Input unit for electrotechnical devices

• US 8,124,897 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos Se)
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Bollmann, Stefan, Lerner, Achim, Rauber, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US12/443,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 200/310, 200/5.R, 200/52.R, 200/4, 200/11.R, 200/305, 324/661
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/012 Decoding impedances
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9647 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94073 with capacitive detection
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

The invention relates to an input unit for electrotechnical devices, the unit being configured such that it is technically particularly effective, yet still cost-effective. Further, it is the aim to also provide illumination elements at little expense. For touching by finger, such an input unit comprises a cover suitable for capacitive field transmissions, the cover having a contact region that can be used for touching more than a single location. A sensor film is disposed directly beneath the cover, wherein the film has a resistance structure on the side facing the cover, the structure being electrically contacted via three contact points. The resistance structure is configured such that it continually, or at least quasi continually, capacitively responds as a function of the current location of touch of the cover by a human finger and sets a corresponding resistance variable, which can be tapped at the three contact points and used to generate a respectively associated input signal for the electrotechnical device for the corresponding control thereof.

Claims

1. An input unit for electrotechnical devices, having components operable with a human finger for electromechanical and/or electronic generation of input signals for a controlled actuation of an electrotechnical device based on these generated input signals, comprising:

a rigid circuit board;

a cover suited for capacitive field movement, said cover mounted on said circuit board, said cover transparent in at least selected locations, said cover comprising a contact surface for contact at more than one single location;

a sensor film, wherein said sensor film is a transparent ITO film directly beneath said cover, said sensor film comprising a resistance structure that is contactable via three contact points and that responds in a continually capacitive manner as a function of a then current location of a contact of the cover by a human finger and that sets a respective corresponding resistivity that is measurable at the three contact points, wherein said resistivity can be used to generate a respectively associated input signal for the electrotechnical device for its respective corresponding actuation;

switchable light-emitting diodes arranged on the circuit board in selected locations in a switchable manner by means of electronics on the circuit board;

a transparent key pad located between the sensor film and the circuit board and under the sensor film; and

a metal dome or poly dome film under said keypad, wherein the dome is assigned to an electrical contact on the circuit board and the dome is mechanically actuatable via the cover in such a manner that when actuating the dome the respectively assigned electrical contact on the circuit board is actuated, and that in the metal dome or poly dome film there are provided recesses that are assigned to the respective light-emitting diodes on the circuit board in such a manner that illumination by the light-emitting diodes of selected transparent locations of the cover is ensured through the transparent key pad and the transparent sensor film.

4. The input unit of claim 1, wherein the cover is a hard cap.

5. The input unit of claim 1, wherein a contact area provided by the cover is constructed to be linear.

6. The input unit of claim 1, wherein a contact area provided by the cover is constructed to be curve-shaped.

7. The input unit of claim 1, wherein a contact area provided by the cover is constructed to be circular ring-shaped.

8. The input unit of claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises electronics that are connected with the three contact points of the sensor film and by means of which as a function of the resistivities set continually by the sensor film respective corresponding input signals are generated for the electrotechnical device for its respective corresponding actuation.

9. The input unit of claim 1, wherein the resistance structure is a carbon or silver print.

10. The input unit of claim 7, wherein in the center of the contact surface constructed in a circular ring-shape, there is a mechanically actuatable pressure switch.

11. The input unit of claim 1, wherein the resistance structure is subdivided into a plurality of individual areas each corresponding to absolute positions and wherein a current resistivity associated with a current finger contact is generated in relation to the resistivity of a corresponding absolute first and a corresponding absolute last position.

12. A telephone comprising the input unit of claim 1.

2. An input unit for electrotechnical devices, having components operable with a human finger for electromechanical and/or electronic generation of input signals for a controlled actuation of electrotechnical device based on these generated input signals, comprising:

a rigid circuit board;

a cover suited for capacitive field movement, said cover mounted on said circuit board, said cover transparent in at least selected locations, said cover comprising a contact surface for contact at more than one single location;

a sensor film, wherein said sensor film is directly beneath said cover and is a PET film that is perforated in corresponding locations for a passage of light to illuminate the cover at predetermined locations, said sensor film comprising a resistance structure that is contactable via three contact points and that responds in a continually capacitive manner as a function of a then current location of a contact of the cover the a human finger and that sets a respective corresponding resistivity that is measurable at the three contact points, wherein said resistivity can be used to generate a respectively associated input signal for the electrotechnical device for its respective corresponding actuation;

switchable light-emitting diodes arranged on the circuit board in selected locations in a switchable manner by means of electronics on the circuit board;

a transparent key pad located between the sensor film and the circuit board and under the sensor film; and

a metal dome or poly dome film under said keypad, wherein the dome is assigned to an electrical contact on the circuit board and the dome is mechanically actuatable via the cover in such a manner that when actuating the dome the respectively assigned electrical contact on the circuit board is actuated, and that in the metal dome or poly dome film, there are provided recesses that are assigned to the respective light-emitting diodes on the circuit board in such a manner that illumination by the light-emitting diodes of selected transparent locations of the cover is ensured through the transparent key pad and the perforated sensor film.

3. An input unit for electrotechnical devices, having components operable with a human finger for electromechanical and/or electronic generation of input signals for a controlled actuation of electrotechnical device based on these generated input signals, comprising:

a rigid circuit board;

a cover suited for capacitive field movement, said cover mounted on said circuit board, said cover transparent in at least selected locations, said cover comprising contact surface for contact at more than one single location;

a sensor film, wherein said sensor film is directly beneath said cover and is a FPC film that is perforated in corresponding locations for the passage of light to illuminate the cover at predetermined locations, said sensor film comprising a resistance structure that is contactable via three contact points and that responds in a continually capacitive manner as a function of a then current location of a contact of the cover by a human finger and that sets a respective corresponding resistivity that is measurable at the three contact points, wherein said resistivity can be used to generate a respectively associated input signal for the electrotechnical device for its respective corresponding actuation;

switchable light-emitting diodes arranged on the circuit board in selected locations in a switchable manner by means of electronics on the circuit board;

a transparent key pad located between the sensor film and the circuit board and under the sensor film; and

a metal dome or poly dome film under said keypad, wherein the dome is assigned to an electrical contact on the circuit board and the dome is mechanically actuatable via the cover in such a manner that when actuating the dome the respectively assigned electrical contact on the circuit board is actuated, and that in the metal dome or poly dome film, there are provided recesses that are assigned to the respective light-emitting diodes on the circuit board in such a manner that illumination by the light-emitting diodes of selected transparent locations of the cover is ensured through the transparent key pad and the perforated sensor film.