opposite face of the panel fitting portion, and

each of the male screws is screwed into the corresponding nut with the head portions received in the respective third recesses.

5. A method for mounting a protection panel with a touch input function for protecting an electronic device display window which protection panel is mainly formed of a protection panel body made of a resin plate, by fitting the protection panel into a panel fitting portion of an exterior housing from outside so that an outer face of the protection panel is in the same plane as a portion of the exterior housing surrounding the outer face, the method comprising:

a step of inserting nuts each having a female thread formed in an inner periphery thereof in respective nut mounting holes formed in a back side rim portion of the protection panel body;

a step of fitting the protection panel into the panel fitting portion of the exterior housing from outside; and

a step of screwing male screws into the respective female threads of the nuts through respective through-holes formed in the panel fitting portion of the exterior housing,

wherein

each of the nuts includes a protruding portion which protrudes from the protection panel body, when the nut is inserted in the nut mounting hole,

the panel fitting portion includes first recesses, dimension of each of which corresponds to a shape of the protruding portion of the nut, and

the protection panel is fitted into the panel fitting portion with the protruding portions of the nuts received in the respective first recesses.