Touch pad with flexible substrate
First Claim
1. A touch sensor device, the touch sensor device comprising:
- a flexible circuit substrate, the flexible circuit substrate including a first plurality of pads;
a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate; and
a sensor component, the sensor component including at least one sensing element disposed on a flexible sensor substrate for detecting an object proximate to the sensing element, the sensor component including a second plurality of pads, the at least one sensing element coupled to the touch sensor controller through the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost.
139 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A touch sensor device, the touch sensor device comprising:
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a flexible circuit substrate, the flexible circuit substrate including a first plurality of pads;
a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate; and
a sensor component, the sensor component including at least one sensing element disposed on a flexible sensor substrate for detecting an object proximate to the sensing element, the sensor component including a second plurality of pads, the at least one sensing element coupled to the touch sensor controller through the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A touch sensor device, the touch sensor device comprising:
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a flexible circuit substrate, the flexible circuit substrate comprising a relatively high-temperature-resistant flexible substrate, the flexible circuit substrate including a first plurality of pads;
a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate; and
a sensor component, the sensor component comprising a relatively low-temperature-resistant flexible substrate, the sensor component including at least one sensing element for detecting an object proximate to the sensor component, the sensor component including a second plurality of pads, the at least one sensing element electrically coupled to the flexible circuit substrate through the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A touch sensor device, the touch sensor device comprising:
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a flexible circuit substrate, the flexible circuit substrate comprising a relatively high-temperature-resistant flexible substrate, the flexible circuit substrate including a first plurality of pads;
a touch sensor controller, the touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate with a thermal bond and coupled to the first plurality of pads through a plurality of conductive traces; and
a sensor component, the sensor component comprising a relatively low-temperature-resistant flexible sensor substrate, the sensor component including a second plurality of pads formed on the relatively low-temperature-resistant flexible sensor substrate, the relatively low-temperature-resistant flexible sensor substrate including a plurality of sensing elements configured to detect a change in capacitance when an object is proximate to the sensing elements to facilitate detection of the object by the touch sensor controller, the plurality of sensing elements coupled to the touch sensor controller though the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification