Layer structure comprising a switch illuminated by an ACPEL arrangement

• US 9,252,771 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Ink Incorporated
• Original Assignee: T-Ink Incorporated
• Inventors: Hedderich, Wilfried, Kunz, Rainer, Bernert, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US13/822,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/24 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9631 using a light source as part of the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/26 characterised by the composition or arrangement of the conductive material used as an electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/28 of translucent electrodes

Abstract

The invention relates to a layer structure comprising at least one switch (4) illuminated by an ACPEL arrangement (2), to the method for producing and shaping said layer structure, and the use thereof for forming display and control elements and for forming housing elements for mobile or stationary electronic equipment or small or large household appliances or for forming keyboard systems without movable components.

Claims

1. A layer structure comprising a switch and an ACPEL arrangement, wherein the switch and the ACPEL arrangement are applied onto one another in arbitrary sequence to the same side of the same substrate, wherein the switch comprises a front electrode and a rear electrode, and wherein the ACPEL arrangement comprises a front electrode and a rear electrode, characterized in that the switch and ACPEL arrangement are each three-dimensionally deformed, wherein independently of each another the rear electrode of the ACPEL arrangement and the front and the rear electrodes of the switch contain an electrically conductive material selected from the group of intrinsically conductive polymer and silver, and the front electrode of the ACPEL arrangement contains an intrinsically conductive polymer.

2. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the switch is a capacitive switch or a resistive switch.

3. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rear electrode of the ACPEL arrangement and the front and the rear electrodes of the switch, independently of one another, contain at least 20 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer, or at least 50 wt.-% silver, and the front electrode of the ACPEL arrangement contains at least 20 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer.

4. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the intrinsically conductive polymer is selected from the group of PEDOT:

PSS, polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene, or mixtures of these polymers.

5. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the layers of the ACPEL arrangement are separated from the layers of the switch by an insulation layer.

6. The layer structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the insulation layer is between 20 and 100 μ

m thick.

7. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the radii of curvature in the deformed regions are smaller than 7 mm.

8. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the angle of deformation in the deformed regions is greater than 60°

.

9. A method for producing a layer structure as claimed in claim 1, comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a substrate,

(b) applying the layers of the ACPEL arrangement (2), an insulation layer, and the switch by a printing method, and

(c) shaping the layer structure.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the printing method is screen printing.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the deformation is performed by isostatic high-pressure shaping or thermoforming.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the layer structure is injected using a plastic.

13. A use of a layer structure as claimed in claim 1 to form display and control elements.

14. A use of a layer structure as claimed in claim 1 to form housing elements for mobile or stationary electronic equipment, or small or large household appliances, or to form keyboard systems without moving parts.

15. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rear electrode of the ACPEL arrangement and the front and the rear electrodes of the switch, independently of one another, contain at least 30 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer, or at least 50 wt.-% silver, and the front electrode of the ACPEL arrangement contains at least 30 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer.

16. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rear electrode of the ACPEL arrangement and the front and the rear electrodes of the switch, independently of one another, contain at least 40 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer, or at least 60 wt.-% silver, and the front electrode of the ACPEL arrangement contains at least 40 wt.-% of an intrinsically conductive polymer.

17. The layer structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the insulation layer is between 30 and 80 μ

m thick.

18. The layer structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the insulation layer is between 40 and 70 μ

m thick.

19. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the radii of curvature in the deformed regions are smaller than 1 mm.

20. The layer structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the angle of deformation in the deformed regions is greater than 90°

.