Methods and apparatus for mounting a touch sensor device

• US 9,092,082 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Caldwell, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US12/975,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.21, 361/679.26, 361/679.3, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A touch sensor device assembly is mechanically coupled to an electronic system having a casing. The touch sensor device assembly includes a touch sensor device and a deformable material disposed on the touch sensor device. The deformable material has a non-adhesive surface that can be compressed against an interior surface of the casing by a holding element such that the touch sensor device is stationary with respect to the casing.

Claims

1. A touch sensor device assembly configured to be mechanically coupled to an electronic system having a casing and an input surface, the touch sensor device assembly comprising:

a touch sensor device; and

a deformable material disposed directly on the touch sensor device, the deformable material having a non-adhesive surface;

wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable material is configured to be compressed against and to conform to an interior surface of the casing by a holding element such that the touch sensor device is held stationary with respect to the casing, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and the input surface of the electronic system.

2. A touch sensor device assembly configured to be mechanically coupled to an electronic system having a casing and an input surface, the touch sensor device assembly comprising:

a touch sensor device; and

a deformable material disposed on the touch sensor device, the deformable material having a non-adhesive surface;

wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable material is configured to be compressed against and to conform to an interior surface of the casing by a holding element such that the touch sensor device is held stationary with respect to the casing, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a substantially uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and the input surface of the electronic system; and

wherein the deformable material comprises an adhesive layer contacting the touch sensor device, and a liner layer configured to be disposed between the adhesive layer and the interior surface.

3. The touch sensor device assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable material is substantially transparent and wherein the casing includes a substantially transparent region configured to be adjacent to the touch sensor device.

4. The touch sensor device assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable material is selected from the group consisting of urethane and foam.

5. The touch sensor device assembly of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor device is configured to sense in a sensing region, and the touch sensor device assembly further comprises:

a display screen underlying the sensing region.

6. A touch sensor device assembly configured to be mechanically coupled to an electronic system having a casing, the touch sensor device assembly comprising:

a touch sensor device; and

a deformable material disposed on the touch sensor device, the deformable material having a non-adhesive surface;

wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable material is configured to be compressed against an interior surface of the casing by a holding element such that the touch sensor device is held stationary with respect to the casing, and wherein the non-adhesive surface has an adhesive strength with respect to the interior surface that is less than approximately 0.01 N/cm.

7. The electronic system of claim 6, wherein the holding element comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a brackets, heat stakes, pins, and screws.

8. The electronic system of claim 6, wherein the touch sensor device or holding element includes one or more alignment features configured to match with one or more alignment features of the casing.

9. An electronic system comprising:

a casing having an interior surface;

a touch sensor device; and

a holding element configured to hold the touch sensor device stationary relative to the interior surface of the casing without causing adhesion of the touch sensor device to the interior surface;

wherein the touch sensor device includes a deformable layer that is disposed directly on the touch sensor device, the deformable layer having a non-adhesive surface, wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable layer is configured to be compressed against and to conform to the interior surface of the casing by the holding element, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and an input surface of the electronic system.

10. An electronic system comprising:

a casing having an interior surface;

a touch sensor device; and

a holding element configured to hold the touch sensor device stationary relative to the interior surface of the casing without causing adhesion of the touch sensor device to the interior surface;

wherein the touch sensor device includes a deformable layer having a non-adhesive surface, wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable layer is configured to be compressed against and to conform to the interior surface of the casing by the holding element, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a substantially uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and an input surface of the electronic system; and

wherein the deformable layer comprises an adhesive layer contacting the touch sensor device, and a liner layer configured to be disposed between the adhesive layer and the interior surface.

11. The electronic system of claim 10, wherein the holding element is integral with the casing.

12. The electronic system of claim 10, wherein the holding element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, plastics, and ceramics.

13. An electronic system comprising:

a casing having an interior surface;

a touch sensor device;

a holding element configured to hold the touch sensor device stationary relative to the interior surface of the casing without causing adhesion of the touch sensor device to the interior surface; and

a display screen coupled to the sensor device, wherein the display screen comprises the holding element;

wherein the touch sensor device includes a deformable layer having a non-adhesive surface, wherein the non-adhesive surface of the deformable layer is configured to be compressed against and to conform to the interior surface of the casing by the holding element, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a substantially uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and an input surface of the electronic system.

14. An electronic system comprising:

a casing having an interior surface;

a touch sensor device; and

a holding element configured to hold the touch sensor device stationary relative to the interior surface of the casing without causing adhesion of the touch sensor device to the interior surface;

wherein the touch sensor device includes a deformable layer having a non-adhesive surface, the non-adhesive surface of the deformable layer is configured to be compressed against the interior surface of the casing by the holding element, and wherein the peel strength of the deformable layer with respect to the interior surface is less than 0.01 N/cm.

15. A method for removeably attaching a touch sensor device to an electronic system, wherein the touch sensor device is located relative to an interior surface of an electronic system casing, the method comprising:

attaching a deformable component directly to the touch sensor device, the deformable component having a non-adhesive surface;

locating the touch sensor device to the electronic system casing;

mechanically coupling the touch sensor device and the electronic system casing such that the non-adhesive surface is fixedly compressed against and conforms to the interior surface, resulting in a compressed deformable material layer having a uniform dielectric value between the touch sensor device and an input surface of the electronic system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein locating the touch sensor device to the electronic system includes matching a first alignment feature associated with the touch sensor device to a second alignment feature associated with the casing.