Touch sensor, and connection structure for touch sensor and object to be connected

Abstract

Provided is a touch sensor with which it is possible to establish a conductive connection by means of a simple structure.　A touch sensor 10 is provided with: a connector part 40 which has a conductive part 41 and an insulated part 42 formed from a rubber-like elastic body covering the conductive part 41; and a touch sensor electrode 50 which is located at a first end 40a of the connector part 40 and is in conductive contact with the conductive part 41. By providing the touch sensor electrode 50 with the connector part 40, or providing the connector part 40 with the touch sensor electrode 50, it is possible to easily conductively connect the touch sensor 10 to a circuit electrode E by means of a simple structure.

Description

Touch sensor and connection structure between touch sensor and connection object

[0001] The disclosure of the present application relates to a touch sensor and a connection structure between the touch sensor and a connection object.

[0002] Touch sensors are known as a type of sensor that detects input from an operator. A typical touch sensor, a capacitance sensor, detects a change in capacitance that occurs when an operator's finger touches an operation surface located on the outer surface of the housing of an electronic device (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2016-081818 A, FIG. 1

[0004] A touch sensor has touch sensor electrodes that function as input switches when performing touch operations on an electronic device. Electrical signals obtained from the touch sensor electrodes are analyzed in a detection circuit via a connection object, such as a substrate circuit (circuit electrode). The touch sensor electrodes are provided along the operation surface of the electronic device, for example, along the outer surface of the housing. On the other hand, the connection object may be provided at a location away from the operation surface, for example, deep inside the housing.

[0005] However, if the connection object is disposed away from the touch sensor electrode, the number of components required to connect them increases, which may complicate the connection structure.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a touch sensor that can be electrically connected with a simple structure.

[0007] Some aspects disclosed in this application are configured to have the following characteristics.

[0008] That is, one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a connector portion having a conductive portion and an insulating portion made of a rubber-like elastic material covering the conductive portion, and a touch sensor electrode located at a first end of the connector portion and in conductive contact with the conductive portion, the connector portion having a second end that conductively connects the touch sensor electrode to an object to be connected by contacting the connector portion with the object to be connected, and the conductive portion extending between the first end and the second end is a touch sensor that is linear in shape.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure is a touch sensor having a connector portion and a touch sensor electrode. The touch sensor electrode, which is in conductive contact with a conductive portion of the connector portion, is located at a first end of the connector portion. This allows the touch sensor to be easily conductively connected to a connection target with a simple structure.

[0010] Furthermore, by placing the touch sensor in contact with the connection object with the second end of the connector portion, the connector portion can easily form a conductive path between the touch sensor electrode at the first end and the connection object. The linear conductive portion forms a linear conductive path that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode and the connection object. Therefore, the connection structure can electrically connect the touch sensor electrode and the connection object over a short linear distance.

[0011] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor electrode is formed to have an area larger than an end face of the conductive portion.

[0012] The area of ​​the touch sensor electrode is larger than the end face of the conductive portion. Therefore, even if the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion are misaligned from their designed normal contact positions, the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion can be in conductive contact. Furthermore, even if the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion are misaligned, the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion can maintain conductive contact.

[0013] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor electrode is integrally fixed to the connector portion.

[0014] The touch sensor electrode and the connector are integrated. Therefore, the touch sensor electrode and the connector that make up the touch sensor are a single component. This makes the touch sensor easy to handle and allows for easy conductive connection to a connection target.

[0015] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor electrode is a metal plate.

[0016] The touch sensor electrode is a metal plate. Therefore, the connector can easily have the touch sensor electrode at its first end. In this case, the metal plate can be attached to the first end by, for example, a conductive adhesive, insert molding, or the like.

[0017] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor includes a base film, and the connector portion is formed integrally with the base film.

[0018] The base film and connector portion of the touch sensor are integrally formed. Therefore, even if the touch sensor has a base film, the base film and connector portion are a single component, so that the touch sensor can be easily electrically connected to a connection target with a simple structure.

[0019] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor includes a base film, and the touch sensor electrode is a conductive layer formed on either the base film or the first end.

[0020] The touch sensor has a base film on which a conductive layer is formed as a sensor electrode. This allows the touch sensor electrode to be easily provided at the first end of the connector portion. In this case, the conductive layer can be provided by, for example, printing or painting on the base film or the first end of the connector portion.

[0021] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor electrode has an electrode main body portion located in the operation area and an electrode extension portion located outside the operation area, and the conductive portion is in conductive contact with the electrode extension portion.

[0022] The conductive portion of the connector can be configured to be in conductive contact not only with the electrode main body located in the operation area, but also with the electrode extension located outside the operation area. Therefore, the touch sensor can be in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion even in a position outside the operation area. Therefore, the touch sensor can increase the degree of freedom in the connection position with the connection target of the electrical device in which it is installed.

[0023] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor has a positioning portion that positions the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion at a predetermined contact position.

[0024] The touch sensor has a positioning portion that determines the relative positions of the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion, so that the touch sensor electrode and the conductive portion can be placed at a predetermined contact position.

[0025] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor includes a plurality of the connector portions and a plurality of the touch sensor electrodes.

[0026] The connector portion and the touch sensor electrode may each be configured to be plural in number. Therefore, even if there are plural connector portions and plural touch sensor electrodes, they can be easily electrically connected.

[0027] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the connector portion is formed in a columnar shape and has a locking protrusion on its outer periphery that locks onto a first attachment object to which the connector portion is attached. The attachment object here may be, but is not limited to, an electronic device (housing), a circuit board, or a member provided separately from the electronic device, the circuit board, etc.

[0028] The locking projections on the outer periphery of the columnar connector portion lock onto the object to which the touch sensor is attached, making it easy to fasten the touch sensor to the object.

[0029] The locking projections may be provided with a water-stopping portion, which provides a waterproof function that prevents water from entering between the locking projections and the object to which the connector is attached toward elements mounted on the circuit board. In this case, the water-stopping portion may be provided by, for example, increasing the adhesion to the object to which the connector is attached or by increasing the contact area with the object to which the connector is attached.

[0030] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor includes a retainer having a retainer body that holds the connector portion and support legs that protrude from the retainer body and attach the retainer to a second attachment object.

[0031] The touch sensor includes a retainer. Therefore, the retainer can hold the connector portion. The retainer has a retainer body that holds the connector portion and support legs that are attached to an attachment target. Therefore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor can be easily attached to an electronic device or the like.

[0032] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the support legs have a length that forms an accommodation space for an element to be mounted on a circuit board between the retainer body and the second attachment object.

[0033] The support legs have a predetermined length between the retainer body and the mounting object, which allows a space to be formed between the retainer body and the mounting object, thereby providing a space for accommodating elements to be mounted on the circuit board.

[0034] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the base film has a three-dimensional shape, and the touch sensor electrode is formed along the three-dimensional shape of the base film.

[0035] The touch sensor electrodes are formed along the three-dimensional shape of the base film, which makes it possible to realize a touch sensor with a three-dimensional operation area.

[0036] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the first end of the connector portion that is in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode is formed with an inclined surface.

[0037] The first end of the connector portion that is in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode is formed with an inclined surface, thereby realizing a touch sensor whose operation area is an inclined surface.

[0038] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor further has a waterproof member, which is at least one of a first waterproof member that blocks the gap between the touch sensor and an operation target member that an operator touches, a second waterproof member that blocks the gap between the touch sensor and a first attachment object to which the connector portion is attached, and a third waterproof member that blocks the gap between the second attachment object and the touch sensor.

[0039] The touch sensor has a waterproof member that seals the gap between the touch sensor and the object to which it is attached, thereby making it waterproof at the contact point between the touch sensor and the object to which it is attached.

[0040] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the waterproofing member is an annular sealing protrusion formed on the retainer body.

[0041] The waterproofing member is formed on the retainer body as an annular sealing protrusion, thereby providing waterproofing between the retainer body and the object to which it is attached.

[0042] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the support leg is formed in an annular shape, and the waterproofing member is an annular sealing protrusion formed on the support leg.

[0043] The support legs are formed in an annular shape, which allows the support legs to annularly cover the periphery of the touch sensor. The waterproofing member is formed on the support legs as an annular sealing protrusion, which allows waterproofing between the support legs and the object to which they are attached.

[0044] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the waterproofing member is an annular sealing protrusion formed on a base film provided on the touch sensor.

[0045] The waterproofing member is formed on the base film as an annular sealing protrusion, thereby providing waterproofing between the base film and the object to which it is attached.

[0046] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the connector portion has a flange extending outwardly, and the waterproofing member is the flange.

[0047] The flange is formed to extend toward the outer periphery of the connector portion, which allows the flange to cover a wider area of ​​the outer periphery of the touch sensor. The waterproofing member is formed as a flange on the connector portion, which allows waterproofing between the flange and the object to which it is attached.

[0048] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the touch sensor further includes an operation target member that is touched by an operator.

[0049] The touch sensor further includes an operation target member that is touched by an operator. Therefore, even in a touch sensor including an operation target member, it is possible to easily establish a conductive connection with a connection target using a simple structure.

[0050] One aspect of the present disclosure is a connection structure between a touch sensor and a connection object, which includes the touch sensor, and the conductive portion is linear in shape and forms a linear conductive path that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode and the connection object.

[0051] One aspect of the present disclosure is a connection structure between a touch sensor and a connection object. A touch sensor electrode that is in conductive contact with a conductive portion of a connector portion of the touch sensor is located at a first end of the connector portion. Therefore, since the touch sensor electrode is provided with the connector portion or the connector portion is provided with the touch sensor electrode, the touch sensor can be easily conductively connected to the connection object with a simple structure.

[0052] By placing the touch sensor in contact with the object to be connected at the second end of the connector portion, a conductive path can be easily formed between the touch sensor electrode at the first end of the connector portion and the object to be connected.

[0053] The linear conductive portion forms a linear conductive path that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode and the connection object, so that the connection structure can electrically connect the touch sensor electrode and the connection object over a short linear distance.

[0054] 1A is a diagram showing a touch sensor according to a first embodiment, where FIG. 1A is an exploded cross-sectional view of a touch sensor main body and a retainer corresponding to line IC-IC in FIG. 1B, FIG. 1B is a plan view of the touch sensor assembled to an electronic device, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of line IC-IC in FIG. 1B. A cross-sectional view corresponding to line IC-IC in FIG. 1B shows a touch sensor according to a modified example of the first embodiment. A touch sensor according to a second embodiment, where FIG. 3A is a plan view of the touch sensor assembled to an electronic device, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of line IIIB-IIIB in FIG. 3A. A schematic diagram showing a touch sensor according to a first modified example of the second embodiment. A touch sensor according to a second modified example of the second embodiment, where FIG. 5A is a plan view of the touch sensor, and FIG. 5B is an exploded cross-sectional view of the electronic device corresponding to line VB-VB in FIG. 5A. A touch sensor according to a third embodiment, where FIG. 6A is a plan view of the touch sensor assembled to an electronic device, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of line VIB-VIB in FIG. 6A. 1B , showing a touch sensor according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 1B , showing a touch sensor according to a modification of the fourth embodiment; FIG. 9A , showing a touch sensor according to a fifth embodiment, where FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IXB-IXB of FIG. 9A ; FIG. 10A , showing a touch sensor according to a first modification of the fifth embodiment, where FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XB-XB of FIG. 10A ; and FIG. 11A , showing a touch sensor according to a second modification of the fifth embodiment, where FIG. 11A is a plan view of the touch sensor assembled in an electronic device, and FIG. 11B is an exploded cross-sectional view taken along line XIB-XIB of FIG. 11A .

[0055] The following provides a specific description of a "touch sensor" and a "connection structure between a touch sensor and a connection object" according to one aspect of the present disclosure. However, the following description is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure and should be understood as a description of an exemplary embodiment. The following description does not unduly limit the scope of the claims, and not all of the configurations described in this embodiment are necessarily essential as a solution.

[0056] In the following description, terms indicating directions such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used for convenience of explanation and do not indicate a method or mode of use unless the context clearly specifies that the direction is limited. Terms such as "first" and "nth" following "first" in this specification and claims are used as identifying terms to distinguish different elements and do not indicate a particular order, superiority, or inferiority.

[0057] The terms used in the following description are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Elements according to an aspect described in the present specification and claims are intended to include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "and / or" refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements. The terms "includes," "including," "comprises," and / or "comprising" used in the present specification and claims specify the presence of features, operations, elements, or steps. However, they are not used as terms that exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, operations, elements, steps, and / or groups thereof.

[0058] The "touch sensor" of the present disclosure is a sensor that detects a touch operation by an operator touching an operation surface as an input. The "installation object" on which such a "touch sensor" is provided as an input means is not particularly limited, and can be provided on machines, tools, equipment, components, electrical components such as push button switches, etc. for various purposes. In the following, an example in which the installation object is an electronic device D will be described, but the installation object may also be, for example, a panel material such as a vehicle interior material or a building wall material. The "touch sensor" of the present disclosure can be configured to include or not include an installation object. In either configuration, a component having an operation surface on which the operator performs a touch operation is referred to as an "operation target component."

[0059] For convenience, in this specification and claims, the left-right direction (left-right direction on the paper) of a touch sensor 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be referred to as the X direction, the depth (front-rear) direction (up-down direction on the paper) will be referred to as the Y direction, and the height direction (up-down direction on the paper) of the touch sensor 10 will be referred to as the Z direction, as shown in FIG. 1A. Furthermore, in the electronic device D shown in FIG. 1C, the side of the operation surface S exposed on the outer surface Cs of the housing C will be referred to as the upper side (outside) in the Z direction. The side of the circuit electrodes E of the circuit board B installed inside the electronic device D will be referred to as the lower side (inside) in the Z direction. However, these terms do not limit the orientation of the touch sensor 10, the input operation direction, etc. The circuit electrodes E constitute a "connection object" to which the touch sensor 10 is electrically connected.

[0060] First embodiment (FIGS. 1A to 1C)

[0061] As shown in FIG. 1A , the touch sensor 10 includes a touch sensor main body 20 and a retainer 30. As shown in FIG. 1C , the touch sensor main body 20 is held by the retainer 30. The touch sensor 10 is housed in an electronic device D. The touch sensor main body 20 is attached so as to be in conductive contact with circuit electrodes E of a circuit board B installed in a lower housing Cd of the electronic device D. In this attached state, the touch sensor main body 20 is covered and pressed against an upper housing Cu of the electronic device D. However, if the touch sensor 10 can be held by another configuration, the retainer 30 may be omitted. In this embodiment, the "installation object" of the touch sensor 10 is the electronic device D, and the "operation target member" on which the operator performs a touch operation is the upper housing Cu of the electronic device D.

[0062] 1A , the touch sensor main body 20 includes a connector portion 40 and a touch sensor electrode 50. The connector portion 40 includes a conductive portion 41 and an insulating portion 42. The connector portion 40 is formed in a columnar shape extending in the Z direction (height direction, thickness direction). The connector portion 40 has a first end portion 40a at its upper end in the Z direction and a second end portion 40b at its lower end.

[0063] The conductive portion 41 is made of a conductive rubber-like elastic material. The conductive portion 41 is formed in a columnar, linear shape extending along the Z direction between the first end 40a and the second end 40b of the connector portion 40. The conductive portion 41 has a first end 41a at its upper end in the Z direction and a second end 41b at its lower end. The conductive portion 41 forms a conductive path 41c for electrical connection between the first end 41a and the second end 41b. The cross section of the conductive portion 41 is circular. The cross section of the conductive portion 41 is not limited to a circular shape and may be, for example, a polygonal shape such as a square. Furthermore, the surfaces of the upper and lower ends of the conductive portion 41 are formed flat. However, the surface shape of the conductive portion 41 is not limited to a flat shape and may be, for example, a convex curved shape such as a dome, a surface shape with small dotted or linear irregularities on the surface, or the like.

[0064] The conductive rubber-like elastomer is a raw material rubber-like elastomer filled with a conductive medium as an inorganic material (filler). That is, as shown in Fig. 1A etc., the conductive rubber-like elastomer contains a large number of conductive particles 43 as a conductive filler inside the rubber-like elastomer. The conductive portion 41 is formed by concentrating the conductive particles 43 at such a high density that adjacent conductive particles 43 are in contact with each other.

[0065] The conductive particles 43 may be uniformly dispersed within the rubber-like elastic body, but are preferably arranged in the Z direction. By arranging the conductive particles 43 continuously and in a chain-like manner, conductive paths 41c are formed in the arrangement direction, reducing resistance and improving the conductivity of the conductive portion 41. By improving the conductivity of the conductive portion 41 in the Z direction, the sensor sensitivity of the connector portion 40 can be stabilized. A magnetic material can be used for the conductive particles 43. If the conductive particles 43 are magnetic, the connector portion 40 can be magnetically oriented. Specifically, by applying a magnetic field along the Z direction when molding the connector portion 40, the conductive particles 43 can be arranged continuously and in a chain-like manner in the Z direction. Alternatively, the conductive particles 43 can be arranged by aligning the Z direction with the flow direction using a flow field.

[0066] The insulating portion 42 is made of a rubber-like elastic material having non-conductivity (insulation). The insulating portion 42 covers the conductive portion 41. That is, the insulating portion 42 has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the conductive portion 41. By including the insulating portion 42 in the connector portion 40, insulation from the surroundings of the connector portion 40 can be ensured. Furthermore, the insulating portion 42 prevents the conductive particles 43 from falling off and can maintain the columnar shape of the conductive portion 41.

[0067] The conductive portion 41 and the insulating portion 42, both made of a rubber-like elastic material, are integrated to form the connector portion 40. This allows the connector portion 40 to be compressively deformed in the Z direction as a whole. When the connector portion 40 is housed in the electronic device D, it is compressed by the mating upper and lower housings Cu and Cd. Therefore, the connector portion 40 is used in a compressed state in which the end-to-end distance between the first end 41a and the second end 41b is shorter than in the uncompressed state. That is, the thickness H0 of the connector portion 40, which is the end-to-end distance in the uncompressed state shown in FIG. 1A, is shortened to the thickness H1 of the connector portion 40, which is the end-to-end distance in the compressed state shown in FIG. 1C. By shortening the end-to-end distance, the resistance of the conductive path 41c can be further reduced. Accordingly, the dielectric constant of the touch sensor 10 can be increased. Furthermore, the compressible configuration of the connector portion 40 allows the position of the connector portion 40 to be fixed within the electronic device D by compression between the upper and lower housings Cu and Cd. That is, the touch sensor 10 can be fixed inside the electronic device D by the compressive force between the upper housing Cu and the lower housing Cd and the repulsive force of the connector portion 40, without using any fixing member. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the ease of assembling the touch sensor 10 to the electronic device D. Furthermore, because the touch sensor 10 is fixed inside the electronic device D only by the compressive force between the upper housing Cu and the lower housing Cd without using an adhesive or the like, the touch sensor 10 can also be easily removed from the electronic device D.

[0068] The cross section of the connector portion 40 is circular. The cross section of the connector portion 40 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be a polygonal shape such as a square, but is not limited to these. The connector portion 40 is formed to have a constant cross section regardless of the position in the Z direction. However, the cross section of the connector portion 40 may vary depending on the position in the Z direction. The connector portion 40 can be configured to be more easily compressed in the Z direction, for example, by being barrel-shaped, with the cross section areas of the upper and lower ends narrower than the cross section area of ​​the portion between them.

[0069] The touch sensor electrode 50 is made of a metal plate. The touch sensor electrode 50 has a thin plate shape with a thickness in the Z direction thinner than its lengths in the X and Y directions. The metal plate is an example, and the touch sensor electrode 50 may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil thinner than a metal plate. The touch sensor electrode 50 corresponds to an input switch when performing a touch operation on the electronic device D. For this reason, the touch sensor electrode 50 is disposed inside the housing C on the back side of the operation surface S of the electronic device, etc., so that the electrode surface is aligned with the operation surface S that is touched by an operator's finger, etc. The touch sensor electrode 50 may be disposed so as to be in direct contact with the inner surface of the housing C that is the back side of the operation surface S, or may be disposed indirectly without direct contact with the back side of the operation surface S. When the touch sensor electrode 50 is disposed indirectly, one or more layers or members (e.g., double-sided tape for adhesion) may be interposed between the inner surface of the housing C and the touch sensor electrode 50.

[0070] The touch sensor electrode 50 is disposed so that its back surface faces and contacts the conductive portion 41 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. That is, the back surface of the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40 are configured to be electrically connectable. Since the touch sensor electrode 50 is provided with the connector portion 40 in this manner, or the connector portion 40 is provided with the touch sensor electrode 50, the touch sensor 10 can be easily electrically connected to the circuit electrode E with a simple structure.

[0071] The conductive portion 41 of the connector portion 40 is disposed so that the second end 41b faces the circuit electrode E of the circuit board B. The conductive portion 41 is configured to be electrically connectable to the circuit electrode E at the second end 41b. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, by disposing the touch sensor 10 such that the conductive portion 41 at the second end 40b of the connector portion 40 contacts the circuit electrode E, it is possible to easily form a conductive path 41c between the touch sensor electrode 50 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40 and the circuit electrode E.

[0072] The conductive portion 41 extending between the first end 40a and the second end 40b of the connector portion 40 is columnar, more specifically, linear. Therefore, in the connection structure between the touch sensor 10 and the circuit electrode E, the linear conductive portion 41 forms a linear conductive path 41c that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode 50 and the circuit electrode E. Therefore, according to the connection structure between the touch sensor 10 and the circuit electrode E of this embodiment, the touch sensor electrode 50 and the circuit electrode E can be electrically connected over a short linear distance. The space around the axis of the linear conductive portion 41 that electrically connects the short linear distance serves as the accommodation space for the connector portion 40. This allows efficient use of the internal space of the electronic device D. Furthermore, the touch sensor 10 can be placed on the circuit board B without interfering with elements e and the like mounted around the circuit electrode E on the circuit board B.

[0073] The area of ​​the touch sensor electrode 50 is larger than the area of ​​the end face of the conductive portion 41 in a plan view. That is, as shown in FIG. 1A and other figures, the area of ​​the back side of the touch sensor electrode 50 is larger than the area of ​​the end face (first end 41a) of the conductive portion 41 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. Typically, the position where the entire conductive portion 41 overlaps in a plan view within the area of ​​the touch sensor electrode 50 is considered to be the correct contact position in design between the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41. Therefore, with this configuration, even if the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 are misaligned from the correct contact position in design, the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 can be electrically connected to each other. Furthermore, even if the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 are misaligned, the electrically connected contact between the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 can be maintained.

[0074] Furthermore, the area of ​​the touch sensor electrode 50 is larger than the area of ​​the end face of the connector portion 40 in a plan view. That is, as shown in FIG. 1A etc., the area of ​​the back side surface of the touch sensor electrode 50 is larger than the area of ​​the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. The touch sensor electrode 50 has a protruding portion 58 that protrudes from the first end 40a of the connector portion 40 in a plan view. In this way, the touch sensor electrode 50 may protrude from the end face of the connector portion 40 in a plan view. In other words, the touch sensor electrode 50 may have a portion that does not overlap with the insulating portion 42 in a plan view.

[0075] Since the touch sensor electrode 50 is formed with an area larger than the end face of the connector portion 40 in a plan view, a variety of electrode shapes can be realized regardless of the shape of the connector portion 40.

[0076] The protruding portion 58 is a portion that faces the inner surface of the upper housing Cu when the touch sensor 10 is housed in the electronic device D. The upper housing Cu and the protruding portion 58 may be attached with a conductive adhesive or the like. Furthermore, the connector portion 40 is not present below the protruding portion 58 in a plan view. Therefore, the connector portion 40 may have a pressure support portion for the protruding portion 58 that protrudes from the outer periphery of the connector portion 40. This can also be achieved by the flange 45 in the modified fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , which will be described later. That is, because the connector portion 40 has the flange 45, the flange 45 can press the protruding portion 58 when the touch sensor 10 is housed in the electronic device D. The flange 45 may be formed with a thickness that allows the touch sensor electrode 50 to be pressed against the back surface of the operation surface S. Such a pressure support portion may be provided as a pressing protrusion that holds the protruding portion 58 on a retainer body 31, which will be described later.

[0077] In this embodiment, the touch sensor electrode 50 can be configured to be integrally fixed to the connector portion 40. That is, as shown in Fig. 1A etc., the touch sensor main body 20 is configured such that the touch sensor electrode 50 and the connector portion 40 are fixed to each other in advance. Since the touch sensor electrode 50 and the connector portion 40 are fixed to each other in advance, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from being caught between them.

[0078] In this manner, the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the connector portion 40 that constitute the touch sensor 10 are integrated. Therefore, the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the connector portion 40 that constitute the touch sensor 10 are a single component. Therefore, the touch sensor 10 is easy to handle and can be easily electrically connected to the circuit electrodes E. At this time, the contact surfaces of the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41 do not separate from each other, so stable conductivity is maintained between them. This prevents attenuation of the electrical signal obtained from the touch sensor electrodes 50 and operational malfunctions such as chattering between the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41, thereby stabilizing the sensor sensitivity of the touch sensor 10.

[0079] Furthermore, since the touch sensor electrode 50 and the connector portion 40 are a single component, it is possible to reduce the number of components in the touch sensor 10. Furthermore, it is possible to omit the step of attaching the touch sensor main body 20 to the retainer 30, thereby reducing the number of steps required to assemble the touch sensor 10. In this case, it is no longer necessary to assemble the touch sensor electrode 50, which is a tiny component, separately to the electronic device D, which improves the ease of assembly of the touch sensor 10 to the electronic device D.

[0080] In this case, in the present embodiment, since the touch sensor electrode 50 is a metal plate as described above, the touch sensor electrode 50 can be easily provided at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. In this case, the metal plate can be provided at the first end 40a by, for example, fixing with a conductive adhesive, insert molding, or the like.

[0081] The retainer 30 has a retainer body 31 and support legs 32. The retainer body 31 holds the connector portion 40. The retainer body 31 has a flat plate shape that is longer in the X and Y directions than in the Z direction. The retainer body 31 has a length (thickness) in the Z direction that is sufficient to hold the connector portion 40. Therefore, the retainer body 31 can hold the posture of the connector portion 40, which extends in a columnar shape with the Z direction as its axial direction.

[0082] The retainer body 31 is provided with a holding portion 33 that defines the shape of a cylindrical opening that penetrates in the Z direction. The holding portion 33 has a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the outline of the X-Y cross section that intersects with the axial direction of the connector portion 40. For example, the holding portion 33 has a cross-sectional shape that is slightly larger than the outline of the connector portion 40. This allows the connector portion 40 to be easily attached to the holding portion 33. Then, by attaching the connector portion 40 to the holding portion 33, the retainer 30 can hold the connector portion 40.

[0083] The support legs 32 are parts that are attached to an attachment object (second attachment object) when the touch sensor 10 is mounted on the electronic device D. The "attachment object" to which the support legs 32 are attached may be, but is not limited to, the electronic device D (lower housing Cd), the circuit board B, or a member provided separately from the electronic device D, the circuit board B, etc.

[0084] The support legs 32 are formed to protrude outward in the X-Y plane and in the Z direction, particularly downward, from the retainer body 31. In this way, the support legs 32 have an annular (square tube) shape with rounded rectangular corners in the X-Y cross section. The components of the touch sensor 10 other than the support legs 32 are housed within the area surrounded by the support legs 32. However, the upper part in the Z direction, i.e., the touch sensor electrodes 50, may protrude above the support legs 32. This is because the touch sensor main body 20 is pressed against the upper housing Cu of the electronic device D in the Z direction.

[0085] According to such touch sensor 10, the retainer 30 has a retainer body 31 that holds the connector portion 40 and support legs 32 that are attached to the attachment object, so that the touch sensor 10 can be easily attached to an electronic device, etc. In this case, the retainer 30 to which the touch sensor body 20 has been attached in advance may be attached to the attachment object, or the touch sensor body 20 may be attached to the retainer 30 that has been attached in advance to the attachment object.

[0086] If the retainer body 31 is positioned too close to the circuit board B, it may interfere with the elements e mounted on the circuit board B. However, as described above, the support legs 32 are configured to protrude downward from the retainer body 31. That is, the support legs 32 have a predetermined length between the retainer body 31 and the lower housing Cd, which is the "object to be attached" here, and between the retainer body 31 and the circuit board B fixed to the lower housing Cd. This allows a space to be formed between the retainer body 31 and the circuit board B. Therefore, the space between the retainer body 31 and the circuit board B can be used to accommodate elements e, such as a control IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 100, mounted on the circuit board B. In this case, the support legs 32 can also be made to a length corresponding to a tall element e, such as an electrolytic capacitor.

[0087] The retainer body 31 has a first waterproofing protrusion 34 (retainer body waterproofing protrusion). The first waterproofing protrusion 34 is a waterproofing member (first waterproofing member) formed on the retainer body 31 as an annular sealing protrusion. The first waterproofing protrusion 34 protrudes upward from the front side surface of the retainer body 31 in a region including the outer peripheral edge. The first waterproofing protrusion 34 has a semicircular shape in side view, with the upper cross-sectional area being narrower than the lower cross-sectional area. By having such a semicircular shape, tapered shape, etc., the first waterproofing protrusion 34 can be configured to be more easily compressed in the Z direction. Furthermore, by having such a semicircular shape, tapered shape, etc., the first waterproofing protrusion 34 has the advantage of not increasing the reaction force load on the electronic device D that houses the touch sensor 10. When the touch sensor 10 is attached to the electronic device D, the tip (upper) end portion of the first waterproofing protrusion 34 makes watertight contact with the upper housing Cu.

[0088] This provides waterproofing between the first waterproof protrusions 34 and the upper housing Cu. That is, the touch sensor 10 can be provided with a waterproof function that prevents water from entering from the area on the outer periphery of the retainer body 31 toward the area on the inner periphery. This prevents water from entering the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the like that are arranged in the area on the inner periphery of the retainer body 31.

[0089] The support leg 32 has a second waterproofing protrusion 35 (operation surface-side waterproofing protrusion, first waterproofing member) and a third waterproofing protrusion 36 (circuit board-side waterproofing protrusion, third waterproofing member). The second waterproofing protrusion 35 and the third waterproofing protrusion 36 are waterproofing members (first waterproofing member and third waterproofing member) formed on the support leg 32 using annular sealing protrusions. The second waterproofing protrusion 35 protrudes upward from the upper end surface of the support leg 32. Although the second waterproofing protrusion 35 is illustrated as being a separate member from the first waterproofing protrusion 34, it may be configured as an integral part with the first waterproofing protrusion 34. The third waterproofing protrusion 36 protrudes downward from the lower end surface of the support leg 32. Like the first waterproofing protrusion 34, the second waterproofing protrusion 35 and the third waterproofing protrusion 36 are semicircular in side view, with the cross-sectional area at the tip end being narrower than the cross-sectional area at the base end, and can achieve the same effect as the first waterproofing protrusion 34. The second waterproof protrusion 35 has a tip (upper) end portion that comes into watertight contact with the upper housing Cu when the touch sensor 10 is attached to the electronic device D. The third waterproof protrusion 36 has a tip (lower) end portion that comes into watertight contact with the lower housing Cd when the touch sensor 10 is attached to the electronic device D.

[0090] This provides waterproofing between the second waterproof protrusion 35 and the upper housing Cu and between the third waterproof protrusion 36 and the lower housing Cd. That is, the touch sensor 10 can be provided with a waterproof function that prevents water from entering from the area on the outer periphery of the support leg 32 toward the area on the inner periphery. This prevents water from entering the touch sensor electrodes 50, the circuit electrodes E, the elements e mounted on the circuit board B, and the like that are arranged in the area on the inner periphery of the support leg 32.

[0091] In this way, the touch sensor 10 can be further configured to include a waterproofing member that seals the gap between the touch sensor 10 and at least one of the operation target member and the attachment target (first attachment target, second attachment target). This provides waterproofing at the contact point between the touch sensor 10 and the attachment target. That is, the touch sensor 10 can be provided with a waterproofing function that prevents water from penetrating from the external region of the touch sensor 10 toward the internal region. This prevents water from penetrating the touch sensor electrodes 50, circuit electrodes E, elements e mounted on the circuit board B, and other elements disposed in the internal region of the touch sensor 10. That is, the touch sensor electrodes 50, circuit electrodes E, elements e, and other elements can be protected from liquid foreign matter such as water. This ensures reliable electrical conduction in the touch sensor 10. Because the touch sensor 10 has a waterproofing function, it can be used in electronic devices D used in wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, sinks, and toilets, as well as electronic devices D used outdoors, on water, underwater, and the like.

[0092] The conductive portion 41 preferably has an electrical resistance of 100 mΩ or less when compressed by 25%. If the electrical resistance is 100 mΩ or less, the conductive portion 41 is less likely to generate heat even when a large current is passed through it. From this perspective, the electrical resistance is more preferably 20 mΩ or less. Due to material and other constraints, the electrical resistance is usually 0.1 mΩ or more. The electrical resistance when compressed by 25% can be obtained by passing a current generated by a constant current source through the conductive portion 41 while the conductive portion 41 is compressed by 25%, measuring the voltage, and calculating the electrical resistance value.

[0093] The conductive particles 43 are preferably magnetic conductive fillers. Examples of the material of the magnetic conductive filler include nickel, cobalt, iron, ferrite, and alloys thereof, and the filler may be in the form of particles, fibers, flakes, thin wires, or the like. Furthermore, the filler may be a highly conductive metal, resin, or ceramic coated with a magnetic conductor, or a magnetic conductor coated with a highly conductive metal. Examples of highly conductive metals include gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, iron, palladium, chromium, and stainless steel.

[0094] The average particle size of the conductive particles 43 is preferably 1 to 200 μm, and more preferably 5 to 100 μm, in order to facilitate the formation of a chain state by the application of a magnetic field and to efficiently form a conductor. In particular, in this embodiment, the average particle size of the conductive particles 43 is preferably 10 to 80 μm in order to suppress transmission loss of electrical signals. The average particle size refers to the particle size (D50) at which the volume cumulative is 50% in the particle size distribution of the conductive filler determined by a laser diffraction / scattering method. The conductive filler may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0095] The filling rate of the conductive particles 43 in the conductive portion 41 is, for example, 25 to 80% by volume, and preferably 30 to 75% by volume. By setting the filling rate of the conductive particles 43 within this range, it is possible to ensure conductivity while imparting a certain level of strength to the conductive portion 41. The filling rate refers to the volume ratio of the conductive particles 43 to the total volume of the conductive portion 41.

[0096] On the other hand, the insulating portion 42 does not usually contain conductive particles 43, and the filling rate of the conductive particles 43 in the insulating portion 42 is 0% by volume. However, the insulating portion 42 may contain a small amount of conductive particles 43 that are inevitably mixed in during the manufacturing process, etc., within a range that does not impair the insulating properties. Therefore, for example, the filling rate of the conductive particles 43 in the insulating portion 42 may be less than 5% by volume, and preferably less than 1% by volume.

[0097] Examples of rubber-like elastic materials constituting the conductive portion 41 include thermosetting rubber and thermoplastic elastomer. Thermosetting rubber is rubber that hardens and crosslinks when heated, and specific examples include silicone rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, acrylic rubber, fluororubber, and urethane rubber. Among these, silicone rubber is preferred because of its excellent moldability, electrical insulation, and weather resistance.

[0098] Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, urethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers, vinyl chloride-based thermoplastic elastomers, fluorinated thermoplastic elastomers, ion-crosslinked thermoplastic elastomers, etc. The rubber-like elastomer may be used alone or in combination of two or more of the above-mentioned materials.

[0099] Furthermore, thermosetting rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, etc. can also be used as the rubber-like elastic material that forms the polymer matrix that constitutes the insulating portion 42. Similarly, the rubber-like elastic material that constitutes the insulating portion 42 may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. As described above, it is preferable that the rubber-like elastic materials that constitute the insulating portion 42 and the conductive portion 41 are integrally formed. Therefore, it is preferable that the rubber-like elastic materials that constitute the insulating portion 42 and the conductive portion 41 are the same type, and it is more preferable that the rubber-like elastic materials that constitute the insulating portion 42 and the conductive portion 41 are both silicone rubber.

[0100] From the viewpoint of facilitating the alignment of the conductive filler in the thickness direction by application of a magnetic field or the like, the rubber-like elastic body is preferably a cured liquid rubber or a heat-meltable material. The liquid rubber is a material that becomes liquid at room temperature (23°C) and normal pressure (1 atmosphere) before curing. Specifically, any of the liquid rubbers listed as thermosetting rubbers may be used, with liquid silicone rubber being preferred. Furthermore, examples of heat-meltable materials include thermoplastic elastomers.

[0101] The hardness of the conductive portion 41 is preferably 30 to 87, more preferably 40 to 85, and even more preferably 60 to 80. By setting the hardness of the conductive portion 41 within this range, it becomes easier to adjust the compressive stress when the conductive member is compressed by 25% to within a desired range. From the same viewpoint, the hardness of the insulating portion 42 is preferably 20 to 50, and more preferably 25 to 40. The hardness of the conductive portion 41 is measured at 23°C using a Type A durometer in accordance with "Vulcanized rubber and thermoplastic rubber - Determination of hardness - Part 3: Durometer hardness" described in JIS K6253-3:2012.

[0102] The diameter of the conductive portion 41 in the connector portion 40 is, for example, 0.3 to 6.0 mm. By setting the diameter of the conductive portion 41 within the aforementioned range, it becomes easier to keep the electrical resistance at 25% compression within a predetermined range. As a result, even if a large current flows between the upper and lower surfaces of the connector portion 40 during compression, the temperature rise of the connector portion 40 can be suppressed. From these perspectives, the diameter of the conductive portion 41 is preferably 0.3 to 3.0 mm, and more preferably 0.5 to 2.6 mm. Note that, when the diameter of the conductive portion 41 varies in the thickness direction, the diameter refers to the average value of the diameter of the conductive portion 41 on the upper surface and the diameter of the conductive portion 41 on the lower surface. Furthermore, in this specification, when the diameter is other than a circle, it can be calculated as the diameter of a circle having an area equal to the area of ​​the conductive portion 41.

[0103] The diameter of the conductive portion 41 is preferably 35 to 97% of the diameter of the connector portion 40. Setting this ratio to 35% or more allows for sufficiently low electrical resistance. On the other hand, setting this ratio to 97% or less allows for appropriate elasticity to be imparted to the connector portion 40. From these perspectives, the ratio of the diameter of the conductive portion 41 to the diameter of the connector portion 40 is more preferably 50% or more, even more preferably 55% or more, and even more preferably 60% or more, and more preferably 95% or less, and even more preferably 80% or less. By achieving such a ratio, rubber elasticity can be easily maintained over a long period of time while allowing for the passage of a large current, enabling more stable conduction. Note that, when the diameter of the connector portion 40 varies in the thickness direction, the diameter refers to the average value of the diameter at the top surface and the diameter at the bottom surface.

[0104] The diameter of the connector portion 40 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.5 to 8.0 mm, preferably 0.5 to 6.0 mm, and more preferably 0.8 to 5.0 mm. The thickness of the connector portion 40 is also not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.2 to 20.0 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 10.0 mm. By keeping the thickness within the aforementioned range, the connector portion 40 is easily maintained in a compressed state by the upper housing Cu and the lower housing Cd. When the connector portion 40 is used while being maintained in a compressed state in the thickness direction, the compression ratio is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 to 40%, preferably 10 to 35%, and more preferably 15 to 30%. The compression ratio can be calculated using the formula (H0 - H1) / H0, where H0 is the thickness of the connector portion 40 when no load is applied, and H1 is the thickness of the connector portion 40 compressed during use.

[0105] To manufacture the connector portion 40 of this embodiment having such a configuration, first, a mold consisting of an upper mold and a lower mold made of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum or copper is prepared. Pins made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron or a magnet are embedded in the upper and lower mold halves at positions corresponding to the conductive portion 41. One end of the pin is exposed on the cavity surface of the upper and lower mold halves.

[0106] Next, liquid rubber, molten thermoplastic elastomer, or the like, which is the raw material for the connector portion 40, is poured into the cavity. Magnetic conductive particles 43 are mixed into the liquid rubber in advance.

[0107] Then, a magnetic field is applied from above and below the mold using magnets. A parallel magnetic field connecting the pins is formed within the cavity, and the conductive particles 43 in the liquid rubber or the like are continuously aligned in the direction of the magnetic field lines. After this alignment, the upper and lower molds are fully clamped and a heat treatment is performed to harden the liquid rubber, resulting in a molded body that will become the connector part 40. Then, a metal plate that will become the touch sensor electrode 50 is attached to the molded body, thereby obtaining the touch sensor main body 20 of this embodiment.

[0108] Modification of the first embodiment (FIG. 2)

[0109] The touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which a retainer 30 formed separately from the touch sensor main body 20 holds the touch sensor main body 20. However, the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 can also be formed integrally. In this case, a material that satisfies the functions required of both the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 is used. The material used for the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 may be the same material, or two or more different materials. Furthermore, the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 may be molded simultaneously by molding, or one may be molded after the other, and the method of integration is not limited to these.

[0110] In the touch sensor 10 according to the modified example shown in FIG. 2 , the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 are integrally formed. This allows the touch sensor 10 to have a simpler structure. Therefore, the touch sensor 10 can be easily electrically connected to the circuit electrodes E with a simple structure. Furthermore, since the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30 are a single component, the number of components of the touch sensor 10 can be reduced. Furthermore, the touch sensor 10 can omit the step of attaching the touch sensor main body 20 to the retainer 30, thereby reducing the number of steps required to assemble the touch sensor 10.

[0111] Other variations

[0112] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the area of ​​the touch sensor electrode 50 is larger in plan view than the area of ​​the end face of the connector portion 40. However, the shape of the end face of the connector portion 40, i.e., the first end portion 40a, and the shape of the touch sensor electrode 50 may be the same in plan view.

[0113] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which one connector portion 40 is arranged for one touch sensor electrode 50. However, a plurality of connector portions 40 may be arranged for one touch sensor electrode 50.

[0114] Second embodiment (FIGS. 3A to 3B)

[0115] The touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which a metal plate is used as the touch sensor electrode 50. However, the touch sensor electrode 50 may have a configuration other than a metal plate. That is, the touch sensor 10 according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes a base film 51. The touch sensor electrode 50 is formed of a conductive layer 52 formed on the base film 51. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the touch sensor 10 has a conductive sheet 54 in which the conductive layer 52 is formed on the base film 51.

[0116] The base film 51 is made of a resin film. The base film 51 is in the form of a sheet that is extremely thin in the Z direction compared to the X and Y directions. The base film 51 is a base for arranging the touch sensor electrodes 50. For this reason, the base film 51 is arranged along and below (deeper than) the operation surface S of an electronic device or the like that is touched by an operator's finger or the like.

[0117] The conductive layer 52 has a wheel shape in a plan view. The conductive layer 52 is disposed so that its back surface faces and contacts the conductive portion 41 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. That is, the back surface of the conductive layer 52 and the conductive portion 41 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40 are configured to be electrically connectable. The conductive layer 52 can be provided, for example, by printing or painting on the base film 51 or the first end 40a of the connector portion 40.

[0118] In this embodiment, a conductive layer 52 is formed as the touch sensor electrode 50 on a base film 51 included in the touch sensor 10. Therefore, this embodiment also makes it possible to easily provide the touch sensor electrode 50 at the first end 40a of the connector portion 40. Furthermore, since the touch sensor 10 includes the connector portion 40 on the conductive layer 52 or the connector portion 40 includes the conductive layer 52, the touch sensor 10 can be easily electrically connected to the circuit electrode E with a simple structure.

[0119] Here, the connector portion 40 can also be formed integrally with the base film 51. As a result, the base film 51 and the connector portion 40 are a single component, so even if the touch sensor 10 is configured to include the base film 51, the touch sensor 10 can be easily electrically connected to the circuit electrodes E with a simple structure.

[0120] In this case, the base film 51 is made of a material that can be formed integrally with the connector portion 40. When the connector portion 40 and the base film 51 are formed integrally, the conductive portion 41 and the conductive layer 52 are maintained in a state of pre-contact. This prevents the contact surfaces of the conductive portion 41 and the conductive layer 52 from separating, thereby maintaining stable conductivity. This prevents attenuation of the electrical signal obtained from the conductive layer 52 and operational malfunctions such as chattering between the conductive portion 41 and the conductive layer 52, thereby stabilizing the sensor sensitivity of the touch sensor 10.

[0121] 3, the conductive layer 52 is formed across the area from the connector portion 40 to the area of ​​the retainer body 31 in a plan view. Therefore, the conductive layer 52 is covered and protected by the base film 51, the insulating portion 42, and the retainer body 31. This improves the durability of the conductive layer 52, and allows the high reliability of the touch sensor 10 to be maintained.

[0122] The base film 51 has a fourth waterproofing protrusion 53 (base waterproofing protrusion). The fourth waterproofing protrusion 53 is a waterproofing member (first waterproofing member) formed on the base film 51 as a ring-shaped sealing protrusion. The fourth waterproofing protrusion 53 protrudes upward from the front side surface of the base film 51 in a region including the outer circumferential edge. When the touch sensor 10 is attached to the electronic device D, the tip (upper) end portion of the fourth waterproofing protrusion 53 makes watertight contact with the upper housing Cu. This provides waterproofing between the fourth waterproofing protrusion 53 and the upper housing Cu. In other words, the touch sensor 10 can be endowed with a waterproofing function that prevents water from penetrating from the outer circumferential region of the base film 51 toward the inner circumferential region. This prevents water from penetrating into the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the like arranged in the inner circumferential region of the base film 51.

[0123] The conductive layer 52 can be formed on the base film 51 by a method of conductively printing a desired sensor shape on the X-Y plane, a method of laminating a conductive metal foil in the desired sensor shape, or the like. Furthermore, when the conductive sheet 54 is integrated with the connector portion 40, the conductive layer 52 can also be formed by a method of conductively printing on the first end portion 40a of the connector portion 40, or a method of laminating a conductive metal foil. Thereafter, the connector portion 40 and the base film 51 can be integrally formed.

[0124] The base film 51 may be a thin film, sheet, or the like made of resin, synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or the like. Examples of resins include thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), acrylic (AC), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Examples of synthetic rubbers include urethane rubber, silicone rubber, and fluororubber. Examples of thermoplastic elastomers include urethane-based, olefin-based, styrene-based, polyester-based, silicone-based, and fluorine-based elastomers.

[0125] The conductive layer 52 can be made of a metal paste such as silver or copper, a carbon paste, a conductive coating such as a conductive polymer, or a conductive metal foil. Furthermore, the conductive layer 52 can be made of a paste containing conductive nanoparticles such as PEDOT / PSS (Poly(3,4-EthyleneDiOxyThiophene) PolyStyrene Sulfonate (a dispersion of polyethylenedioxythiophene and polystyrene sulfonate)), ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), nanoscale fine conductive powder, or fine conductive fiber. The conductive layer 52 can be made of a transparent conductive film using a thin film, paste, or paste containing conductive nanoparticles of PEDOT / PSS or ITO, which is translucent and allows backlight illumination to pass through.

[0126] First Modification of the Second Embodiment (FIG. 4)

[0127] 1 and the like, the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 at the first end 41a are positioned opposite each other. However, there may be cases where it is not possible to secure a sufficient area for the connector portion 40 in the X-Y plane inside the electronic device D, for example. As in this example, when it is difficult to arrange the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 at the first end 41a opposite each other, a configuration in which their contact positions are shifted may also be used.

[0128] In the touch sensor 10 according to the first modification shown in FIG. 4 , the touch sensor electrode 50 includes an electrode main body 55 and an electrode extension 56. The electrode main body 55 is located in the operation area. That is, the electrode main body 55 is arranged along the back side of the operation surface S of an electronic device or the like that is touched by an operator's finger or the like. In contrast, the electrode extension 56 is located outside the operation area. That is, the electrode extension 56 is not located on the back side of the operation surface S. The electrode extension 56 extends in a wire-like manner from the electrode main body 55. The tip of the electrode extension 56 is a dead end and is not connected to other circuits. That is, the electrode extension 56 is not connected to other circuits. The conductive portion 41 is arranged to be in conductive contact with the electrode extension 56. The touch sensor 10 according to this modification can be applied to a configuration in which, for example, the electrode main body 55 is arranged along the top surface of an electronic device D, the electrode extension 56 is arranged along the side surface of the electronic device D, and the conductive portion 41 extends horizontally.

[0129] In this modification, the conductive portion 41 of the connector portion 40 can be configured to be in conductive contact not only with the electrode main body portion 55 located in the operation area, but also with the electrode extension portion 56 located outside the operation area. Therefore, the touch sensor 10 can be in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 even when the touch sensor 10 is located outside the operation area. Therefore, the touch sensor 10 can have a higher degree of freedom in the connection position with the circuit electrode E on which it is mounted.

[0130] Second Modification of Second Embodiment (FIGS. 5A and 5B)

[0131] In the touch sensor 10, if the positions of the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 are misaligned and proper conductive contact is not established between them, there is a risk that the touch operation by the operator may not be reliably detected. To prevent such a problem from occurring, the touch sensor 10 may be configured to have a "positioning portion" that positions the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 at a predetermined contact position.

[0132] In a touch sensor 10 according to a second modified example shown in FIG. 5 , the base film 51 has a positioning recess 57 as a "positioning portion," and the retainer body 31 has a positioning protrusion 37 as a "positioning portion." The positioning recess 57 is a cylindrical opening that penetrates the base film 51 in the Z direction. The positioning protrusion 37 is a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes upward from the front surface of the retainer body 31. The positioning recess 57 and the positioning protrusion 37 are provided at positions that overlap each other in a plan view. When the base film 51 is provided from above the retainer body 31, the positioning recess 57 of the base film 51 fits into the positioning protrusion 37 of the retainer body 31. This allows the touch sensor electrode 50 and the conductive portion 41 to be positioned in a predetermined contact position.

[0133] 5A, the touch sensor 10 often has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the X-axis and the Y-axis. In this case, it is preferable to provide the positioning recess 57 and the positioning protrusion 37 so that they are in the same position (point symmetry) even when the base film 51 is rotated 180° in the XY plane with respect to the touch sensor main body 20 and the retainer 30, as this increases assembly efficiency.

[0134] There is no particular limit to the number of "positioning portions." However, if there is only one set of "positioning portions," there is a risk that the base film 51 will rotate around the "positioning portions" in the X-Y plane. On the other hand, if there are three or more sets of "positioning portions," it becomes difficult to assemble the "positioning portions" at all locations. Therefore, it is preferable that there are two sets of "positioning portions," in order to ensure that the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41 are positioned at predetermined contact positions and to facilitate assembly. Furthermore, the number of positioning protrusions 37 and positioning recesses 57 does not necessarily have to be the same. For example, one positioning protrusion 37 and two positioning recesses 57 may be provided.

[0135] The touch sensor 10 of this modified example has positioning recesses 57 and positioning protrusions 37 that determine the positional relationship between the base film 51 and the connector portion 40. This allows the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41 to be placed in predetermined contact positions. Furthermore, after the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41 are placed in the predetermined contact positions, the mating positioning recesses 57 and positioning protrusions 37 can maintain the touch sensor electrodes 50 and the conductive portions 41 in the predetermined contact positions.

[0136] Third embodiment (FIGS. 6A to 6B)

[0137] 6A and 6B, the touch sensor 10 can also be configured to have a plurality of connector portions 40 and a plurality of touch sensor electrodes 50. This allows the touch sensor 10 to be applied to multi-pole sensor electrodes, slider electrodes, etc.

[0138] The touch sensor 10 according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has four connector portions 40 and four touch sensor electrodes 50. The four connector portions 40 and the four touch sensor electrodes 50 are arranged at equal intervals in the X direction. All four connector portions 40 have the same shape. The four touch sensor electrodes 50 are slider electrodes that are all W-shaped in plan view. The four touch sensor electrodes 50 are formed on a single base film 51. Therefore, by assembling one base film 51 to the connector portions 40 and the retainer 30, all four touch sensor electrodes 50 can be electrically connected to the conductive portions 41.

[0139] In the present embodiment, the touch sensor 10 may be configured with a plurality of connector portions 40 and a plurality of touch sensor electrodes 50. Therefore, even if the touch sensor 10 has a plurality of connector portions 40 and a plurality of touch sensor electrodes 50, the touch sensor 10 can easily achieve conductive connection.

[0140] Fourth embodiment (FIG. 7)

[0141] 1, the connector portion 40 has a simple cylindrical shape and can be positioned arbitrarily in the Z direction relative to the retainer body 31. However, the connector portion 40 may be configured to determine the position in the Z direction.

[0142] That is, in the touch sensor 10 according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , the connector portion 40 is formed in a columnar shape. A touch sensor electrode 50 made of metal foil is provided at a first end 40a of the connector portion 40. The connector portion 40 has a locking protrusion 44 on its outer periphery that locks the connector portion 40 to an attachment object. In this case, the attachment object is a retainer 30. However, the attachment object may also be an attachment member or the like formed on the electronic device D. The locking protrusion 44 is a semicircular protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the connector portion 40 and surrounds the connector portion 40 in an annular shape. When simply locking the connector portion 40 to an attachment object, the locking protrusion 44 may not completely surround the connector portion 40 and may have a partial notch. Two locking protrusions 44 are formed at an upper and lower interval. The connector portion 40 has a tapered shape with a smaller diameter toward the bottom. Therefore, the upper locking protrusion 44 has a larger diameter than the lower locking protrusion 44 in the XY plane.

[0143] When the connector portion 40 is attached to the retainer 30 from above, the connector portion 40 has a tapered shape, so it can be easily pushed into the retainer 30 until the lower locking protrusions 44 come into contact. Furthermore, when the connector portion 40 is pushed into the retainer 30 from above, the lower locking protrusions 44 climb over the retainer 30. That is, the lower locking protrusions 44 pass from above to below through a cylindrical opening formed in the retainer body 31 and penetrating in the Z direction. On the other hand, the opening in the retainer body 31 is formed with dimensions that prevent the upper locking protrusions 44 from climbing over it. Therefore, the connector portion 40 is fixed with the retainer 30 sandwiched between the upper and lower locking protrusions 44.

[0144] In this embodiment, the columnar connector portion 40 has locking protrusions 44 on the outer periphery thereof that are configured to lock onto the attachment object. Therefore, the connector portion 40 can easily fasten the touch sensor 10 to the attachment object.

[0145] Furthermore, a water-stopping portion can be provided on the locking projection 44. This provides a waterproof function that prevents water from entering between the locking projection 44 and the retainer 30 toward the elements e and the like mounted on the circuit board B. In this case, the water-stopping portion can be provided, for example, by increasing the adhesion with the retainer 30 or by increasing the contact area with the retainer 30.

[0146] Modification of the fourth embodiment (FIG. 8)

[0147] In the touch sensor 10 shown in Fig. 1, the retainer 30 has a waterproof function. However, the waterproof function of the touch sensor 10 can also be enhanced by the configuration of the connector portion 40. That is, in a modified example of the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the connector portion 40 has a flange 45 extending outward, and the waterproof members (first waterproof member and second waterproof member) can be configured to be the flange 45.

[0148] In the touch sensor 10 according to this modification, the connector portion 40 has a cylindrical shape with the same dimensions in the vertical direction. Like the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 7 , the connector portion 40 has a lower locking protrusion 44 but does not have an upper locking protrusion 44. The connector portion 40 has a flange 45 that protrudes outward in a disk shape from the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion, including the first end 40 a, of the connector portion 40. A touch sensor electrode 50 made of metal foil is provided on the first end 40 a of the connector portion 40, and its range extends to the outer peripheral edge of the flange 45.

[0149] When the connector portion 40 is attached to the retainer 30 from above, the lower locking projections 44 climb over the retainer 30. At that time, the flange 45 comes into contact with the retainer 30 over a wide area. Therefore, the connector portion 40 is fixed in place with the retainer 30 sandwiched between the upper flange 45 and the lower locking projections 44.

[0150] In this modification, the flange 45 is formed to extend toward the outer periphery of the connector portion 40. Therefore, the flange 45 can cover a wider area of ​​the outer periphery of the touch sensor 10. In this modification, a waterproofing member is formed on the connector portion 40 as the flange 45. Therefore, the touch sensor 10 can be waterproofed between the flange 45 and the object to which it is attached.

[0151] Fifth embodiment (FIGS. 9A to 9B)

[0152] The touch sensor 10 is not limited to being embedded below a flat operation surface S without any irregularities, but can also be applied to an electronic device D having a three-dimensional operation surface S. That is, in the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the base film 51 has a three-dimensional shape, and the touch sensor electrode 50 can be configured to be formed along the three-dimensional shape of the base film 51.

[0153] The operation surface S of this embodiment has a truncated cone shape, and a base film 51 is provided along its top surface and side surfaces. The touch sensor electrode 50 is formed spanning from the top surface to the side surfaces. However, the touch sensor electrode 50 is not formed in the center of the top surface. In other words, the touch sensor electrode 50 is wheel-shaped with a central portion missing. The connector portion 40 extends to a position on the back side of the top surface of the operation surface S to match the operation surface S, which protrudes upward as a three-dimensional shape. By being configured in this manner, the touch sensor 10 is configured to be able to detect operations by an operator on the outer periphery and side surfaces of the top surface.

[0154] The touch sensor electrodes 50 are formed along the three-dimensional shape of the base film 51. This allows for the realization of a touch sensor 10 with a three-dimensional operation area. In this case, if the operation surface S is three-dimensional, the inter-terminal distance from the touch sensor electrodes 50 to the circuit electrodes E becomes long, which tends to increase electrical resistance. However, the touch sensor 10 according to this embodiment has linear conductive portions 41, so that the touch sensor electrodes 50 can be electrically connected to the circuit electrodes E in a short linear distance. As a result, the resistance of the conductive paths 41c of the touch sensor 10 can be reduced, thereby improving the sensor sensitivity of the touch sensor 10.

[0155] First Modification of Fifth Embodiment (FIGS. 10A and 10B)

[0156] 9, the first end 40a of the connector portion 40 is formed perpendicular to the extension direction of the conductive portion 41, i.e., horizontally. However, in the first modification of the fifth embodiment, the first end 40a of the connector portion 40, which is in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode 50, can be configured to be formed as an inclined surface.

[0157] The operation surface S of this modified example has a quadrangular pyramid shape, and a base film 51 is provided along the top surface and side surfaces. The touch sensor electrode 50 is formed on the side surface. The connector portion 40 extends to a position behind the side surface of the operation surface S to match the operation surface S, which protrudes upward as a three-dimensional shape. The connector portion 40 connects to the touch sensor electrode 50 as an inclined surface at the first end 40a. The conductive portion 41, like the connector portion 40, electrically connects to the touch sensor electrode 50 as an inclined surface at the first end 41a of the conductive portion 41. By being configured in this manner, the touch sensor 10 is configured to be able to detect an operation by an operator on the side surface.

[0158] In this modification, the first end 41a of the connector portion 40 on the side that is in conductive contact with the touch sensor electrode 50 is formed as an inclined surface. This makes it possible to realize a touch sensor 10 whose operation area is an inclined surface.

[0159] Second Modification of Fifth Embodiment (FIGS. 11A and 11B)

[0160] The touch sensor electrodes 50 may be provided on the three-dimensional side surfaces and the planar top surface of the upper housing Cu. Furthermore, the touch sensor 10 may be provided with a light emitting element such as an LED 100.

[0161] The operation surface S of this modified example has a truncated cone shape, and a base film 51 is provided along its top surface, side surfaces, and the top surface of the planar shape. The touch sensor electrode 50 is formed spanning from the side surfaces to the top surface of the planar shape. The connector portion 40 extends to a position behind the top surface of the planar shape. By configuring the touch sensor 10 in this manner, it is possible to detect operations by an operator on the side surfaces and the top surface of the planar shape. An LED 100 is mounted on the circuit board B. The upper housing Cu and the base film 51 are made of a light-transmitting material.

[0162] In this modification, the touch sensor electrodes 50 are formed along the three-dimensional side surfaces and the planar top surface of the upper housing Cu. This makes it possible to realize a touch sensor 10 in which the operation area is located on a three-dimensional inclined surface, a planar top surface, or the like. Furthermore, in this modification, an LED 100 is provided. This makes it possible to prompt the operator to perform an operation and to notify the operator of the results of the operation by light, for example.

[0163] In the "touch sensor" of the present disclosure, the configurations shown in each embodiment and modification can be freely combined within a range that does not cause contradictions. For example, the multiple connector portions 40 and multiple touch sensor electrodes 50 in the third embodiment may be combined with the configurations of any of the embodiments and modifications. Furthermore, for example, the touch sensor electrode 50 made of a metal plate in the first embodiment and the touch sensor electrode 50 in which a conductive layer 52 is formed on a base film 51 in the second embodiment may have either of the configurations in the other embodiments and modifications.

[0164] In this disclosure, a "touch sensor" that comes into contact with the operation area has been described. However, the "touch sensor" of this disclosure can also be applied to a "proximity sensor" that does not come into contact with the operation area.

[0165] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novel features and effects of the present invention. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0166] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Touch sensor 20 Touch sensor main body 30 Retainer 31 Retainer main body 32 Support leg 40 Connector part 40a First end 40b Second end 41 Conductive part 41c Conductive path 42 Insulating part 50 Touch sensor electrode 51 Base film 52 Conductive layer

Claims

1. A connector having a conductive part and an insulating part made of a rubber-like elastic material that covers the conductive part, The connector portion comprises a touch sensor electrode located at the first end and making electrical contact with the conductive portion, The connector portion has a second end that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode and the object to be connected by contacting the object to be connected. The conductive portion extending between the first end and the second end is linear in shape. Touch sensor.

2. The area of ​​the touch sensor electrode is formed to be larger than the end face of the conductive portion. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

3. The touch sensor electrode is fixed integrally with the connector portion. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

4. The connector portion is formed in a columnar shape and has a locking projection on its outer circumference that engages with the first object to which the connector portion is attached. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

5. The touch sensor is equipped with a retainer, The retainer comprises a retainer body that holds the connector portion and support legs that protrude from the retainer body and attach the retainer to a second mounting object. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

6. The support legs have a length that forms a space for housing elements to be mounted on a circuit board between the retainer body and the second mounting object. The touch sensor according to claim 5.

7. The touch sensor further includes a waterproofing member, The aforementioned waterproofing member is This is a first waterproof member that seals the space between the controllable member that the operator touches and the touch sensor. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

8. The touch sensor further comprises a waterproof member, The aforementioned waterproofing member is This is a second waterproofing member that seals the space between the first mounting object to which the connector portion is attached and the touch sensor. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

9. The touch sensor further comprises a waterproof member, The aforementioned waterproofing member is This is a third waterproofing member that seals the space between the second mounting object to which the touch sensor is attached and the touch sensor itself. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

10. The touch sensor comprises a retainer, The first waterproofing member is an annular sealing projection formed on the retainer. The touch sensor according to claim 7.

11. The touch sensor comprises a retainer, The retainer has support legs that are attached to a second object to be mounted, The aforementioned support leg is formed in an annular shape, The first waterproofing member is an annular sealing projection formed on the support leg. The touch sensor according to claim 7.

12. The touch sensor comprises a retainer, The retainer has support legs that are attached to a second object to be mounted, The aforementioned support leg is formed in an annular shape, The third waterproofing member is an annular sealing projection formed on the support leg. The touch sensor according to claim 9.

13. The connector portion has a flange that protrudes outward, The second waterproofing member is the flange. The touch sensor according to claim 8.

14. The aforementioned touch sensor includes a base film, The connector portion is formed integrally with the base film. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

15. The aforementioned touch sensor includes a base film, The touch sensor electrode is a conductive layer formed on either the base film or the first end. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

16. The waterproofing member is an annular sealing projection formed on the base film of the touch sensor. The touch sensor according to claim 7.

17. The base film has a three-dimensional shape, The touch sensor electrodes are formed along the three-dimensional shape of the base film. The touch sensor according to claim 14.

18. The first end of the connector portion that makes electrical contact with the touch sensor electrode is formed with an inclined surface. The touch sensor according to claim 17.

19. The touch sensor electrode has an electrode body located in the operating area and an electrode extension located outside the operating area. The conductive portion is in electrical contact with the electrode extension portion. The touch sensor according to claim 14.

20. The touch sensor has a positioning unit that positions the touch sensor electrode and the conductive part at a predetermined contact position. The touch sensor according to claim 14.

21. The touch sensor electrode is a metal plate. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

22. The touch sensor has a plurality of connector portions and a plurality of touch sensor electrodes. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

23. The touch sensor further includes an operable member that the operator touches. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

24. The conductive portion has a linear conductive passage in which conductive particles are arranged in the Z direction, which is the direction connecting the first end and the second end. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

25. The touch sensor electrode has an overhang that extends outwards in a plan view from the first end of the connector portion. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

26. The touch sensor comprises a retainer, The connector portion has two locking protrusions spaced apart in the extension direction of the conductive portion, The retainer is fixed in place with the retainer sandwiched between the two locking protrusions. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

27. ​​The touch sensor comprises a retainer, The aforementioned connector portion is A flange that protrudes outward, The connector portion has a locking projection that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface, The retainer is fixed in place between the flange and the locking projection. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

28. The locking projection has a water-stopping portion The touch sensor according to claim 4.

29. The connector portion has a flange that protrudes outward. The touch sensor according to claim 1.

30. The connector portion has a flange that protrudes outward, The flange presses against the protruding portion. The touch sensor according to claim 25.

31. A touch sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 30, The conductive portion has a linear shape and forms a linear conductive path that electrically connects the touch sensor electrode and the object to be connected. Connection structure between a touch sensor and the object to be connected.

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