Touch Screen Shield

• US 20110279383A1
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RO Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Racing Optics Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Bart, Wilson, Seth, Wilson, Stephen S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/20 Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/00 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2571/00 Protective equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/06 for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support , or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0076 characterised in that the layers are not bonded on the totality of their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/05 the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 : Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 : with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 : Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1471 : Protective layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 : Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24744 : Longitudinal or transverse tubular cavity or cell

Abstract

A shield that is attachable to a touch sensitive screen is disclosed. The shield may be attached to the touch sensitive screen only at its outer peripheral portion. An air gap is enclosed between the shield and the touch sensitive screen to form a planar air bearing. The shield preferably does not touch the active area of the touch sensitive screen when the user is not touching the shield but only viewing the touch sensitive screen through the shield. This mitigates unwanted optical artifacts such as trapped air bubbles, Newton rings and chromatic interference while maintaining the sensitivity of the touch sensitive screen.

Claims

1. A transparent shield for a touch sensitive screen of a device, the shield comprising:

a first transparent layer defining opposed first and second sides, the first transparent layer defining an outer periphery;

a thin layer of pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on an outer peripheral portion of the second side of the first transparent layer;

a second transparent layer defining opposed first and second sides, the first side of the second transparent layer being attached to a central portion of the second side of the first transparent layer, an outer periphery of the second transparent layer being smaller than the outer periphery of the first transparent layer so as to define a step;

wherein the outer peripheral portion of the first transparent layer is attachable to the device so that the central portion of the second side of the first transparent layer is positioned on top of the touch sensitive screen of the device, and the first transparent layer is placed in tension when the outer peripheral portion of the first transparent layer is attached to the device.

2. The shield of claim 1 further comprising adhesive disposed between the central portion of the second side of the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer for attaching the first and second transparent layer to each other.

3. The shield of claim 1 wherein the adhesive disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the second side of the first transparent layer is protected by a removable liner.

4. The shield of claim 1 further comprising one or more transparent sacrificial layers peelably removable from each other and the first side of the first transparent layer so that a top most sacrificial layer may be removed as desired.

5. The shield of claim 4 wherein the first and second transparent layers are thicker compared to the one or more sacrificial layers.

6. The shield of claim 4 wherein the sacrificial layers have staggered tabs for assisting in the peeling of the top most sacrificial layer.

7. The shield of claim 4 wherein a peel value is progressively stronger as the top most sacrificial layer is peeled.

8. The shield of claim 2 wherein a difference in an index of refraction of the adhesive and the first and second transparent layers is less than 0.2.

9. The shield of claim 1 wherein the adhesive forms an enclosed air gap between the shield and touch sensitive screen.

10. The shield of claim 9 wherein the enclosed air gap is a planar air bearing.

11. The shield of claim 1 further comprising an opaque annular film at an outer peripheral portion of the first transparent layer.

12. A transparent shield for a touch sensitive screen of a device, the shield comprising:

a first transparent layer defining opposed first and second sides;

pressure sensitive adhesive disposed only at an outer peripheral portion of the second side of the first transparent layer, the pressure sensitive adhesive being sufficiently thick so as to form an air gap between the first transparent layer and the touch sensitive screen when the shield is mounted to the electronic device;

wherein the outer peripheral portion of the first transparent layer is attachable to the device so that the central portion of the second side of the first transparent layer is positioned on top of the touch sensitive screen of the device.

13. The shield of claim 12 wherein the air gap is a planar air bearing.

14. The shield of claim 12 further comprising one or more transparent sacrificial layers peelably removable from each other and the first side of the first transparent layer so that a top most sacrificial layer may be removed as desired.

15. The shield of claim 12 further comprising an opaque annular film at an outer peripheral portion of the first transparent layer.