Electrostatic capacitance operation device fabrication method, operation panel, and electrostatic capacitance operation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753594-B2
Application number	US-201314759059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2013
Priority date	Jan 18, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device includes the steps of: preparing a capacitance sensing member including a base film, a sensing electrode formed on the base film, a cover film, and an adhesive layer; preparing an operation panel having a recessed portion having a shape that overlaps an outer edge of the sensing electrode in a stacking direction of the operation panel and the capacitance sensing member; disposing the operation panel and the capacitance sensing member so as to face each other; and bonding the capacitance sensing member to the back surface of the operation panel by pressing the capacitance sensing member against the back surface of the operation panel. In the bonding step, the capacitance sensing member and the operation panel are bonded together while a gas therebetween is being directed to the recessed portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device including: an operation panel having a front surface including an operated portion operated by an operator and a back surface opposite the front surface; and a capacitance sensing member disposed on the back surface of the operation panel, the method comprising:
a sensing member preparing step of preparing the capacitance sensing member including: a base film; a sensing electrode formed on the base film, the sensing electrode being configured such that a capacitance between the sensing electrode and the operated portion varies according to a distance between the sensing electrode and the operated portion; a cover film having a shape that covers the sensing electrode; and an adhesive layer provided on the cover film at least in a portion corresponding to the sensing electrode;
an operation panel preparing step of preparing the operation panel having a recessed portion recessed from the back surface of the operation panel toward the front surface thereof, the recessed portion having a shape that overlaps an outer edge of the sensing electrode in a stacking direction in which the operation panel and the capacitance sensing member are placed on top of each other;
a disposing step of disposing the operation panel and the capacitance sensing member so as to face each other in an orientation in which the operated portion and the sensing electrode overlap in the stacking direction and the adhesive layer faces toward the back surface of the operation panel; and
a bonding step of bonding the capacitance sensing member to the back surface of the operation panel by pressing the capacitance sensing member against the back surface of the operation panel so as to direct a gas between the capacitance sensing member and the operation panel to the recessed portion, wherein
in the bonding step, a jig including a deformation portion that is elastically deformed and being capable of pressing the capacitance sensing member toward the back surface of the operation panel is used, the deformation portion being configured to be elastically deformed so as to direct the gas to the recessed portion when being pressed toward the back surface of the operation panel via the capacitance sensing member in an orientation in which the deformation portion and the sensing electrode overlap in the stacking direction, and the deformation portion is elastically deformed by pressing the capacitance sensing member against the back surface of the operation panel by using the jig in the orientation in which the deformation portion and the sensing electrode overlap in the stacking direction, thereby bonding the capacitance sensing member to the back surface of the operation panel while directing the gas to the recessed portion.

2. The method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device according to claim 1 , wherein,
the deformation portion is elastically deformed so as to direct the gas from a center region of the sensing electrode to the recessed portion when being pressed toward the back surface of the operation panel via the capacitance sensing member.

3. The method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device according to claim 1 , wherein,
in the operation panel preparing step, the operation panel in which the recessed portion has a shape that straddles a portion of the back surface of the operation panel that overlaps the outer edge of the sensing electrode in the stacking direction is prepared.

4. The method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device according to claim 1 , wherein
in the bonding step, the orientation in which the deformation portion and the sensing electrode overlap in the stacking direction is such that a central portion of the deformation portion overlaps a central portion of the sensing electrode in the stacking direction.

5. The method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device according to claim 1 , wherein
in the operation panel preparing step, the operation panel is prepared having a plurality of recessed portions, and
in the disposing step, the plurality of recessed portions are disposed overlapping the outer edge of the sensing electrode.

6. The method for manufacturing a capacitive operation device according to claim 1 , wherein
in the sensing member preparing step, a plurality of sensing electrodes are formed on the base film, and the jig includes a plurality of deformation portions such that, in the bonding step, each of the plurality of deformation portions is disposed overlapping a respective one of the plurality of sensing electrodes in the stacking direction.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Yoneji Osamu
• Chaen Satoru

Classifications

• G06F3/03547

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title

• B29C66/81457

  comprising a block or layer of deformable material, e.g. sponge, foam, rubber (pressing elements supported or backed-up by resilient material B29C66/8161) · CPC title

• H03K17/962 Primary

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title