Touch panel and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A touch panel includes an input registration structure comprising a biasable medium layer. A generally inflexible cover is disposed on the input registration structure and defines a touch surface. A pointer biases the biasable medium layer at a position adjacent the pointer when the pointer is positioned proximate the touch surface. The input registration structure generates a position signal corresponding to the position of the pointer in relation to the touch surface.

1 . A touch panel system, comprising a touch panel and at least one pointer, said touch panel comprising:
 an input registration structure comprising a flexible layer; and   a generally inflexible cover disposed on said input registration structure and defining a touch surface;   wherein when said pointer is positioned proximate said touch surface, said pointer biases said flexible layer at a position adjacent said pointer thereby causing said flexible layer to flex, flexing of said flexible layer causing said input registration structure to generate a position signal corresponding to said pointer position.   
   
   
       2 . The touch panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said input registration structure further comprises a pressure-sensitive layer arrangement adjacent said flexible layer, said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement sensing flexing of said flexible layer. 
   
   
       3 . The touch panel system of  claim 2 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement includes two spaced, conductive resist layers, said resist layers being brought into contact upon flexing of said flexible layer. 
   
   
       4 . The touch panel system of  claim 2 , wherein said pointer magnetically biases said flexible layer. 
   
   
       5 . The touch panel system of  claim 4 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement is positioned between said cover and said flexible layer and wherein said pointer magnetically attracts said flexible layer. 
   
   
       6 . The touch panel system of  claim 5 , wherein said flexible layer is ferromagnetic. 
   
   
       7 . The touch panel system of  claim 6 , wherein said flexible layer comprises a layer of ferrous paint applied to a flexible substrate. 
   
   
       8 . The touch panel system of  claim 7 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is discontinuous across said substrate. 
   
   
       9 . The touch panel system of  claim 8 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is applied to said substrate in a repeating pattern. 
   
   
       10 . The touch panel system of  claim 7 , wherein said flexible layer is disposed on a support panel. 
   
   
       11 . The touch panel system of  claim 4 , wherein said pointer comprises a permanent magnet. 
   
   
       12 . The touch panel system of  claim 4 , wherein said pointer comprises an electromagnet. 
   
   
       13 . The touch panel system of  claim 12 , wherein said pointer comprises a circuit that, when closed, activates said electromagnet. 
   
   
       14 . The touch panel system of  claim 13 , wherein said pointer comprises a tip switch. 
   
   
       15 . The touch panel system of  claim 14 , wherein said touch panel is conditioned to a touch mode when said tip switch is activated. 
   
   
       16 . The touch panel system of  claim 15 , wherein said touch panel is conditioned to a hover mode when said tip switch is unactivated. 
   
   
       17 . The touch panel system of  claim 16 , further comprising a display panel intermediate said generally inflexible cover and said input registration structure. 
   
   
       18 . The touch panel system of  claim 17 , wherein said display panel is an LCD panel. 
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a touch panel, comprising:
 providing a generally inflexible cover defining a touch surface;   coupling an input registration structure to one side of said generally inflexible cover, said input registration structure comprising a flexible layer, said input registration structure being operable to register the location of flexing of said flexible layer.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 coupling a pressure-sensitive layer arrangement to said flexible layer, said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement registering flexing of said flexible layer.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement includes two spaced, conductive resist layers. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said flexible layer is magnetically biasable. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said flexible layer is ferromagnetic. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said flexible layer comprises a flexible substrate having a layer of ferrous paint applied thereto. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is applied discontinuously across said flexible substrate. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is applied in a repeating pattern across said flexible substrate. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein, during coupling of said input registration structure, said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement is placed intermediate said generally inflexible layer and said flexible layer. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 coupling a support panel to said generally inflexible layer and said input registration structure.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 interposing a display panel intermediate said generally inflexible layer and said input registration structure.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said display panel is an LCD panel. 
   
   
       31 . A touch panel, comprising:
 an input registration structure comprising a flexible layer that flexes in response to an applied magnetic force; and   a generally inflexible cover disposed on said input registration structure, the surface of said cover opposite said input registration structure defining a touch surface.   
   
   
       32 . The touch panel of  claim 31 , wherein said input registration structure further comprises a pressure-sensitive layer arrangement adjacent said flexible layer, said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement registering flexing of said flexible layer. 
   
   
       33 . The touch panel of  claim 32 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement is intermediate said input registration layer and said generally inflexible layer. 
   
   
       34 . The touch panel of  claim 33 , wherein said flexible layer comprises a layer of ferrous paint applied to a flexible substrate. 
   
   
       35 . A touch panel system, comprising a touch panel and at least one pointer, said touch panel comprising:
 an input registration structure comprising a biasable layer comprising an array of movable magnetic objects, and a pair of spaced, conductive resist layers; and   a generally inflexible cover disposed on said input registration structure and defining a touch surface;   wherein when said pointer is positioned proximate said touch surface, said pointer biases magnetic objects of said biasable layer that are positioned adjacent said pointer thereby causing said biased magnetic objects to move and bring said resist layers into contact with one another, said input registration structure of said touch panel generating a position signal corresponding to said pointer position in response to contact of said resist layers.   
   
   
       36 . The touch panel system of  claim 35 , wherein said pointer magnetically attracts the magnetic objects. 
   
   
       37 . The touch panel system of  claim 36 , wherein said magnetic objects are ferromagnetic. 
   
   
       38 . The touch panel system of  claim 37 , wherein said magnetic objects are ball bearings. 
   
   
       39 . The touch panel system of  claim 38 , wherein said biasable layer further comprises a separator for maintaining said magnetic objects in a desired distribution. 
   
   
       40 . The touch panel system of  claim 39 , wherein said separator is a grid separator. 
   
   
       41 . The touch panel system of  claim 40 , wherein said separator is a channel separator. 
   
   
       42 . A method of manufacturing a touch panel, comprising:
 providing a generally inflexible cover defining a touch surface;   coupling an input registration structure to one side of said generally inflexible cover, said input registration structure comprising a biasable layer and a pair of spaced, conductive resist layers, said biasable layer comprising an array of movable magnetic objects, said resist layers being brought into contact by displaced magnetic objects of said biasable layer.   
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said magnetic objects are ball bearings. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said magnetic objects are accommodated by a separator for maintaining said magnetic objects in a desired distribution. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said separator comprises a grid separator. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said separator comprises a channel separator. 
   
   
       47 . A touch panel, comprising:
 an input registration structure comprising a magnetically biasable layer and a pair of spaced, conductive resist layers, said magnetically biasable layer comprising a plurality of distributed movable magnetic objects; and   a generally inflexible cover disposed on said input registration structure, the surface of said cover opposite said input registration structure defining a touch surface.   
   
   
       48 . The touch panel of  claim 47 , wherein said resist layers are intermediate said input registration layer and said generally inflexible layer. 
   
   
       49 . A touch panel system, comprising a touch panel and at least one pointer, said touch panel comprising:
 an input registration structure comprising a pliable layer; and   a generally inflexible cover disposed on said input registration structure and defining a touch surface;   wherein when said pointer is positioned proximate said touch surface, said pointer biases said pliable layer at a position adjacent said pointer thereby causing deformation said pliable layer and resulting in said input registration structure generating a position signal corresponding to said pointer position.   
   
   
       50 . The touch panel system of  claim 49 , wherein said input registration structure further comprises a pressure-sensitive layer arrangement adjacent said pliable layer, said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement detecting deformation of said pliable layer. 
   
   
       51 . The touch panel system of  claim 50 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement includes two spaced, conductive resist layers, said resist layers being brought into contact upon deformation of said pliable layer. 
   
   
       52 . The touch panel system of  claim 51 , wherein said pointer magnetically biases said pliable layer. 
   
   
       53 . The touch panel system of  claim 52 , wherein said pressure-sensitive layer arrangement is positioned between said cover and said pliable layer and wherein said pointer magnetically attracts said pliable layer. 
   
   
       54 . The touch panel system of  claim 53 , wherein said pliable layer is ferromagnetic. 
   
   
       55 . The touch panel system of  claim 54 , wherein said pliable layer comprises a layer of ferrous paint applied to a substrate. 
   
   
       56 . The touch panel system of  claim 55 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is discontinuous across said substrate. 
   
   
       57 . The touch panel system of  claim 56 , wherein said layer of ferrous paint is applied to said substrate in a repeating pattern. 
   
   
       58 . The touch panel system of  claim 57 , wherein said pliable layer is disposed on a support panel. 
   
   
       59 . The touch panel system of  claim 58 , wherein said pointer comprises a permanent magnet. 
   
   
       60 . The touch panel system of  claim 59 , wherein said pointer comprises an electromagnet. 
   
   
       61 . The touch panel system of  claim 60 , wherein said pointer comprises a circuit that, when closed, activates said electromagnet. 
   
   
       62 . The touch panel system of  claim 61 , wherein said pointer comprises a tip switch. 
   
   
       63 . The touch panel system of  claim 62 , wherein said touch panel is conditioned to a touch mode when said tip switch is activated. 
   
   
       64 . The touch panel system of  claim 63 , wherein said touch panel is conditioned to a hover mode when said tip switch is unactivated. 
   
   
       65 . The touch panel system of  claim 64 , further comprising a display panel intermediate said generally inflexible cover and said input registration structure. 
   
   
       66 . The touch panel system of  claim 65 , wherein said display panel is an LCD panel.