Touch sensor arrays with integrated inter-layer contacts

• US 10,185,446 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Osborn, Jay Kevin, Richards, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandeville, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/906,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,021 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 178 1801, 178 1803, 178 1806
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

Touch pad structures are provided that gather touch sensor data. The data may be used to control a computer or other electronic device. The touch pad structures may be integrated into a computer or other computing equipment or may be provided as a stand-alone accessory. The touch pad structures may include a touch sensor array. The touch sensor array may include rows and columns of touch sensor electrodes, interconnect lines, and other conductive structures. The conductive structures on the touch sensor array may be formed from patterned layers of ink. Interconnect line segments in different layer of ink may be connected in rectangular contact regions. The touch sensor array may have a tail. A layer of insulator may be removed from the substrate across a tip portion of the tail to allow the line segments to be connected.

Claims

1. A touch sensor array, comprising:

a substrate having a sensor array region and a tail that extends from the sensor array region; and

conductive touch sensor structures on the substrate, wherein at least some of the conductive touch sensor structures are formed in the sensor array region and at least some of the conductive touch sensor structures form parallel interconnect lines in the tail;

wherein at least one of the conductive touch sensor structures comprises first and second layers of conductive material in the tail having substantially the same widths at a contact region at which the first and second layers overlap and electrically contact each other, the widths at the contact region having substantially the same width as at least a portion of the second layer of conductive material outside the contact region, and wherein the tail has a tip region that is uncovered by a layer of insulator.

2. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second layers of conductive material have a common longitudinal axis.

3. The touch sensor array defined in claim 2 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible polymer.

4. The touch sensor array defined in claim 3 wherein the first and second layers of conductive material comprise conductive ink.

5. The touch sensor array defined in claim 3 wherein the conductive ink comprises screen printed silver ink.

6. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the first layer of conductive material comprises a lower layer of conductive ink and wherein the second layer of conductive material comprises an upper layer of conductive ink.

7. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein at least another of the parallel interconnect lines is formed exclusively from a lower layer of conductive ink.

8. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the contact region is rectangular.

9. The touch sensor array defined in claim 8 wherein the parallel interconnect lines each have a respective width and wherein at least one of the parallel interconnect lines has a width-changing step at which the width of that parallel interconnect line changes.

10. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the parallel interconnect lines each have a respective width and wherein at least one of the parallel interconnect lines has a width-changing step at which the width of that parallel interconnect line changes.

11. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

12. The touch sensor array defined in claim 1 wherein the tail has a rectangular shape.

13. A touch sensor array, comprising:

a substrate having a sensor array region and a tail;

conductive interconnect lines formed on the substrate from a patterned upper conductive ink layer and a patterned lower conductive ink layer; and

a layer of insulator, wherein some of the layer of insulator is interposed between the patterned upper conductive ink layer and the substrate and wherein some of the layer of insulator is interposed between the patterned upper conductive ink layer and the patterned lower conductive ink layer, and wherein at least one conductive interconnect line includes a contact region in the tail in which an upper line segment formed from the patterned upper conductive ink layer has substantially the same width as the patterned lower conductive ink layer and overlaps and electrically contacts a lower line segment formed from the patterned lower conductive ink layer, the width at the contact region having substantially the same width as at least a portion of the patterned upper conductive ink layer formed in the tail but outside the contact region.

14. The touch sensor array defined in claim 13 wherein the substrate has a rectangular portion with four edges and wherein the tail is rectangular and protrudes from one of the four edges.

15. The touch sensor array defined in claim 14 wherein the contact region is rectangular and wherein the layer of insulator has a straight edge that extends across at least some of the tail.

16. The touch sensor array defined in claim 15 wherein the conductive interconnect lines have widths and contain width-changing steps at which the widths change and wherein at least some of the width-changing steps are located on the tail.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having a tail;

an upper patterned ink layer;

a lower patterned ink layer; and

an insulating layer, wherein at least some of the lower patterned ink layer touches the substrate, wherein at least some of the insulating layer is interposed between the upper patterned ink layer and the lower patterned ink layer, wherein at least some of the upper patterned ink layer touches the substrate, wherein the upper patterned ink layer comprises a plurality of first interconnect line segments, wherein the lower patterned ink layer comprises a plurality of second interconnect line segments, wherein each of the first interconnect line segments electrically contacts a respective one of the second interconnect line segments in a respective contact region in the tail at which the first and second interconnect line segments have substantially the same width as a portion of the first interconnect line segment formed in the tail but outside the contact region, and wherein the substrate is free of the insulating layer between at least a portion of the second interconnect line segments.