Information display device and supporting frame for supporting a piezoelectric element for use in information display device

• US 20050057527A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Shigeaki, Takenaka, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04142 the force sensing means being located peripherally, e.g. disposed at the corners or at the side of a touch sensing plate

Abstract

An information display device (1A) comprises a touch panel (TP), an information display panel (LCD) located under the touch panel (TP) and four strip-like piezoelectric elements (E), which are caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force generated when the touch panel (TP) is pressed, being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of the touch panel (TP), wherein both end portions of each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) are supported by surface-like holders (112A, 112B) with twist resilient deformation structures and a rotary shaft (113) so that each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) may not be disturbed from being vibrated and displaced. In this touch panel type information device, both end portions of a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported by the supporting member having the holders with the twist resilient deformation structure which do not disturb both end portions of the strip-like piezoelectric elements from being vibrated and displaced.

Claims

1. An information display device comprising:

a touch panel;

an information display panel located under said touch panel; and

a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force for pressing said touch panel, said plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of said touch panel, wherein said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported at their respective end portions by members having torsion resilient deformation structures which do not disturb said strip-like piezoelectric elements from being vibrated and displaced.

2. An information display device comprising:

a touch panel;

an information display panel located under said touch panel; and

a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force for pressing said touch panel, said plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of said touch panel, wherein said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported at their respective end portions by a supporting frame having surface-like holders with torsion resilient deformation structures which do not disturb said strip-like piezoelectric elements from being vibrated and displaced.

4. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a plurality of sets of said surface-like holders are formed on opposing frames.

5. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said surface-like holder has a butting portion formed at its outer end portion.

10. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device according to claim 4, wherein said surface-like holder has a butting portion formed at its outer end portion.

3. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device having a structure comprising:

a pair of surface-like holders having torsion resilient deformation structures, which do not disturb a strip-like piezoelectric element from being vibrated and displaced, being formed at both end portion sides of a rectangular hole; and

a stopper for limiting the lower limit of vibration and displacement of the central portion of said strip-like piezoelectric element being formed on said frame at the surface lower than the supporting surfaces of said two surface-like holders.

6. An information display device comprising:

a touch panel;

an information display panel located under said touch panel; and

a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force for pressing said touch panel, said plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of said touch panel, wherein said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are fixed to a flexible printed wiring board, both end portions of said flexible printed wiring board are led out, said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported by a supporting member formed on a frame so that they can be vibrated and displaced at least at one portion of their lower surfaces, and predetermined lengths are provided such that said two led-out portions of said flexible printed wiring board can be twisted and deformed with resiliency, said two led-out portions at the outside of the portion which is twisted and deformed with resiliency being fixed to a fixed portion of said frame and supported by a supporting frame.

7. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device having a structure comprising:

a supporting member which does not disturb a strip-like piezoelectric element from being vibrated and displaced being provided at the predetermined position of a rectangular hole;

a stopper for limiting a lower limit of vibration and displacement of a central portion of said strip-like piezoelectric element being provided on the surface of the level lower than the upper surface of said supporting member;

a fixed portion being formed on both end portions of said rectangular hole; and

a fixed portion having a positioning portion being formed on a frame at the same level surface as that of the upper surface of said supporting member.

8. An information display device comprising:

a touch panel;

an information display panel located under said touch panel; and

a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force for pressing said touch panel, said plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of said touch panel, wherein said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are fixed to a flexible printed wiring board, both end portions of said flexible printed wiring board are led out, said respective strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported by a supporting member formed on a frame so that they can be vibrated and displaced at two portions of their lower surfaces, and predetermined lengths are provided such that said two led-out portions of said flexible printed wiring board can be twisted and deformed with resiliency, said two led-out portions at the outside of the portion which is twisted and deformed with resiliency being properly positioned by a protruded portion of said frame and fixed to a fixed portion of the same level surface as the upper surface of said supporting member and said two led-out portions at the outside of the other end portion which is twisted and deformed with resiliency are fixed to a fixed portion of the same level surface as the upper surface of said supporting member of said frame and supported by a supporting frame.

9. A piezoelectric element supporting frame for use with an information display device having a structure comprising:

a pair of supporting members, which do not disturb a strip-like piezoelectric element from being vibrated and displaced, being provided at predetermined space positions of a rectangular hole;

a stopper for limiting a lower limit of vibration and displacement of a central portion of said strip-like piezoelectric element being provided on the surface of the level lower than the upper surfaces of said pair of supporting members;

a fixed portion being formed on both end portions of said rectangular hole; and

a fixed portion having a positioning protruded portion being formed on a frame at the same level surface as that of the upper surface of said supporting member.