Surface acoustic wave touchscreen sealing system

A touchscreen and a housing assembly comprising:

• a surface acoustic wave touchscreen having an operative portion, a surface, and means for transmitting and receiving surface acoustic waves across the surface and operative portion of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen;
• a housing located above and around the perimeter of the operative portion of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen;
• a sealing system for forming a liquid impermeable seal and barrier between the surface of said surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said housing, said sealing system located between said means for transmitting and receiving surface acoustic waves and the operative portion of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and comprising at least one elongated body of resilient compressible self-supporting foam material having an open cell surface disposed on the surface of said surface acoustic wave touchscreen, said foam material being substantially transmissive to surface acoustic wave energy, said body having at least one liquid impermeable membrane surface portion, said membrane surface portion forming a liquid impermeable barrier extending between said surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said housing;
• means for maintaining said body in position between said surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said housing so that said membrane surface portion contacts the surface acoustic wave touchscreen surface and extends away from said surface acoustic wave touchscreen;
• and
• means for compressing said body between said surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said housing to form a liquid impermeable seal at the interface of said membrane surface portion and the surface of said surface acoustic wave touchscreen.

A sealing system for forming a liquid impermeable seal and barrier between the surface of a surface acoustic wave touchscreen and a housing comprising:

• an elongated body of surface acoustic wave transmissive material having a transverse cross section that defines at least one corner, said body composed of resiliently compressible self-supporting foam material having a liquid impermeable membrane surface around at least a portion of the perimeter of the transverse cross section, said membrane surface suitable for forming a liquid impermeable barrier extending between the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and the housing, said corner defining a contact surface for the surface acoustic wave touchscreen surface and forming a liquid impermeable seal between the seal and the surface acoustic wave touchscreen surface when the corner is compressed against the surface acoustic wave touchscreen surface;
• means for maintaining said body in a position between the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and the housing so that the membrane surface portion contacts the surface acoustic wave touchscreen surface and extends away from the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said corner contacts the surface of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen;
• and
• means for compressing said body between said surface acoustic wave touchscreen and said housing to form a liquid impermeable seal at the interface of said corner and the surface of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen.

A sealing system for forming a liquid impermeable barrier and seal between a surface acoustic wave touchscreen and a housing comprising:

• a body of resiliently compressible foam material said body being substantially transmissive to surface acoustic wave energy when said body is disposed on the surface of the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and having a liquid impermeable membrane on said body for forming a liquid impermeable barrier extending between the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and the housing;
• means for maintaining said body in position between the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and the housing so that the liquid impermeable membrane contacts the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and extends towards and contacts the housing;
• and
• means for compressing said body between the surface acoustic wave touchscreen and the housing to form a liquid barrier at the interface of the liquid impermeable membrane and the surface acoustic wave touchscreen.