Capacitive touch sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10128840-B2
Application number	US-201415123766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2014
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) is provided. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) includes an electrode ( 110 ) disposed between a plate ( 120 ) and a spring ( 130 ) wherein the spring ( 130 ) presses the electrode ( 110 ) towards the plate ( 120 ) in a direction that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal length (L) of the spring ( 130 ) and the electrode ( 110 ) has a flat sensing surface ( 112 ) parallel with the plate ( 120 ).

First claim

We claim:

1. A capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ), comprising:
an electrode ( 110 ) disposed between a plate ( 120 ) and a spring ( 130 ) wherein the spring ( 130 ) presses the electrode ( 110 ) against the plate ( 120 ) in a direction that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal length (L) of the spring ( 130 ) and the electrode ( 110 ) has a flat sensing surface ( 112 ) parallel with the plate ( 120 ), wherein:
the electrode ( 110 ) interfaces with a panel ( 150 ) that prevents a movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the plate ( 120 ).

2. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the electrode ( 110 ) further comprises an extending portion ( 114 ) that extends away from the sensing surface ( 112 ).

3. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the extending portion ( 114 ) interfaces with the panel ( 150 ) that prevents the movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the plate ( 120 ).

4. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the extending portion ( 114 ) interfaces with the spring ( 130 ) to prevent a movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the spring ( 130 ).

5. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) comprises a first distal portion ( 134 ) that presses the electrode ( 110 ) towards the plate ( 120 ) and a second distal portion ( 132 ) that is coupled to a circuit board ( 140 ).

6. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the first distal portion ( 134 ) is comprised of an inverse cone region that presses against the electrode ( 110 ).

7. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) comprises a conductor that electrically couples the electrode ( 110 ) with the circuit board ( 140 ).

8. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) holds the electrode ( 110 ) spaced apart from the circuit board ( 140 ).

9. The capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) is a coil spring with the longitudinal length (L).

10. A method of forming a capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ), comprising:
forming a plate ( 120 );
forming a spring ( 130 ) having a longitudinal length (L); and
forming and disposing an electrode ( 110 ) between the plate ( 120 ) and the spring ( 130 ) wherein the spring ( 130 ) presses the electrode ( 110 ) towards the plate ( 120 ) in a direction that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal length (L) of the spring ( 130 ) and the electrode ( 110 ) has a flat sensing surface ( 112 ) parallel with the plate ( 120 ), wherein:
the electrode ( 110 ) interfaces with a panel ( 150 ) that prevents a movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the plate ( 120 ).

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electrode ( 110 ) further comprises an extending portion ( 114 ) that extends away from the sensing surface ( 112 ).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extending portion ( 114 ) interfaces with the panel ( 150 ) that prevents the movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the plate ( 120 ).

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extending portion ( 114 ) interfaces with the spring ( 130 ) to prevent a movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the spring ( 130 ).

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) comprises a first distal portion ( 134 ) that presses the electrode ( 110 ) towards the plate ( 120 ) and a second distal portion ( 132 ) that is coupled to a circuit board ( 140 ).

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first distal portion ( 134 ) is comprised of an inverse cone region that presses against the electrode ( 110 ).

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) comprises a conductor that electrically couples the electrode ( 110 ) with the circuit board ( 140 ).

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) holds the electrode ( 110 ) spaced apart from the circuit board ( 140 ).

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spring ( 130 ) is a coil spring with the longitudinal length (L).

19. An interface ( 10 ) having a capacitive touch sensor ( 100 ), comprising:
an operation module ( 12 ) including an electrode ( 110 ) and a panel ( 150 );
a display cover ( 14 ) including a plate ( 120 );
a transmitter ( 16 ), wherein:
the display cover ( 14 ) is coupled to the transmitter ( 16 ) and the operation module ( 12 ) is disposed between the display cover ( 14 ) and the transmitter ( 16 ); and
the electrode ( 110 ) is pressed against the plate ( 120 ) coupled to the display cover ( 14 ) and interfaced with the panel ( 150 ) that prevents a movement of the electrode ( 110 ) relative to the plate ( 120 ).

20. The interface ( 10 ) of claim 19 further comprising a spring ( 130 ) wherein the electrode ( 110 ) is pressed against the plate ( 120 ) by the spring ( 130 ).

21. The interface ( 10 ) of claim 20 wherein the spring ( 130 ) extends from a circuit board ( 140 ) disposed between the operation module ( 12 ) and the transmitter ( 16 ).

22. The interface ( 10 ) of claim 20 wherein the electrode ( 110 ) is pressed against the plate ( 120 ) by the spring ( 130 ) in a direction that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal length (L) of the spring ( 130 ).

23. The interface ( 10 ) of claim 19 wherein the electrode ( 110 ) is coupled to a panel ( 150 ) that is coupled to the operation module ( 12 ).

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Mei
• Zhao Heng
• Xu Yingxue
• Shen Kai
• Liu Chengjun
• Ge Meng

Classifications

• H03K17/975 Primary

  using a capacitive movable element · CPC title

• H03K2217/96076

  with spring electrode · CPC title

• H03K17/962 Primary

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title