Interface assembly and method for manufacturing interface assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12096562-B2
Application number	US-202418644647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2024
Priority date	Feb 1, 2023
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

An interface assembly includes a functional multilayer structure that includes a first substrate a molded material layer on a first side of the first substrate, and a sensor arrangement including at least one sensor, wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged at least partly embedded into the molded material layer. The assembly further includes a movable member being movable relative to the functional multilayer structure, wherein the movable member includes at least one detection portion, and the sensor arrangement and the at least one detection portion are mutually arranged so that a position or a change of position of the movable member is detectable by the sensor arrangement based on a position or a change of position of the at least one detection portion relative to the sensor arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing an interface assembly, the method comprising:
obtaining or producing a first substrate, such as a thermoformable substrate film;
obtaining at least one sensor configured to detect position or a change of position of at least one detection portion;
molding material on one side of the first substrate to at least partly embed a sensor arrangement including the at least one sensor into a molded material layer, thereby obtaining a functional multilayer structure;
obtaining or producing a movable member comprising the at least one detection portion; and
mutually arranging the sensor arrangement and the at least one detection portion so that position or a change of position of the movable member is detectable by the sensor arrangement based on a position or a change of position of the at least one detection portion relative to the sensor arrangement.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising thermoforming the first substrate to have at least a portion with a non-planar 3D shape prior the molding.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermoforming includes stretching the first substrate at least locally under elevated pressure to produce the non-planar 3D shape.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the movable member and the functional multilayer structure to each other in a movable manner.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a groove, a hole, or a through-hole; or a protrusion, a pin or other shape extending outwards from a surface of the functional multilayer structure during the thermoforming.

Assignees

• Tactotek Oy

Inventors

• Heikkinen Mikko
• Sääski Jarmo
• Hänninen Ilpo
• Keränen Antti
• Simula Tomi
• Bräysy Vinski
• Apilo Pälvi
• Korhonen Pasi
• Wuori Topi

Classifications

• H03K2217/960755

  Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches · CPC title

• H03K2217/94036

  Multiple detection, i.e. where different switching signals are generated after operation of the user is detected at different time instants at different locations during the actuation movement by two or more sensors of the same or different kinds · CPC title

• H03K17/975

  using a capacitive movable element · CPC title

• H03K17/97

  using a magnetic movable element · CPC title

• H03K17/968 Primary

  using opto-electronic devices · CPC title