Laminated touch screen

• US 7,345,680 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert M. David
• Original Assignee: Albert M. David
• Inventors: David, Albert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pervan; Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/603,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 178 1801- 1811, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• 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: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conducting surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface, the improvement comprising the flexible outer membrane, wherein the flexible outer layer consists of an ultra-thin glass layer, a polymer layer; and an optical adhesive between the ultra-thin glass layer and the polymer layer, the optical adhesive holding the ultra-thin glass layer to the polymer layer.

Claims

1. A flexible membrane for a resistive touch screen display, said flexible membrane comprising:

a glass laminate, wherein said glass laminate consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween; and

an adhesive between said glass layer and said polymer layer for bonding the two layers together, said glass layer being smaller than said polymer layer wherein said peripheral edge of said glass layer lies within said peripheral edge of said polymer layer;

said flexible membrane further comprising an area insulator layer applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer

said area insulator layer comprising an ultraviolet ink film.

2. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said adhesive seals around said peripheral edge of said glass layer.

3. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

4. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said polymer layer comprises a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

5. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said adhesive is an optical adhesive formed in a uniform thickness in the range of approximately 0.025 to 0.05 mm in the area between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

6. In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conductive surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the improvement comprising the flexible outer membrane, wherein the flexible outer membrane consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween;

an adhesive between said glass layer and said polymer layer for bonding the two layers together, said glass layer being smaller than said polymer layer wherein said peripheral edge of said glass layer lies within said peripheral edge of said polymer layer; and

an area insulator layer applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer;

said area insulator layer comprising an ultraviolet ink film.

7. The touch screen of claim 6 wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build up around said peripheral edge of said glass layer.

8. The touch screen of claim 6, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

9. The touch screen of claim 6, wherein said polymer layer comprises polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

10. The touch screen of claim 6, wherein said adhesive is an optical adhesive formed in a uniform thickness in the range of approximately 0.025 to 0.05 mm in the area between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

11. A resistive touch screen display, said display comprising:

a backing surface;

a pressure sensitive adhesive affixed between the periphery of a polymer layer and said backing surface;

an elastic tensioner affixed between the periphery of said polymer layer and said backing surface, said elastic tensioner being adjacent to said pressure sensitive adhesive;

a first conductive layer applied to said lower surface of said polymer layer;

a second conductive layer applied to said backing surface;

sensors used to detect where said first conductive layer contacts said second conductive layer; and

a flexible membrane, wherein said flexible membrane consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween;

said polymer layer, said polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral edge therebetween, said glass layer being smaller than said polymer layer wherein the peripheral edge of said glass layer lies within the peripheral edge of said polymer layer;

an adhesive between said glass layer and said polymer layer for bonding the two layers together; and

an area insulator layer between said polymer layer and said pressure sensitive adhesive, said area insulator comprising an ultraviolet ink film.

12. The touch screen of claim 11, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

13. The touch screen of claim 11, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film.

14. The touch screen of claim 13, wherein said polyester film is approximately 0.175 mm thick.

15. The touch screen of claim 11, wherein said adhesive is an optical adhesive formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 to 0.05 mm in the area between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

16. The touch screen of claim 11, wherein said adhesive forms a bead about the peripheral edge of said glass layer.

17. The touch screen of claim 11, wherein said elastic tensioner comprises a silicon rubber.

18. A flexible membrane for a resistive touch screen display, said flexible membrane comprising:

a glass laminate, wherein said glass laminate consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces;

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer; and

an insulating film of ultraviolet ink applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

19. The membrane of claim 18, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

20. The membrane of claim 19, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

21. The membrane of claim 18, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

22. The membrane of claim 21, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

23. The membrane of claim 22, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

24. In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conductive surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the improvement comprising:

the flexible outer membrane, wherein said flexible outer membrane consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces;

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer; and

an insulating film of ultraviolet ink applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

25. The touch screen of claim 24, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

26. The touch screen of claim 25, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

27. The touch screen of claim 24, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

28. The touch screen of claim 27, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

29. The touch screen of claim 28, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

30. A resistive touch screen display, said display comprising:

a backing surface;

a pressure sensitive adhesive affixed between the periphery of a polymer layer and said backing surface;

an elastic tensioner affixed between the periphery of said polymer layer and said backing surface, said elastic tensioner being adjacent to said pressure sensitive adhesive;

a first conductive layer applied to said lower surface of said polymer layer;

a second conductive layer applied to said backing surface;

sensors used to detect where said first conductive layer contacts said second conductive layer; and

a flexible membrane, wherein said flexible membrane consists of;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

said polymer layer, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the peripheral edges of said glass layer by a predetermined distance in each direction;

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin class layer and said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer; and

an area insulator layer between said polymer layer and said pressure sensitive adhesive, said area insulator comprising an ultraviolet ink film.

31. The touch screen of claim 30, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up against said peripheral edges of said glass layer.

32. The touch screen of claim 30, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

33. The touch screen of claim 32, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

34. The touch screen of claim 33, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

35. The touch screen of claim 30, wherein said ultraviolet ink film is applied in a band to extend inwardly, by predetermined amount, onto said lower surface of said polymer layer relative to said pressure sensitive adhesive to provide a zone of insulation between said lower surface of said polymer layer and said backing surface inwardly adjacent of said pressure sensitive adhesive.