# US 6,723,937 B2 · Touch switch with a keypad > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,723,937 B2 - Document ID: US6723937B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/120,301 - Filed: 2002-04-10 - Published: 2002-10-10 - Granted: 2004-04-20 - Earliest claimed: 2001-04-10 - Assignees: Schott Glas - Inventors: Harry Englemann; Kurt Schaupert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6723937B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/964: {Piezoelectric touch switches} - H03K 17/96: Touch switches (specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08) - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - F24C 7/083: {on tops, hot plates} - H03K 2217/96062: with tactile or haptic feedback - H04M 2250/22: including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract In a touch switch with a keypad 2, a tactual feedback of its operation, perceptible to the user, is said to be achieved. For this purpose a transducer 7 is provided, which upon a touching of the keypad 2 impressed a movement on the latter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A touch switch comprising: a keypad comprising a plurality of touch zones, each touch zone having a capacitive sensor for detecting when said each touch zone is touched by an operator; and a transducer imposing a movement on the keypad when the keypad is touched by an operator to provide a tactual feedback. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein a transducer is associated with each touch zone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The touch switch of claim 2, wherein the transducer is operable to vary frequencies or intensity of the movement imposed on the keyboard for each touch zone of the keyboard, thereby providing tactually distinguishable movement for each touch zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is common to each touch zones. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The touch switch of claim 4, wherein the transducer is operable to vary frequencies or intensity of the movement imposed on the keyboard for each touch zone of the keyboard, thereby providing tactually distinguishable movement for each touch zone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the keypad is either a glass surface, a glass ceramic surface or a plastic surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a piezoceramic element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The touch switch of claim 7, wherein the piezoceramic element is operable to detect the touching of the keypad or touch zone, such that the piezoceramic element operates first as a sensor and thereafter as a transducer when the keypad is touched by the operator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The touch switch of claim 7, further comprising a coupling body mechanically connecting the piezoceramic element to the keypad. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The touch switch of claim 9, wherein the coupling body is operable to mechanically connect the piezoceramic element to the touch zones. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The touch switch of claim 7, wherein the piezoceramic element is a flexural vibrator on which a weight is disposed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The touch switch of claim 7, further comprising a supporting plate having at least one intermediate piece for mounting the piezoceramic element to the supporting plate and at least one connecting element for connecting the supporting plate to the keyboard. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is an electromagnetic transducer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is connected to the keypad such that the movement of the transducer is transferred to the keypad. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is arranged close to the keypad such that the transducer knocks against the keypad when the keypad is touched by the operator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transducer is operable to vary duration, frequency or intensity of the movement imposed on the keyboard based on the duration that the keyboard is touched by the operator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The touch switch of claim 16, wherein the transducer is operable to vary duration, frequency, and intensity of the movement imposed on the keyboard based on the duration that the touch zones are touched by the operator.