Tactile touch screen for electronic device

• US 9,058,077 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason, Ladouceur, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US11/941,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,769 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1811
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

An electronic device includes a base, a touch screen display, a pair of switches and operational components. The touch screen display is connected to the base, movable relative thereto and includes a display device and a touch-sensitive input surface overlying the display device. A pair of switches disposed between the base and the touch screen display and configured such that one of the switches is actuated in response to application of a force anywhere on the touch-sensitive input surface of the touch screen display and both of the switches are actuated in response to application of more than one force on the touch-sensitive input surface of the touch screen display. The operational components include a controller connected to the touch-sensitive input surface and a processor connected to the controller and the display.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a touch screen display movable relative to the base, the touch screen display including a display and a touch-sensitive overlay overlying the display;

first and second switches disposed between the base and the display;

wherein, without actuating the second switch, the first switch is actuated in response to application, anywhere on the touch-sensitive overlay, of a first force causing a first pivoting action of the touch-sensitive overlay and the display relative to the base;

wherein the second switch is actuated in response to application, on the touch-sensitive overlay during application of the first force, of a second force causing a second pivoting action of the touch-sensitive overlay and display relative to the base.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen display comprises a display support for providing mechanical support to the display and touch-sensitive overlay, the display and the touch-sensitive overlay disposed on the display support.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, comprising an actuator disposed between the touch screen display and the base and extending between the first and second switches for actuating the first switch and without actuating the second switch in response to application of the first force and actuating the second switch in response to application of the second force.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises a beam extending between the first and second switches.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the one of the first and second switches is located closer to a center of touch screen display than another of the first and second switches.

6. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the display support comprises at least one projection proximal a center of the display support and extending towards the base for contacting the actuator for actuating the first and second switches.

7. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises a projection extending towards the display support for contacting with the display support, proximal a center thereof for actuating the first and second switches.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a display stop between the base and the touch screen display for limiting the travel of the touch screen display toward the base.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the display stop comprises a step projecting from the base, proximal outer edges of the touch screen display.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switches are mounted on an arm extending from the base.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the arm is flexible.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the arm is configured such that one of the first and second switches is located closer to the touch screen display than another of the first and second switches.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switches are located such that one of the first and second switches is disposed between another of the first and second switches and the touch screen display.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a minimum force required to actuate one of the first and second switches is less than a minimum force required to actuate another of the first and second switches.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one of the first and second switches is located closer to the touch screen display the another of the first and second switches.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one of the first and second switches includes an over-travel to allow for further depression after actuation.

17. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switches are mechanical switches.

18. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switches are dome-type switches.

19. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising at least one biasing element for biasing the touch screen display away from the first and second switches.

20. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein an electrical signal is generated in response to actuation of any of the first and second switches and wherein the electrical signal is received at the processor as a further input in addition to input from the touch screen display.

21. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising sidewalls and a frame framing the touch screen display and connected to the base by the sidewalls.

22. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising flexible sidewalls extending between the base and the touch screen display.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the flexible sidewalls are continuous and extend around the periphery of the touch screen display.

24. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first force is applied at a first location on the touch-sensitive overlay and the second force is applied at a second location on the touch-sensitive overlay.

25. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second pivoting action is in a direction different from the first pivoting action.

26. A touch screen display comprising:

a base;

a display movable relative to the base;

a touch-sensitive overlay overlying the display;

first and second switches disposed between the base and the display;

wherein the first switch is actuated in response to application, at a first location anywhere on the touch-sensitive overlay, of a first force causing a first pivoting action of the touch-sensitive overlay and the display relative to the base without actuating the second switch,

wherein the second switch is actuated in response to application on the touch-sensitive overlay during application of the first force, of a second force causing a second pivoting action of the touch-sensitive overlay and display relative to the base;

a controller coupled to the touch-sensitive overlay.

27. The touch screen display of claim 26, wherein the first force is applied at a first location on the touch-sensitive overlay and the second force is applied at a second location on the touch-sensitive overlay.

28. The touch screen display of claim 26, wherein the second pivoting action is in a direction different from the first pivoting action.