Touch pad with flexible substrate
View Patent ↗A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost.
1. A touch sensor device, comprising:
a flexible circuit substrate dimensionally stable up to a first temperature, wherein the first temperature allows thermal bonding to the flexible circuit substrate without significant thermally induced degradation;
a first at least one conductive pad disposed on the flexible circuit substrate;
a sensor substrate that is dimensionally stable up to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature but is not dimensionally stable at the first temperature;
at least one conductive sensing element disposed on the sensor substrate; and
a second at least one conductive pad disposed on the sensor substrate, wherein the second at least one conductive pad is coupled to the first at least one conductive pad, and wherein the second at least one conductive pad is coupled to the at least one conductive sensing element.
2. The touch sensor device of claim 1 , further comprising a touch sensor controller.
3. The touch sensor device of claim 2 , wherein the first temperature is high enough to thermally bond the touch sensor controller to the flexible circuit substrate without degradation to the flexible circuit substrate.
4. The touch sensor device of claim 2 , further comprising a second at least one conductive sensing element disposed on the sensor substrate and wherein the touch sensor controller is configured to select one of said at least one conductive sensing element and the second at least one conductive sensing element.
5. The touch sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor device is a capacitive sensor device.
6. The touch sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is substantially lower than the first temperature.
7. The touch sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor substrate is flexible.
8. The touch sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor substrate is transparent.
9. A touch screen device, comprising:
a flexible circuit substrate dimensionally stable up to a first temperature, wherein the first temperature allows thermal bonding to the flexible circuit substrate without significant thermally induced degradation;
a first at least one conductive pad disposed on the flexible circuit substrate;
a sensor substrate that is dimensionally stable up to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature but is not dimensionally stable at the first temperature, wherein the sensor substrate is substantially transparent;
at least one conductive sensing element disposed on the sensor substrate, wherein the at least one conductive sensing element is substantially transparent; and
a second at least one conductive pad disposed on the sensor substrate, wherein the second at least one conductive pad is coupled to the first at least one conductive pad, and wherein the second at least one conductive pad is coupled to the at least one conductive sensing element.
10. The touch screen device of claim 9 , further comprising a touch screen controller.
11. The touch screen device of claim 10 , wherein the first temperature is high enough to thermally bond the touch screen controller to the flexible circuit substrate without degradation to the flexible circuit substrate.
12. The touch screen device of claim 10 , further comprising a second at least one conductive sensing element disposed on the sensor substrate and wherein the touch screen controller is configured to select one of said at least one conductive sensing element and the second at least one conductive sensing element.
13. The touch screen device of claim 9 , wherein the touch screen device includes a capacitive sensor device.
14. The touch screen device of claim 9 , wherein the second temperature is substantially lower than the first temperature.
15. The touch screen device of claim 9 , wherein the sensor substrate is flexible.
16. A method of providing a touch sensor device, comprising:
providing a flexible circuit substrate that is dimensionally stable up to a first temperate that allows thermal bonding to the flexible circuit substrate without significant thermally induced degradation to the flexible circuit substrate, wherein a first plurality of conductive pads are disposed on the flexible circuit substrate; and
providing a sensor substrate that is dimensionally stable up to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature but is not dimensionally stable at the first temperature, wherein a plurality of conductive sensing elements are disposed on the sensor substrate, wherein a second plurality of conductive pads are disposed on the sensor substrate, and wherein the second plurality of conductive pads couple the first plurality of conductive pads with the plurality of conductive sensing elements.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising thermally bonding a touch sensor device controller to the flexible circuit substrate.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first temperature is high enough such that the step of thermally bonding the touch sensor device controller to the flexible circuit substrate is performed without degradation to the flexible circuit substrate.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second temperature is substantially lower than the first temperature.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sensor substrate is flexible.