Capacitive touchpad
AssigneeElan Microelectronics Corporation
InventorsI-HAU YEH, TA-FAN HSU, SHU-WEI HUANG
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capacitive touchpad has insulating blocks provided above and below a resilient layer. The insulating blocks above the resilient layer are offset in position with respect to the insulating blocks below the resilient layer. Due to the insulating blocks, a plurality of gaps are formed in the capacitive touchpad. The gaps are filled with a fluid medium. When a conductive or non-conductive object touches the capacitive touchpad, the resilient layer is deformed at the touched position and thereby displaces the fluid medium completely from the affected gaps. As a result, the distance and the dielectric coefficient between the resilient layer or an electrode plate and a sensor layer are changed, causing variation in capacitance.
Claims22
A capacitive touchpad, comprising:
- a protective layer;
- a resilient conductive layer provided below the protective layer;
- a sensor layer provided below the resilient conductive layer, the sensor layer having an upper surface provided with an insulating layer;
- a plurality of first insulating blocks provided between the protective layer and the resilient conductive layer;
- and
- a plurality of second insulating blocks provided between the resilient conductive layer and the sensor layer and offset in position with respect to the first insulating blocks;
- wherein the sensor layer and the resilient conductive layer form a capacitor.
A capacitive touchpad, comprising:
- a protective layer having a lower surface formed as a conductive electrode plate;
- a resilient insulating layer provided below the protective layer;
- a sensor layer provided below the resilient insulating layer ;
- a plurality of first insulating blocks provided between the protective layer and the resilient insulating layer;
- and
- a plurality of second insulating blocks provided between the resilient insulating layer and the sensor layer and offset in position with respect to the first insulating blocks;
- wherein the sensor layer and the conductive electrode plate form a capacitor.
A capacitive touchpad, comprising:
- a flexible sensor layer having an upper surface provided with a protective film and a lower surface provided with an insulating film;
- a resilient conductive layer provided below the flexible sensor layer;
- a bottom plate provided below the resilient conductive layer;
- a plurality of first insulating blocks provided between the flexible sensor layer and the resilient conducive layer;
- and
- a plurality of second insulating blocks provided between the resilient conductive layer and the bottom plate and offset in position with respect to the first insulating blocks;
- wherein the flexible sensor layer and the resilient conductive layer form a capacitor.
A capacitive touchpad, comprising:
- a flexible sensor layer having an upper surface provided with a protective film;
- a resilient insulating layer provided below the flexible sensor layer;
- a conductive layer provided below the resilient insulating layer;
- a plurality of first insulating blocks provided between the flexible sensor layer and the resilient insulating layer;
- and
- a plurality of second insulating blocks provided between the resilient insulating layer and the conductive layer and offset in position with respect to the first insulating blocks;
- wherein the flexible sensor layer and the conductive layer form a capacitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.