Molded/integrated touch switch/control panel assembly and method for making same

• US 6,897,390 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schaefer, William D., Bird, Kevin C., Caldwell, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/272,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20030121767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 296/22, 178/18, 178/19, 200/600, 200/512, 345/173
• US Class Current: 200/512
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/06 with movable or removable shelves or receptacles A47F3/0486 takes precedence; display racks with movable parts A47F5/0081
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0043 Show shelves shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

Touch switches are integrated with thermoformable, injection molded, and other substrates to yield integrated touch switch/control panel assemblies. The ensuant assemblies can include ridges, depressions, anchors, overlaps, rivets and bezels or other housings. They can have any combination of flat and curved surfaces. Further, such assemblies can be incorporated into components of other assemblies, such as automobiles.

Claims

1. An integrated touch switch and touch surface substrate assembly, comprising:

at least one touch switch disposed on a carrier, said touch switch comprising at least a first electrode; and

a touch surface substrate defining at least one operative touch surface corresponding to said at least one touch switch, said substrate comprising a moldable material;

wherein said carrier is integrated with said touch surface substrate.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch is a capacitive touch switch.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch comprises an active component.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch comprises an integrated circuit.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said carrier is a substantially rigid substrate.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said carrier is a flexible substrate.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said carrier is a printed circuit board.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said carrier further comprises a display.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said moldable material comprises an injection moldable material.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said moldable material comprises a thermoformable material.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said moldable material comprises an epoxy.

12. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive disposed between at least a portion of said carrier and at least a portion of said touch surface substrate.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch surface substrate is molded about at least a portion of said carrier.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said touch surface substrate encapsulates said carrier.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said touch switch comprises a mechanical anchor, wherein said mechanical anchor is engaged with said touch surface substrate.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said mechanical anchor comprises a rivet.

17. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said carrier and said touch surface substrate comprises a mechanical anchor, wherein said mechanical anchor is engaged with the other of said carrier and said touch surface substrate.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said mechanical anchor comprises a rivet.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein said rivet further engages said first electrode.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said mechanical anchor comprises a barb.

21. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said touch surface substrate comprises tactile locating means for facilitating tactile identification of said at least one operative touch surface.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said tactile locating means comprises a raised ridge adjacent said operative touch surface.

23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein said raised ridge surrounds at least a portion of said operative touch surface.

24. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said tactile locating means comprises a dome-shaped structure proximate said operative touch surface.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said dome-shaped structure is flexible.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said dome-shaped structure is compressible.

27. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said tactile locating means comprises a depression in said touch surface substrate proximate said operative touch surface.

28. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said tactile locating means comprises surface texture integrated with said touch surface substrate proximate said operative touch surface.

29. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch surface substrate comprises visual locating means for facilitating visual identification of said at least one operative touch surface.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein said visual locating means comprises decoration proximate said at least one operative touch surface.

31. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch surface substrate comprises a compliant material.

32. The assembly of claim 31 further comprising a framing substrate overlying said touch surface substrate, said framing substrate defining at least one aperture corresponding to said operative touch surface.

33. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch surface substrate includes an aperture proximate said operative touch surface, said assembly frirther comprising a compliant material disposed within said aperture.

34. The assembly of claim 33 wherein each of said carrier and said first electrode includes an aperture corresponding to said aperture in said touch surface substrate, wherein said compliant material penetrates said carrier and said first electrode and engages at least one of said carrier and said first electrode.

35. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is three-dimensional.

36. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is non-planar.

37. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch is an electric field sensing touch switch.

38. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch is an infrared touch switch.

39. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch is an acoustic touch switch.

40. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said touch switch is an electromagnetic touch switch.

41. An integrated touch switch and touch surface substrate assembly, comprising:

at least one touch switch disposed on a carrier, said touch switch comprising at least a first electrode; and

a touch surface substrate defining at least one operative touch surface corresponding to said at least one touch switch, said substrate comprising a compliant material;

wherein said carrier is integrated with said touch surface substrate.

42. The assembly of claim 41, further comprising a framing substrate overlying said touch surface substrate, said framing substrate defining at least one aperture corresponding to said operative touch surface.

43. The assembly of claim 42, at least one of said touch surface substrate and said framing substrate further comprising at least one mechanical anchor, said mechanical anchor engaged with the other of said touch surface substrate and said framing substrate.

44. The assembly of claim 41 further comprising a sealing substrate, said sealing substrate integrated with said carrier and said sealing substrate substantially encapsulating said touch switch.

45. The assembly of claim 44, said carrier further comprising at least one mechanical anchor, said mechanical anchor engaged with said sealing substrate.

46. An integrated touch switch and touch surface substrate assembly, comprising:

at least one touch switch disposed on a carrier, said touch switch comprising at least a first electrode;

a touch surface substrate defining at least one operative touch surface corresponding to said at least one touch switch; and

a framing substrate, said framing substrate comprising a moldable material;

wherein said carrier is integrated with said touch surface substrate, and

wherein said carrier and said touch surface substrate are integrated with said framing substrate.

47. The assembly of claim 46, wherein said touch surface substrate comprises a compressible material.

48. The assembly of claim 46, wherein said touch surface substrate comprises tactile locating means for facilitating tactile identification of said at least one operative touch surface.

49. The assembly of claim 46, wherein said framing substrate is molded about at least a portion of said carrier and said touch surface substrate.

50. The assembly of claim 46, further comprising mechanical attachment means for facilitating the integration of said carrier and said touch surface substrate to said framing substrate.

51. An integrated touch switch and framing substrate assembly, comprising:

at least one touch switch disposed on a carrier, a portion of said carrier defining an operable touch surface corresponding to said at least one touch switch;

a framing substrate comprising a moldable material, said framing substrate integrated with said carrier.

52. The assembly of claim 51, wherein said framing substrate is molded about at least a portion of said carrier.