TWI707259B - Spherical touch device - Google Patents

Abstract

A spherical touch device is provided. The spherical touch device includes a substrate, a support layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The substrate including inner and outer surfaces disposed opposite to each other. The inner surface is disposed on a side of the substrate adjacent to a center of the base. The outer surface is disposed on a side of the substrate away from a center of the base of the substrate. The support layer is disposed on the outer surface. The support layer is an elastic material. The first conductive layer is disposed on a side of the support layer away from the substrate. The first conductive layer includes a plurality of electrode units. The electrode unit is configured to sense a touch position. The second conductive layer is the second conductive layer is disposed on the inner surface.

Description

Spherical touch device

The invention relates to the technical field of touch control, and to a spherical touch device.

In recent years, with the advancement of technology, the use of touch modules has become more and more extensive, from common cash machines, smart phones, tablet computers, to industrial touch computers and so on. Of course, most of the mainstream touch modules on the market are straight, and a few touch modules have a 2.5D structure with a certain curvature at the edge, and a large curvature surface (such as a spherical or ellipsoidal surface). Touch modules are relatively rare.

In the prior art, there are few records about the touch module with a large curvature surface, and the technology related to its specific structure and manufacturing method needs to be improved. Specifically, the expected application range of the spherical curved surface is wide, and the application scenarios of the spherical curved surface are somewhat different from the traditional bar type. Designing a spherical touch device that is widely used, convenient to manufacture, and low-cost is a technology that those skilled in the art need to solve problem.

In view of this, the present invention provides a spherical touch device.

A spherical touch device, comprising: a substrate, the substrate is a spherical shell, the substrate includes an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite to each other, and the inner surface is disposed on a side of the substrate close to the center of the sphere of the substrate. Side, the outer surface is arranged on the side of the base away from the center of the sphere of the base; Supporting layer, the supporting layer is arranged on the outer surface, the supporting layer is made of elastic material; the first conductive layer, the first conductive layer is arranged on the side of the supporting layer away from the substrate, the first The conductive layer includes a plurality of electrode units, the electrode units are used to sense a touch position; and a second conductive layer, the second conductive layer is disposed on the inner surface.

In one embodiment, the first conductive layer includes a substrate, the substrate is disposed on a surface of the support layer away from the substrate, and a plurality of the electrode units are disposed on the substrate away from the support. Layer side.

In an embodiment, the electrode unit includes at least one first sub-electrode and one second sub-electrode, and the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are made of conductive materials.

In one embodiment, the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are spaced apart, the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are not electrically connected, and the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are There is a capacitance between the sub-electrodes whose electric field direction is from the first sub-electrode to the second sub-electrode or the electric-field direction is from the second sub-electrode to the first sub-electrode.

In one embodiment, the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are electrically connected, and there is an electric field between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The direction of the capacitance or electric field of the second conductive layer is directed from the second conductive layer to the capacitance of the first conductive layer.

In one embodiment, the first conductive layer further includes a first conductive unit and a second conductive unit, the first conductive unit is electrically connected to the first sub-electrode, and the second conductive unit is electrically connected to the second conductive unit. The sub-electrodes are electrically connected.

In one embodiment, the spherical touch device further includes at least one via hole and at least one fixing member, the via hole penetrates the substrate, and at least part of the fixing member is disposed in the via hole.

In one embodiment, the spherical touch device further includes a central processing element, the central processing element is disposed on the side of the substrate away from the first conductive layer, the first conductive unit and the second conductive layer The conduction unit is electrically connected to the central processing element through the through hole.

In one embodiment, the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the central processing element, and the potential of the second conductive layer is zero.

In one embodiment, the number of the first conductive layers is multiple, and the multiple first conductive layers are connected to each other and spliced to cover the surface of the support layer.

The spherical touch device of the present invention can sense the touch position and touch pressure.

10: spherical touch device

11: shell

111: first shell

112: second shell

12: The first conductive layer

120: Electrode unit

121: first sub-electrode

122: second sub electrode

123: switch

124: first transmission unit

125: second transmission unit

126: Substrate

13: Support layer

14: Base

141: Outer surface

142: inner surface

143: Via

15: second conductive layer

151: Third Transmission Unit

16: fixed parts

17: Central processing element

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a spherical touch device according to an embodiment of the invention.

2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a spherical touch device according to an embodiment of the invention.

3 is a partial schematic diagram of a first conductive layer of a spherical touch device according to an embodiment of the invention.

4 is an overall schematic diagram of the first conductive layer of the spherical touch device according to an embodiment of the invention.

5 is an overall schematic diagram of the first conductive layer of a spherical touch device according to another embodiment of the invention.

The accompanying drawings show embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can be implemented in a variety of different forms, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more comprehensive and complete, and to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the present invention. In order to be clearly visible, in the figure, the size of layers and regions have been enlarged.

It can be understood that although the terms such as first and second may be used herein to describe various elements, elements, regions, layers and/or parts, these elements, elements, regions, layers and/or parts should not be limited to these terms . These terms are only used to distinguish an element, element, region, layer and/or part from another element, element, region, layer and/or part. Therefore, as long as it does not depart from the teachings of the present invention, the first part, element, region, layer and/or part discussed below may be referred to as a second element, element, region, layer and/or part.

The proper nouns used here are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to encompass the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms "comprising" and "including" are used in the specification, they indicate the existence of the described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not exclude one or more other features or wholes. , Steps, operations, elements and/or components.

The embodiments of the present invention are described here with reference to cross-sectional views, which are schematic diagrams of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present invention. Therefore, the difference in the illustrated shape due to the manufacturing process and/or tolerances is foreseeable. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the specific shape of the area illustrated here, but should include, for example, the deviation of the shape due to manufacturing. The areas shown in the figures are only schematic, and their shapes are not used to illustrate the actual shape of the device, and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art described in the present invention. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings that are consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant field, and should not be interpreted as excessively idealized or excessively formal meanings. , Unless explicitly defined in this article.

The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a spherical touch device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, it is a schematic cross-sectional view of a spherical touch device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The spherical touch device 10 includes a substrate 14, a supporting layer 13, a first conductive layer 12 and a second conductive layer 15. The base 14 is in the shape of a spherical shell. The base 14 includes an inner surface 142 and an outer surface 141 disposed opposite to each other. The inner surface 142 is disposed on the side of the base 14 close to the center of the base 14, and the outer surface 141 is disposed on The base 14 is on the side away from the center of the base 14; the support layer 13 is disposed on the outer surface 141, and the support layer 13 is made of elastic material; the first conductive layer 12 is disposed on the side of the support layer 13 away from the base 14, the first The conductive layer 12 includes a plurality of electrode units 120 for sensing a touch position; the second conductive layer 15 is disposed on the inner surface 142.

The substrate 14 is the support structure of the spherical touch device 10. The substrate 14 may be a hard material or a flexible material. In an embodiment, the material of the substrate 14 may be an organic substance, such as polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (Polyimide, PI), polyethylene naphthalate two formic acid glycol ester (PEN), polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), and cyclic olefin copolymers (Cyclo- olefin polymer, COP); the material of the substrate 14 can also be an inorganic substance, such as silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ). The base 14 further includes a through hole 143. In one embodiment, the number of the through holes 143 is two, and the two through holes 143 are disposed on opposite sides of the base 14, and the positions of the two through holes 143 are substantially relative to the base 14 The spherical symmetry. The spherical touch device 10 further includes a fixing member 16. In one embodiment, the number of the fixing member 16 is the same as the number of the through hole 143, and the fixing member 16 is disposed in the through hole 143 for blocking the through hole 143 or strengthening the spherical touch. The control device 10 avoids stress damage at the via hole 143. The fixing member 16 may be an elastic material, and it may be an organic material such as rubber or silicone.

The support layer 13 is arranged on the outer surface 141. The support layer 13 is an elastic material. When the support layer 13 is pressed by an external force, it will deform. When the external force pressing the support layer 13 is removed, the shape of the support layer 13 can be restored to the unpressed shape. The state at the time. In one embodiment, the support layer 13 can be made of sponge, rubber, silicone or other materials.

The first conductive layer 12 is disposed on the side of the support layer 13 away from the substrate 14. The first conductive layer 12 includes a plurality of electrode units 120, a first transmission unit 124, a second transmission unit 125 and a substrate 126. The substrate 126 is disposed on the surface of the support layer 13 away from the substrate 14, and a plurality of electrode units 120 are disposed on the surface of the substrate 126 away from the support layer 13, each of the first transmission unit 124 and the second transmission unit 125 and a plurality of electrodes The unit 120 is electrically connected. The first conductive layer 12 has a touch sensing function, and can sense the touch received by the spherical touch device 10. The first conductive layer 12 may include a flexible printed circuit (Flexible Printed Circuit, FPC), the flexible circuit board can sense the touch through the circuit on its surface, and the first conductive layer 12 can also be other touch-sensing functions. Structures, these structures should at least contain conductive materials for sensing touch, such as indium tin oxide (INDIUM TIN OXIDE, ITO) or metal mesh (Metal Mesh). The first conductive layer 12 may be a monolithic structure, that is, a complete first conductive layer 12 is provided on the surface of the support layer 13. In other embodiments, the number of the first conductive layer 12 may be multiple, and multiple first conductive layers 12 The layers 12 are connected to each other and spliced to cover the surface of the support layer 13. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the number of the first conductive layers 12 is 6, and as shown in FIG. 5, the number of the first conductive layers 12 is 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, each electrode unit 120 includes at least one first sub-electrode 121, one second sub-electrode 122, and one switch 123. The first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 are arranged at intervals, and one switch 123 is arranged at A first sub-electrode 121 and a second sub-electrode 122 are used to control the conduction or disconnection between the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122, and the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 are conductive material. In one embodiment, the switch 123 controls the first sub-electrode 121 to be disconnected from the second sub-electrode 122, the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 are not electrically connected, and the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 There is a capacitance whose electric field direction is from the first sub-electrode 121 to the second sub-electrode 122 or a capacitance whose electric field direction is from the second sub-electrode 122 to the first sub-electrode 121. When the user touches the spherical touch device 10, the charge on part of the first sub-electrode 121 and part of the second sub-electrode 122 will be transferred, which further causes the gap between the part of the first sub-electrode 121 and part of the second sub-electrode 122 The capacitance changes, and the sensing of the user's touch position can be realized by analyzing the change of this capacitance. A first transfer order The cell 124 is electrically connected to the plurality of first sub-electrodes 121, and one second transmission unit 125 is electrically connected to the plurality of second sub-electrodes 122.

The second conductive layer 15 is disposed on the inner surface 142 of the substrate 14. The second conductive layer 15 may include a flexible printed circuit (Flexible Printed Circuit, FPC), the flexible circuit board can sense the touch by the circuit on its surface, and the second conductive layer 15 can also be other touch-sensing functions. Structures, these structures should at least contain conductive materials for sensing touch, such as indium tin oxide (INDIUM TIN OXIDE, ITO) or metal mesh (Metal Mesh). In one embodiment, the switch 123 controls the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 to conduct, and the first sub-electrode 121 and the second sub-electrode 122 are electrically connected to maintain the same electric potential. The plurality of electrode units 120 It can also have the same electric potential. The electric field direction between the first conductive layer 12 and the second conductive layer 15 is directed from the first conductive layer 12 to the second conductive layer 15 and the direction of the electric field is directed from the second conductive layer 15 to the first conductive layer. Capacitance of layer 12. When the user presses the spherical touch device 10, the support layer 13 is deformed so that the distance between the first conductive layer 12 and the second conductive layer 15 changes, and the distance between the first conductive layer 12 and the second conductive layer 15 is further changed. The capacitance changes, and the user's touch pressure can be sensed by analyzing this capacitance change. The second conductive layer 15 further includes a third transmission unit 151, and the third transmission unit 151 is electrically connected to the body of the second conductive layer 15.

The spherical touch device 10 further includes a central processing element 17, which is arranged in a hollow area in the spherical touch device 10. Specifically, the central processing element 17 is arranged on the side of the second conductive layer 15 away from the substrate 14. The central processing element 17 is approximately located at the center of the sphere of the base 14. In one embodiment, the fixing member 16 is provided with a plurality of through holes, and the first transmission unit 124 and the second transmission unit 125 extend into the spherical touch device 10 through the through holes and are electrically connected to the central processing element 17 respectively. The third transmission unit 151 is electrically connected to the central processing element 17. The central processing element 17 can ground the second conductive layer 15 or make the potential of the second conductive layer 15 zero. The electricity sensed by the first conductive layer 12 and the second conductive layer 15 The signal is transmitted to the central processing element 17, and the central processing element 17 can analyze the electrical signals of the first conductive layer 12 and the second conductive layer 15 to realize the judgment of the touch position and the touch pressure.

The determination of the touch position and touch pressure of the spherical touch device 10 can be completed by a time-sharing driving method, that is, a detection period (T) includes a touch sensing period (TM) and a pressure sensing period (FM) , The touch sensing period (TM) and the pressure sensing period (FM) are alternately distributed, and the switching of the touch sensing period (TM) and the pressure sensing period (FM) can be controlled by turning on or off the switch 123 , When the switch 123 is turned off, the spherical touch device 10 is in the touch sensing period, when the switch 123 is turned on, the spherical touch device 10 is in the pressure sensing period, the spherical touch device 10 alternately performs touch operations and pressing operations Detection. In one embodiment, the duration of the touch sensing period (TM) accounts for two-thirds of the total period of the entire detection period (T), and the duration of the pressure sensing period (FM) accounts for the entire detection period ( T) one-third of the total time period.

The spherical touch device 10 further includes a housing 11, which includes a first housing 111 and a second housing 112. The first housing 111 and the second housing 112 have the same structure and are symmetrically distributed. The first housing 111 and the second housing 112 are buckled to The case 11 is formed. Dividing the housing 11 into a first housing 111 and a second housing 112 that are buckled with each other can provide sufficient operating space for the assembly between the housing 11 and other components.

It can be understood that although the above embodiments are described with a spherical touch device as an example, it does not limit that the present invention can only be applied to spherical touch devices, and the present invention can also be applied to other spherical touch devices, such as olive touch devices. Control devices, etc.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be modified or equivalently replaced. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

10: spherical touch device

11: shell

12: The first conductive layer

120: Electrode unit

121: first sub-electrode

122: second sub electrode

124: first transmission unit

125: second transmission unit

126: Substrate

13: Support layer

14: Base

141: Outer surface

142: inner surface

143: Via

15: second conductive layer

151: Third Transmission Unit

16: fixed parts

17: Central processing element

Claims (10)

A spherical touch device, which is improved in that it comprises: a base, the base is a spherical shell, the base includes an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite to each other, the inner surface is disposed on the base close to the base One side of the spherical center, the outer surface is arranged on the side of the base away from the spherical center of the base; a support layer, the support layer is arranged on the outer surface, the support layer is an elastic material; A conductive layer, the first conductive layer is disposed on a side of the support layer away from the substrate, the first conductive layer includes a plurality of electrode units, the electrode units are used to sense a touch position; and a second conductive layer , The second conductive layer is disposed on the inner surface. The spherical touch device according to claim 1, wherein: the first conductive layer includes a substrate, the substrate is disposed on a surface of the support layer away from the substrate, and a plurality of the electrode units are disposed on The substrate is away from the side of the support layer. The spherical touch device according to claim 2, wherein: the electrode unit includes at least one first sub-electrode and at least one second sub-electrode, and the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are made of conductive materials. The spherical touch device according to claim 3, wherein: the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are spaced apart, the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are not electrically connected, and the first There is an electric field between a sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode. The first sub-electrode points to the capacitance of the second sub-electrode or the electric field direction points from the second sub-electrode to the first sub-electrode. . The spherical touch device according to claim 3, wherein: the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode are electrically connected, and the electric field direction between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is determined by The direction of the capacitance or electric field of the first conductive layer pointing to the second conductive layer is directed from the second conductive layer to the capacitance of the first conductive layer. The spherical touch device according to claim 3, wherein: the first conductive layer further includes a first conductive unit and a second conductive unit, the first conductive unit is electrically connected to the first sub-electrode, and the first conductive layer The two conductive units are electrically connected to the second sub-electrode. The spherical touch device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: the spherical touch device further comprises at least one via hole and at least one fixing member, the via hole penetrates the substrate, and at least part of the fixing member Set in the via hole. The spherical touch device according to claim 7, wherein: the spherical touch device further includes a central processing element, and the central processing element is disposed on a side of the substrate away from the first conductive layer, and the second A conduction unit and the second conduction unit are electrically connected to the central processing element through the through hole. The spherical touch device according to claim 8, wherein: the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the central processing element, and the potential of the second conductive layer is zero. The spherical touch device according to claim 8, wherein: the number of the first conductive layers is multiple, and the multiple first conductive layers are connected to each other and spliced to cover the surface of the support layer.

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