Touch panel and electronic equipment using the same

• US 7,298,366 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukui, Toshiharu, Yamamoto, Yuichi, Yamaue, Nobuhiro, Abe, Yoshiharu, Komiya, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUN YI
• Application Number:
  US10/204,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907, 463 37- 38
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 for mounting on a planar display, the touch panel comprising:

a first light-transmitting substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface of the first light-transmitting substrate;

a second light-transmitting substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the second light-transmitting substrate facing the first surface of said first light-transmitting substrate with a space therebetween, the second surface of the second light-transmitting substrate being a plane arranged to be mounted onto a planar surface of a display element;

a first light-transmitting electrode layer on the first surface of said first light-transmitting substrate; and

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

wherein respective center portions of the first surface of said first substrate, the second surface of said first substrate, and the first surface of said second subtrate protrude in a direction from the second substrate to the first substrate,

wherein said second light-transmitting substrate comprises a lens, and

wherein the center portion of said second substrate is thicker than a periphery of said second substrate.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the second surface of said first substrate comprises a flat portion of the periphery thereof.

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

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

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

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

5. A device comprising:

a display element having a planar surface;

a touch panel comprising;

a first light-transmitting substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface of the first light-transmitting substrate;

a second light-transmitting substrate having a first surface and a second surface of the second light-transmitting substrate, the first surface of the second light-transmitting substrate facing the first surface of said first substrate with a space therebetween, the second surface of the second light-transmitting substrate being a plane arranged to be mounted onto the planar surface of the display element;

a first light-transmitting electrode layer on the first surface of said second substrate wherein

respective center portion portions of the first surface of said first substrate, the second surface of said first substrate, and the first surface of said second substrate protrude in a direction from the second substrate to the first substrate,

said second light-transmitting substrate comprises a lens, and

the center portion of said second substrate is thicker than a periphery of said second substrate; and

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

6. The device of claim 5,

wherein said case includes a portion surrounding the opening, the portion of said case being flat and parallel to the plane of said display element,

wherein the second surface of said first substrate comprises a flat portion at a periphery thereof, and

wherein the flat portion of the second surface of said first substrate contacts the portion of said case.