Touch panel and electronic equipment using the touch panel

• US 20030122792A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yuichi, Yamaue, Nobuhiro, Komiya, Hirofumi, Abe, Yoshiharu, Fukui, Toshiharu
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/038 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/06 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/082 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/014 universal
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/028 on planes with different or alterable inclination, e.g. convex plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information

Abstract

A touch panel and an electronic device using the touch panel have satisfactory, reliable operability. The touch panel is used for an operating section of the electronic device. In this touch panel, upper and lower substrates 21 and 22 have upper and lower electrode layers, respectively, and face with an established spacing. Respective center portions of the substrates 21 and 22 protrude upward like a dome.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first light-transmitting substrate;

a second light-transmitting substrate facing said first substrate with a space;

a first light-transmitting electrode layer on a first surface of said first substrate, said first surface of said first substrate facing said second substrate; and

a second light-transmitting electrode layer on a first surface of said second substrate, said first surface of said second substrate facing said first substrate,

wherein respective center portions of said first and second substrates protrude in a direction from said second substrate to said first substrate like a dome.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein said center portion of said second substrate is thicker than an outer border of said second substrate.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second substrates includes a flat portion at an outer border thereof.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a display sheet affixed to one of a second surface of said first substrate opposite to said first surface of said first substrate and a second surface of said second substrate opposite to said first surface of said second substrate.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a display mark on one of a second surface of said first substrate opposite to said first surface of said first substrate and a second surface of said second substrate opposite to said first surface of said second substrate.

6. A device comprising:

said touch panel of claim 1;

a case having an opening to which said first substrate of said touch panel is engaged; and

a display element disposed over said second substrate of said touch panel opposite to said first substrate.