JP6239285B2 - Touch switch panel and information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch switch panel and an information processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, a transparent conductive film and a dielectric layer are laminated on a base film, and the position coordinate of the contact portion on the dielectric layer is defined between the transparent conductive film and the dielectric layer as a capacitance. A thin capacitive touch panel having a conductive film pattern layer serving as an electrode for detecting a change is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to the thin capacitive touch panel described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to provide a thin capacitive touch panel that is excellent in optical characteristics and durability and can be applied to a handy type device.

JP 2006-23904 A

  However, in the thin capacitive touch panel as described in Patent Document 1, since it is a film-shaped electrostatic touch panel, it can be applied to panels of various shapes, but a plurality of button portions provided on the touch panel Each sensitivity cannot be easily controlled.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a touch switch panel and an information processing apparatus that can easily adjust the sensitivity of a plurality of button portions without using a plurality of control ICs.

One embodiment of the present invention provides:
A dielectric panel having a plurality of buttons and functioning as a dielectric;
A plurality of electrode pattern portions arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of button portions,
The switch panel is characterized in that the thickness of the plurality of button portions of the dielectric panel varies depending on the area of the button portion.
The first button portion of the dielectric panel may be thicker than the second button portion having a smaller area than the first button portion.
The ratio of the area and thickness of the first button part may be equal to the ratio of the area and thickness of the second button part.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a dielectric panel that includes a plurality of button portions and functions as a dielectric,
A plurality of electrode pattern portions arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of button portions,
The switch panel is characterized in that the thickness of the plurality of button portions of the dielectric panel varies depending on the function of the button portion.

One embodiment of the present invention includes
A dielectric panel having a plurality of buttons and functioning as a dielectric;
A plurality of electrode pattern portions arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of button portions,
The switch panel is characterized in that the thickness of the plurality of button portions of the dielectric panel differs according to the density of the electrode patterns arranged corresponding to the button portions.

  An information processing apparatus including the touch switch panel is also included in the present invention.

  According to the touch switch panel and the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a touch switch panel and an information processing apparatus that can easily adjust the sensitivity of a plurality of button units without using a plurality of control ICs.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a touch switch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical back view of a touch switch panel concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a figure of the electrode pattern part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing of the touch switch panel which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) And (b) is a figure of the electrode pattern part which concerns on the modification of embodiment of this invention. (A) And (b) is a figure showing the manufacturing method of the touch switch panel which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

[Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows an example of a schematic perspective view of a touch switch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of a schematic back surface of the touch switch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(Outline of touch switch panel 1)
The touch switch panel 1 according to the present embodiment is a touch sensor operation panel that is used while being in contact with a display unit such as a display 200 provided in a housing 20 of an electronic device 2 as an information processing apparatus. The touch switch panel 1 is a capacitive touch switch panel, for example, a projected capacitive touch switch panel. Examples of the electronic device 2 include in-vehicle electronic devices such as a car navigation system and an in-vehicle audio device.

  Specifically, the touch switch panel 1 includes a plurality of button parts (that is, a first button part 150, a second button part 152, a third button part 154, and a fourth button part 156) on the surface 100 and the display 200. Dielectric panel 15 having transparent window 160 for use, and a plurality of electrode pattern portions (that is, electrode pattern portion 7 and electrodes provided at positions corresponding to each of the plurality of button portions on back surface 102 of dielectric panel 15) A pattern portion 7a, an electrode pattern portion 7b, and an electrode pattern portion 7c).

  Each electrode pattern part is provided in the base material 10, and is each arrange | positioned under the corresponding button part. For example, the electrode pattern portion 7 is disposed on the first button portion back surface 150a, the electrode pattern portion 7a is disposed on the second button portion back surface 152a, the electrode pattern portion 7c is disposed on the third button portion back surface 154a, and the fourth button The electrode pattern portion 7c is disposed on the partial back surface 156a. The base material 10 is integrally fixed to the dielectric panel 15.

  And in the dielectric panel 15 with which the touch switch panel 1 is provided, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 in the position in which the several button part is provided differs mutually according to the area in planar view of a several button part. . For example, when the area of the first button unit 150 in plan view and the area of the second button unit 152 in plan view are different, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 from the front surface of the first button unit 150 to the first button unit back surface 150a. And the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 from the surface of the 2nd button part 152 to the 2nd button part back surface 152a is set to mutually different thickness. Thereby, the sensitivity of each of the plurality of button portions is adjusted by changing the thickness.

(Details of touch switch panel 1)
FIG. 3 shows an example of an electrode pattern portion according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows an example of a schematic cross section of the touch switch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The touch switch panel 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a base material 10, a surface of the base material 10 or a drive electrode 110 that generates an electric field, and an electric field generated by the drive electrode 110 or a change in the electric field. A plurality of electrode pattern portions each having a receiving electrode 120 and a plurality of first button portions 150, second button portions 152, third button portions 154, and fourth button portions 156 having different areas in plan view. In addition, the dielectric panel 15 includes a plurality of electrode pattern portions provided corresponding to the plurality of button portions, the thicknesses of which are different depending on the areas of the plurality of button portions.

(Substrate 10)
The base material 10 is comprised from the material which has electrical insulation. The base material 10 is comprised using resin materials, such as a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyethylene naphthalate, a polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, or a polyimide, for example.

(Electrode pattern portion 7, electrode pattern portion 7a, electrode pattern portion 7b, electrode pattern portion 7c)
Each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions includes a drive electrode 110 and a reception electrode 120. Below, the electrode pattern part 7 provided in the 1st button part back surface 150a of the 1st button part 150 is demonstrated as an example. First, the drive electrode 110 including the comb-tooth portion 112 as a thin-line electrode having a comb-teeth shape is disposed on the first button portion back surface 150a, which is directly below the region occupied by the first button portion 150 in plan view. A receiving electrode 120 having a shape along the shape of the comb tooth portion 112 is disposed between the comb tooth portions 112 of the drive electrode 110 and at a position away from the comb tooth portion 112.

  Each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions is fixed to the surface of the substrate 10 or embedded in the interior thereof. Each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions is provided on substantially the same plane. Each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions can be formed using a conductive material. For example, each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions is a metal thin film formed using a metal material. The plurality of electrode pattern portions can have various shapes combining straight lines and curves as long as the drive electrodes 110 and the reception electrodes 120 are provided.

(Dielectric panel 15)
The dielectric panel 15 is configured using a dielectric material such as polycarbonate or acrylic resin. The dielectric panel 15 has a plurality of button portions and a window portion 160 on the front surface 100, and a plurality of electrode pattern portions corresponding to the plurality of button portions on the back surface 102, respectively. In the back surface 102 of the dielectric panel 15, the region excluding the window portion 160 and the plurality of button portion back surfaces is colored, for example, black.

  The dielectric panel 15 has different thicknesses depending on the difference in area of each of the plurality of button portions in plan view above the plurality of electrode pattern portions provided corresponding to each of the plurality of button portions. Specifically, the dielectric panel 15 has a configuration in which the thickness above the plurality of electrode pattern portions increases as the area of each of the plurality of button portions in plan view increases. As an example, when comparing the area of the first button 150 in a plan view with the area of the second button 152 in a plan view, a case where the area of the first button 150 is larger will be described.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the dielectric panel 15 is provided so that the thickness T ₁ above the electrode pattern portion provided corresponding to the first button portion 150 corresponds to the second button portion 152. having the configuration thicker than the _second thickness T ₂ in the upper electrode pattern portions. Similarly, when the areas of the first button part 150, the second button part 152, the third button part 154, and the fourth button part 156 in a plan view are compared, the area of the third button part 154, the first button part A case where the area decreases in the order of the area of 150, the area of the second button part 152, and the area of the fourth button part 156 will be described. In this case, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 below the third button portion 154, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 below the first button portion 150, and the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 below the second button portion 152. The dielectric panel 15 has a configuration in which the thickness is reduced in the order of the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 below the fourth button portion 156.

  When the finger 3 as a contact object comes into contact with the surface of the predetermined button part, the contact area between the contact object and the surface of the button part becomes substantially constant. When a contact object contacts the surface of a button part, an electrostatic capacitance changes between the electrode pattern part provided corresponding to the said button part, and a contact object. That is, the drive electrode 110 generates an electric field in the dielectric panel 15 in accordance with the drive pulse from the drive buffer 5, and the reception electrode 120 changes the electric field generated by the contact of the contact object with the surface of the button part. Detect. A control IC (not shown) provided in the touch switch panel 1 detects a change in capacitance based on a change in electric field detected by the reception electrode 120. Then, the control IC detects that the button unit has been pressed based on the change in capacitance.

Here, the relationship between the capacitance and the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 is as follows. First, the dielectric constant of the dielectric constituting the dielectric panel 15 is ε, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 above the plurality of button portions is d (m), and the surface area of the plurality of button portions is S (m ² ). In this case, the capacitance C between the surface of each of the plurality of button portions and each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions corresponding to each of the plurality of button portions satisfies the equation C = ε · S / d.
That is, the area and thickness of the button part are adjusted so that the ratio of the area and thickness of each button part becomes equal. In addition, what is necessary is just to be substantially equal, and the value does not need to correspond exactly.

  The dielectric constant ε becomes a specific value depending on the dielectric material constituting the dielectric panel 15. Therefore, the capacitance C changes according to the area S and the thickness d of the dielectric panel 15. Since the contact area between the contact object (for example, the finger 3) that contacts the surface of the button portion and the surface is substantially constant, the capacitance C is substantially inversely proportional to the thickness d of the dielectric panel 15. Become a relationship.

The control IC provided in the touch switch panel 1 detects whether or not each of the plurality of button portions has been pressed by detecting a change in capacitance based on a change in electric field detected in each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions. (That is, whether it was turned ON / OFF). Therefore, when the contact object of the same area contacts the surface of the button part, the amount of change in capacitance increases as the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 decreases. In the present embodiment, a large change in capacitance corresponds to an increase in sensitivity of the touch switch panel 1.
The value of the capacitance C increases as the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 decreases. If the area of the button portion is small, the contact area of the finger 3 is also narrowed. Since the value of the capacitance C is increased because the thickness of the dielectric layer is small, the sensitivity is increased.
A large button is easy to press, so touch is detected even if sensitivity is low. On the other hand, although it is difficult to press a small button, since the sensitivity is high, a touch can be detected even with a slight finger contact. That is, the user can be given a feeling that the sensitivity is constant regardless of the size of the button.

  The dielectric panel 15 can also have a plurality of button portions having different functions. In this case, the dielectric panel 15 has a configuration in which the thicknesses above the plurality of electrode pattern portions provided in correspondence with the plurality of button portions having different functions are different according to the functions. You can also. For example, by increasing the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 above the electrode pattern portion corresponding to a button portion having a low use frequency (for example, a setting button for setting the function of the information processing device), the button portion Sensitivity can be reduced. Moreover, the sensitivity of the button part can be improved by reducing the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 above the electrode pattern part corresponding to the button part used in an emergency.

(Modification of the embodiment)
5 (a) and 5 (b) show an example of an electrode pattern portion according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  The dielectric panel 15 included in the touch switch panel according to the modification of the embodiment has a plurality of button portions, and driving per unit area of each of the plurality of electrode pattern portions provided corresponding to each of the plurality of button portions. According to the difference of the area which the electrode 110 and the receiving electrode 120 occupy, it has the structure which each varied the thickness in the upper part of several electrode pattern part.

  Specifically, FIG. 5A shows an electrode pattern formed with a first electrode density, and FIG. 5B shows an electrode pattern formed with a second electrode density. Part. Here, the electrode density is an area occupied by the electrode pattern portion included per unit area. In the touch switch panel according to the modification, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 is increased according to the electrode density.

  For example, in the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. 5B, the drive electrode 110a including the comb tooth portion 112a is disposed on the first button portion back surface 150a that is directly below the region occupied by the first button portion 150 in plan view. The And the receiving electrode 120a which has the shape along the shape of the comb-tooth part 112a is arrange | positioned in the position which is between the comb-tooth parts 112a of the drive electrode 110a, and away from the comb-tooth part 112a. The electrode density of the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. 5 (b) is less than that of the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. 5 (a), and the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. Lower than electrode density. In this case, the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 above the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. 5A is set to be thicker than the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 in the information of the electrode pattern portion shown in FIG. . Thereby, the sensitivity of a button part can be adjusted according to the height of an electrode density.

(Manufacturing method of touch switch panel 1)
6A and 6B show an outline of a method for manufacturing a touch switch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, a base material 10 having a plurality of electrode pattern portions and a resin material as a dielectric material such as polycarbonate or acrylic resin are combined with a plurality of button portions (for example, a button portion 158 and a button portion 158a. ) Between the mold 35 and the mold 35 as a mold having the concave portion 300 and the concave portion 305 provided for the purpose of forming. Then, the dielectric panel 15 is formed from a resin material by bringing the mold 30 and the mold 35 into close contact at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure for a predetermined time, and the dielectric panel 15 and the base material 10 are integrally molded. To do. Thereby, the base material 10 which has the some electrode pattern part as a touch sensor film on the back surface of the dielectric material panel 15 is integrally molded, and the touch switch panel 1 which concerns on this Embodiment is manufactured.

  FIG. 6B shows an outline of a manufacturing method of the touch switch panel according to the modification. In the manufacturing method of the touch switch panel according to the modification, the base material 10 having a plurality of electrode pattern portions and the resin material disposed on both one surface and the other surface of the base material 10 are combined with the die 30 and the die. 37. Then, the mold 30 and the mold 37 are brought into close contact with each other to form the dielectric panel 15 and the dielectric panel 17 from the dielectric resin material, and the base material 10 is placed between the dielectric panel 15 and the dielectric panel 17. Insert and mold integrally. Thereby, the dielectric panel 17 which has an unevenness | corrugation can be formed in the surface on the opposite side to the surface in which the dielectric panel 15 of the base material 10 is provided.

  In addition, after manufacturing the dielectric panel 15 first, by sticking the base material 10 having a plurality of electrode pattern portions to the back surface of the dielectric panel 15 in a process different from the process of manufacturing the dielectric panel 15. The touch switch panel 1 can also be manufactured.

(Effect of embodiment)
The touch switch panel 1 according to the present embodiment can adjust the sensitivity of each of the plurality of button portions only by partially changing the thickness of the dielectric panel 15. That is, the touch switch panel 1 changes the thickness of the dielectric panel 15 above the plurality of electrode pattern portions corresponding to each of the plurality of button portions, and thus does not increase the number of electronic components (for example, control ICs). However, the sensitivity of each button can be adjusted.

  Further, in the touch switch panel 1, since the sensitivity of each of the plurality of button units can be adjusted only by partially changing the thickness of the dielectric panel 15, the plurality of button units are provided with a plurality of control ICs. There is no need to set sensitivity for each. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, each button portion can be controlled by one control IC, so that the cost of the touch switch panel 1 can be reduced.

  While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments described above do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, it should be noted that not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Touch switch panel 2 Electronic device 3 Finger 5 Drive buffer 7, 7a, 7b, 7c Electrode pattern part 10 Base material 15 Dielectric panel 17 Dielectric panel 20 Case 30, 35, 37 Type | mold 100 Front surface 102 Back surface 110, 110a Drive Electrode 112, 112a Comb tooth part 120, 120a Reception electrode 150 First button part 150a First button part back 152 Second button part 152a Second button part back 154 Third button part 154a Third button part back 156 Fourth button part 156a Back surface of the fourth button part 158, 158a Button part 160 Window part 200 Display 300, 305 Concave part

Claims (2)

A dielectric panel having a plurality of buttons and functioning as a dielectric;
A plurality of electrode pattern portions arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of button portions,
The thickness of the plurality of buttons of the dielectric panel, varies according to the area of the button portion,
The thickness of the first button part of the dielectric panel is thicker than the thickness of the second button part having a smaller area than the first button part,
A touch switch panel , wherein the ratio of the area and thickness of the first button part is equal to the ratio of the area and thickness of the second button part .
An information processing apparatus comprising the touch switch panel according to claim 1 .

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