Laminated pane with force-actuated touch sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a laminated pane (1) with a switching area comprising: - a first pane (2) with an outer surface (I) and an inner surface (II) and also a second pane (3) with an outer surface (IV) and an inner surface (III), which are connected to each other by at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer (4), - a recess (5) in the thermoplastic intermediate layer (4), which is bordered by a circumferential seal (6), - capacitive sensor electronics (7), wherein the following arrangement is included in the region of the recess (5): - a first flat electrode (8) arranged on the inner surface (II) of the first pane (2), - an electrically conductive coating as a second flat electrode (9), applied to the inner surface (III) of the second pane (3) opposite the first flat electrode (8) and in electrically conductive contact with the sensor electronics (7), wherein the first flat electrode (8) is applied to a flexible printed circuit board (10) and is conductively connected to the capacitive sensor electronics (7), and also relates to a method for its production and to its use.

Description

SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 1 Composite glass with force-actuated touch sensor The invention relates to a composite disc with a force-actuated touch sensor, as well as a method for its manufacture and its use. The basic principle of force-actuated touch sensors has been known for a long time, and they form a subgroup of capacitive sensors. The sensor operates based on a change in the electrical capacitance of a capacitor formed by two spaced-apart surface electrodes. This change occurs when a force is applied to alter the distance between the two electrodes, and this change in capacitance is measured by sensor electronics. Touch sensors are used in a wide variety of devices. In smartphones, they enable operation by simply tapping the screen. In industry, they help simplify machine operation and increase safety. Modern vehicles also use touch sensors for infotainment systems and to control various functions. The main advantages of touch sensors are their intuitive usability and versatility. They enable seamless interaction without mechanical buttons, thus increasing the lifespan and reliability of devices. Furthermore, their compact size and design flexibility make them ideal for a wide range of applications. Touch sensors play a crucial role in the development of interactive technologies and have fundamentally changed the design and functionality of user interfaces.As technology advances, these sensors will continue to be used in innovative ways to meet user needs and open up new possibilities in human-machine interaction. WO 2015 / 162108 A1 discloses a disc in which a heating layer located within the disc can be switched on or off via a switching area. The switching area is part of the disc, thus requiring no additional space for the user interface. The switching area SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 2, for example, works by means of capacitive buttons. It is known that capacitive buttons can be formed by a line or a surface electrode, or by an arrangement of two coupled electrodes. When an object approaches the capacitive switch, the capacitance of the surface electrode to ground or the capacitance of the capacitor formed by the two coupled electrodes changes. This change in capacitance is measured by a circuit arrangement or sensor electronics, and a switching signal is triggered when a threshold is exceeded. Circuit arrangements for capacitive switches are known, for example, from DE202006006192U 1, EP0899882A1, US6452514B1, and EP1515211A1. WO 2019 / 206772 A1 and WO 2021 / 209391 A1 also disclose generic capacitive circuit arrangements. WO2021 / 156430A1 discloses a disk arrangement with a capacitive switching range. The switching area comprises electrically separated sections. These sections are arranged in such a way as to minimize interference from external electromagnetic fields. The touch detection area is preferably connected to a terminal area via a 48 cm long lead wire. US20170034875A1 discloses an electrically heated disc that also has a capacitive switching area. However, the further development of touch sensors also faces challenges. These include ensuring functionality under various environmental conditions such as humidity, dirt, and temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, the technology must be designed to avoid false triggers while remaining sensitive enough to reliably detect actual touches. This is especially true when implementing such touch sensors in laminated glass panes. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a composite disc with a force-actuated touch sensor, in which the SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 3 Functionality under various environmental conditions such as humidity, dirt, and temperature fluctuations is improved. Furthermore, the force-actuated touch sensor in the laminated glass is designed to prevent false triggers while remaining sensitive enough to reliably detect actual touches. These and other problems of the present invention are solved by a composite disk according to independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims. The composite disc with switching area according to the invention comprises a first disc with an outer surface and an inner surface and a second disc with an outer surface and an inner surface, which are connected to each other by at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer, a recess is provided in the thermoplastic intermediate layer which is surrounded by a circumferential seal, and capacitive sensor electronics, wherein the following arrangement is included in the area of ​​the recess: a first surface electrode arranged on the inner surface of the first disc, and an electrically conductive coating as a second surface electrode, applied to the inner surface of the second disc opposite the first surface electrode and electrically conductively contacted with the sensor electronics. According to the invention, the first surface electrode is applied to a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) and is conductively connected to the capacitive sensor electronics. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 4 The composite disc according to the invention provides a composite disc with a force-activated touch sensor, the functionality of which is improved under various environmental conditions such as humidity, dirt, and temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, the touch sensor in the composite disc is designed so that it does not register false triggers and is simultaneously sensitive enough to reliably detect actual touches. For example, it can be easily operated even with gloves, without the gloves needing to be made of a specially conductive material. The operating principle of the circuit section according to the invention is generally known. A reduction in the distance between the first and second surface electrodes is detected by a change in the capacitance of the capacitor formed by the two electrodes. The change in capacitance is measured by sensor electronics connected to the first surface electrode via the flexible printed circuit board, and the switching signal is triggered when a threshold value is exceeded. Within the scope of the present invention, the reduction in the distance between the two opposing surface electrodes is generated by a force-actuated deformation of the second disk and, optionally, of the thermoplastic intermediate layer in the circuit section. In particular, unlike previously known push buttons, as described in WO 2015 / 162108 A1, WO 2019 / 206772 A1 and WO 2021 / 209391 A1, the force-actuated touch sensor arrangement of the present invention is not affected by the conductivity of the human operator. In the previously known arrangements, the sensor electronics measure the influence of the human finger on the capacitance of the surface electrodes to ground or the capacitance of the capacitor formed by two coupled electrodes. In these cases, the finger always serves as a conductive ground sufficient to alter the electric field of the electrode and thus measurably influence the capacitance. In the present invention, however, the change in capacitance of a capacitor formed by the two surface electrodes is measured solely by the change in the distance between the two surface electrodes.The change in distance can be caused not only by a finger, but also by any other force. Therefore, the measurement is not dependent on the conductivity of the object. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WQ-PCT 5 Finger-dependent. This significant difference in the operating principle of the touch sensor allows the operator to trigger a circuit even with gloves or using objects. Furthermore, this significantly reduces the sensitivity of the touch sensor to dirt and weather conditions. The glazing according to the invention is designed as a laminated pane, in particular as a laminated glass pane, and comprises a first pane with an outer and inner surface and a second pane with an inner and outer surface, which are firmly bonded together by at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer (adhesive layer). The second pane can be designated as the outer or inner pane, and the first pane accordingly as the inner or outer pane, depending on whether the switching area is installed facing outwards or inwards. The surfaces or sides of the two individual panes are usually designated, from outside to inside, as side I, side II, side III, and side IV.The pane preferably contains tempered, partially tempered, or non-tempered glass, particularly preferably flat glass, float glass, quartz glass, borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, or clear plastics, preferably rigid clear plastics, in particular polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, and / or mixtures thereof. Examples of suitable glasses are given in DE 697 31 268 T2, page 8, paragraph 1.

[0053] The thickness of the discs can vary widely and thus be ideally adapted to the requirements of individual cases. Discs are preferably used with standard thicknesses of 1.0 mm to 10 mm and particularly preferably from 1.6 mm to 3 mm. The size of the discs can vary widely, for example from 0.4 m x 0.4 m to 3.2 m x 6 m. The discs can have any three-dimensional shape. The substrates are preferably planar or slightly or strongly curved in one or more directions. Planar substrates are particularly suitable. The discs can be colorless or tinted, preferably gray or green. The thermoplastic interlayer contains or consists of at least one thermoplastic polymer, preferably polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and / or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The thermoplastic interlayer SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 6 can also contain, for example, polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate, polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetate resin, casting resin, acrylate, fluorinated ethylene propylene, polyvinyl fluoride and / or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, or a copolymer or mixture thereof. The thermoplastic interlayer can be formed by one or more thermoplastic films arranged one above the other, the thickness of each thermoplastic film preferably being from 0.25 mm to 1 mm, typically 0.38 mm or 0.76 mm. The thermoplastic interlayer incorporates a recess surrounded by a circumferential seal. This recess can be created, for example, by punching or cutting, and its size is adapted to the dimensions of the circuit area. The circumferential seal of the recess is made of materials such as Teflon or butyral and serves to prevent both the flow of thermoplastic material from the interlayer into the recess and the ingress of air from the recess into the thermoplastic interlayer during the joining process of the composite disc manufacturing process. A sensor electronics system for a capacitive sensor switch is known, for example, from DE 20 2005 010 379 U1. In a simple embodiment, the capacitance of the circuit area is measured by a capacitance-to-voltage converter. The second surface electrode is charged to a predetermined voltage by the sensor electronics. The current flow required for charging is measured and converted into a voltage signal. Subsequently, the change in capacitance caused by a change in the distance between the first and second surface electrodes is measured by the change in the voltage signal. Changes in the voltage signal can be amplified by a differentiator and compared to a threshold value via a comparator. If the change in the voltage signal exceeds a threshold value, the comparator outputs a signal. This output signal is preferably fed to a further SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 7 Control electronics are supplied, tailored to the specific application. These control electronics can, for example, trigger a mechanism to open or close a door. A change in capacitance can also be detected by a non-oscillating oscillator, which is set into oscillation by the change in capacitance. Alternatively, an oscillating oscillator can be damped so strongly that its oscillation ceases. Sensor electronics with an oscillator are known from EP 0 899 882 A1. In the area of ​​the recess, the composite disc with switching area of ​​the present invention comprises the following arrangement: A first surface electrode, arranged on the inner surface of the first disc, and an electrically conductive coating as a second surface electrode, applied to the inner surface of the second disc opposite the first surface electrode and electrically conductively contacted with the sensor electronics. According to the invention, the first surface electrode is applied to a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) and is conductively connected to the capacitive sensor electronics. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) uses a dielectric base layer made of a flexible polymer material such as polyimide or polyester. Conductive copper traces are laminated onto the flexible base layer to create a thin, flexible PCB. Since there is no rigid glass fiber reinforcement, the flexible PCB can be dynamically bent and deformed during use. Key characteristics of flexible PCBs include their flexibility, light weight, dynamic behavior, durability, integration with components, space-saving design, and adaptability. According to the invention, the first surface electrode is applied to this base layer. The first surface electrode can be made of any suitable material and with any suitable pattern. Round or elliptical surface electrodes are preferred. The surface electrode preferably has an area of ​​1 cm². 2 up to 100 cm 2on and especially of 5 cm 2 until SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 8 15 cm 2 , for example in the form of a circular disc. The surface electrode is usually covered with an insulating layer, such as an insulating plastic film. The second surface electrode, arranged opposite the first, is applied to the inner surface of the second disc as an electrically conductive coating, according to the invention. It can be transparent, opaque, or optionally colored. Electrically conductive coatings are known to those skilled in the art in the field of laminated glass and are frequently used, particularly as functional layers. The electrically conductive coating can be applied to the inner surface of the disc, for example, by printing, by a PVD (physical vapor deposition) process, or by baking. The introduction of separation lines is only necessary if the same surface of the second disc would additionally have a fully electrically conductive coating. However, this is not preferred.For example, an opaque, electrically conductive material for a coated surface electrode can be a conventionally used, electrically non-conductive material to which an electrically conductive material is added, preferably at least one metal, such as silver, gold, copper, nickel and / or chromium, or a metal alloy, to form the second surface electrode. Alternatively, an electrically conductive paste, preferably a silver-containing screen printing paste, can be used. Furthermore, the electrically conductive layer can be protected from corrosion by a dielectric layer. Both the insulating layer and the dielectric layer prevent galvanic contact between the two electrodes. Due to the small distance and the surface area of ​​the electrode and the electrically conductive layer, capacitive coupling occurs. The electrically conductive coating, serving as the second surface electrode, is contacted with the sensor electronics, preferably via a contact point outside the recess in the thermoplastic intermediate layer. Particularly preferably, the electrical contact point of the second surface electrode is located in the edge region of the composite disc. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 9 In a preferred embodiment of the composite disk according to the invention, the second surface electrode is designed as a transparent, electrically conductive coating and contains at least one metal, preferably silver, nickel, chromium, niobium, tin, titanium, copper, palladium, zinc, gold, cadmium, aluminum, silicon, tungsten or alloys thereof, and / or at least one metal oxide, preferably tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO, SnO2:F), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO, SnO2:Sb), and / or carbon nanotubes and / or optically transparent, electrically conductive polymers, preferably poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polystyrene sulfonate, poly(4,4-dioctylcyclopentadithiophene), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone, mixtures and / or copolymers thereof. Transparent, electrically conductive layers are known, for example, from DE 20 2008 017 611 U1 and EP 0 847 965 B1. They consist, for example, of a metal layer such as a silver layer or a layer of a silver-containing metal alloy. Typical silver layers preferably have thicknesses of 5 nm to 15 nm, particularly preferably of 8 nm to 12 nm. The metal layer can be embedded between at least two layers of dielectric material of the metal oxide type. The metal oxide preferably contains zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, titanium oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, or the like, as well as combinations of one or more thereof. The dielectric material can also contain silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, or combinations of one or more thereof.The layer structure is generally obtained by a series of deposition processes carried out by a vacuum method such as magnetic field-assisted cathode sputtering or by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Very thin metal layers, particularly containing titanium or niobium, can also be provided on both sides of the silver layer. The lower metal layer serves as an adhesion and crystallization layer. The upper metal layer serves as a protective and getter layer to prevent changes to the silver during subsequent process steps. The transparent, electrically conductive layer according to the invention is transparent to electromagnetic radiation, preferably electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 300 nm to 1,300 nm, and in particular visible light. "Transparent" means that the transmission of the transparent, electrically conductive layer is preferably > 50%. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WQ-PCT 10 and especially > 70%. The thickness of the transparent, electrically conductive layer can vary widely and be adapted to the requirements of the individual case. Transparent, electrically conductive layers preferably have a sheet resistance of 0.1 ohm / square to 200 ohms / square, particularly preferably from 1 ohm / square to 50 ohms / square, and most preferably from 1 ohm / square to 10 ohms / square. The sheet resistance of a conductor layer can be measured, for example, using the four-point method or as a non-contact measurement with an eddy current tester. In non-contact sheet resistance / sheet resistance measurement with a special eddy current tester, an alternating magnetic field is generated in the material, and the measuring sensor evaluates the opposing field generated by the eddy current. The "EddyCus®" TF series device from Suragus is an example of a suitable measuring instrument. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the seal is electrically insulating. This further improves the durability and insulation of the second surface electrode on the one hand and the printed circuit board (PCB) with the first surface electrode on the other. In a preferred embodiment of the composite disc according to the invention, the distance between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode is from 0.01 mm to 10 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, particularly preferably from 0.5 mm to 1.6 mm. In particular, the distance between the surface electrodes is determined by the thickness of the thermoplastic intermediate layer used. According to another preferred embodiment, the capacitive sensor electronics are applied to the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) and arranged outside the recess. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 11 In other words, the flexible circuit board serves not only as a carrier for the sensor electronics but also as a signal conductor from the first surface electrode to the sensor electronics. Arranging the sensor electronics outside the recess, and particularly preferably outside the edge of the composite disk, is advantageous because it allows the use of electronics with a thickness that is too great for the composite disk, and also due to the sensitivity of the electronics to mechanical stress and environmental influences. In a preferred embodiment of the disc according to the invention, the edge region and / or the area in which the flexible printed circuit board is guided is covered by a printed overlay on the inner and / or outer surfaces of the disc, so that it is not visible from the outside. Further markings or symbols can be printed, affixed, or otherwise arranged on the inner and outer surfaces. Furthermore, the invention extends to a method for manufacturing a composite disk with a switching area comprising at least the following steps: Providing a first disc with an outer surface and an inner surface, and a second disc with an outer surface and an inner surface, Coating the inner surface of the second disk with an electrically conductive layer as a second surface electrode, Applying a first surface electrode to a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), Applying the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) to the inner surface of the first disk, Applying a thermoplastic intermediate layer to the inner surface of the first disk, wherein the thermoplastic intermediate layer has a recess and wherein at least the area of ​​the first surface electrode of the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is arranged in the recess, SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 12 Inserting a circumferential seal around the edge of the recess, Applying capacitive sensor electronics and establishing an electrically conductive connection between the sensor electronics and the first surface electrode, Joining the first and second discs together such that the second surface electrode and the first surface electrode are arranged opposite each other, and producing the composite disc by lamination, Contacting the second surface electrode and establishing an electrically conductive connection with the sensor electronics and directly or indirectly connecting the sensor electronics to a functional element to be switched. In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, in the first step a first disk with an outer surface and an inner surface and a second disk with an outer surface and an inner surface are provided; then, at a suitable location, the inner surface of the second disk is coated with an electrically conductive layer as a second surface electrode. Masking of the disks can be carried out for this purpose. In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, in the next step a first surface electrode is applied to a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), and the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) thus formed is applied to the inner surface of the first disk. In a further step, a thermoplastic interlayer is applied to the inner surface of the first disk, wherein the thermoplastic interlayer has a recess and wherein at least the area of ​​the first surface electrode of the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is positioned in the recess. Subsequently, a circumferential seal is inserted to surround the recess. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 13 Preferably, capacitive sensor electronics are applied to an area of ​​the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) that is not located within the disk, and an electrically conductive connection is established between the sensor electronics and the first surface electrode, in particular through the conductor paths of the PCB. The second surface electrode is electrically contacted, establishing an electrically conductive connection with the sensor electronics. The contacting of the second surface electrode preferably takes place outside the area of ​​the recess, particularly preferably in an edge region of the composite disk. Since the second surface electrode is designed as an electrically conductive coating (see above), the methods for contacting the second surface electrode are familiar to those skilled in the art from the technical field of electrically conductive functional layers of composite disks, and reference can be made to them in this respect. The process includes, as further steps, joining the first and second discs in such a way that the second surface electrode and the first surface electrode are arranged opposite each other, and laminating the composite disc. The sensor electronics are connected to a functional element to be switched, either directly or indirectly. Indirect connection involves, for example, signal transmission to a control unit, which in turn only transmits a switching signal to the functional element when a threshold value is exceeded. Furthermore, the invention extends to the use of the composite pane with switching area according to the invention as an insulating glass pane with a capacitive switch, as a built-in component in furniture and appliances, in particular electronic appliances with cooling or heating function, for glazing buildings, in particular in the access or window area, or for glazing in a vehicle for transport on land, in the air or on water, in particular in motor vehicles, for example as SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WQ-PCT 14 Vehicle door or vehicle roof, in buses, trams, subways, trains for public or private local or long-distance passenger transport. The various embodiments of the invention can be implemented individually or in any combination. In particular, the features mentioned above and explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures. These show, in a simplified representation not to scale: Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the composite disk according to the invention with a switching area, Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an actuated variant of the design shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a top view of a flexible printed circuit board for use in the circuit area of ​​the composite disk. Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the composite disk 1 according to the invention in a simplified, schematic representation. The laminated glass pane with switching area 1 is designed in the form of a laminated glass pane and comprises a first pane 2 (e.g., inner pane) and a second pane 3 (e.g., outer pane), which are firmly bonded together by a thermoplastic interlayer 4. The laminated glass pane 1 can be installed in a building or motor vehicle and separates an interior space from an external environment. For example, the laminated glass pane is the windshield of a motor vehicle. The first pane 2 and the second pane 3 each consist of glass, preferably thermally tempered soda-lime glass, and are transparent to visible light. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 15 The thermoplastic intermediate layer 4 consists of a thermoplastic polymer, preferably polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and / or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The outer surface IV of the second pane 3 preferably faces the external environment and is simultaneously the outer surface of the laminated pane 1. The inner surface II of the first pane 2 and the inner surface III of the second pane 3 each face the intermediate layer 4. The inner surface III of the second pane 3 preferably faces the exterior of the building or vehicle and is simultaneously the inner surface of the laminated pane 1. It is understood that the laminated pane 1 can have any suitable geometric shape and / or curvature. As a windshield, the laminated pane 1 typically has a convex curvature. The panes typically have a thickness of 1.6 mm or 2.1 mm. A recess 5 is formed in the thermoplastic intermediate layer 4 and demarcated from the material of the intermediate layer 4 by a circumferential seal 6. The circumferential seal 6 can be made of an electrically insulating material, preferably Teflon or Butyral. It serves to seal the air-filled recess opening 5 from the thermoplastic material of the intermediate layer 4, which becomes fluid under the conditions of manufacturing by compression and / or lamination and therefore should not penetrate the recess. In the region of the recess 5, the disk 1 according to the invention comprises the following arrangement in the present embodiment: A first surface electrode 8 is arranged on the inner surface II of the first disk 2. An electrically conductive coating is applied as a second surface electrode 9 opposite the first surface electrode 8 on the inner surface III of the second disk 3.The second surface electrode 9, arranged opposite the first surface electrode 8, is designed as an electrically conductive coating. It can be transparent, opaque, or optionally colored. The second surface electrode 9 is preferably designed as a transparent, electrically conductive coating and contains at least one metal, preferably silver, nickel, chromium, niobium, tin, titanium, copper, palladium, zinc, gold, cadmium, aluminum, silicon, tungsten, or alloys thereof, and / or at least one metal oxide, preferably tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO, SnO2:F), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO, SnO2:Sb), and / or carbon nanotubes and / or optically transparent, electrically conductive polymers, preferably poly(3,4-). SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 16 ethylenedioxythiophene), polystyrene sulfonate, poly(4,4-dioctylcyclopentadithiophene), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone, mixtures and / or copolymers thereof. The second surface electrode 9, in the embodiment shown, extends to the edge region of the composite disk and is electrically connected there to the sensor electronics 7. The first surface electrode 8 is mounted on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) 10 and conductively connected to the capacitive sensor electronics 7. Preferably, the capacitive sensor electronics are mounted on an area of ​​the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) 10 that is not located within the disk 1, and an electrically conductive connection between the sensor electronics 7 and the first surface electrode 8 is established, in particular, by the conductive paths of the PCB. In other words, the flexible printed circuit board 10 serves not only as a carrier for the sensor electronics 7 but also as a signal conductor from the first surface electrode 8 to the sensor electronics 7.The arrangement of the sensor electronics 7 outside the recess 5, and particularly preferably outside the edge of the composite disk 1, is advantageous firstly because it allows the use of electronic components with a thickness that is too great for the composite disk, and secondly because of the sensitivity of the electronics to mechanical stresses and environmental influences. In a preferred embodiment of the disk 1 according to the invention, the edge region and / or the region in which the flexible circuit board 10 is guided is covered by a printed overlay (not shown) on the inner and / or outer surfaces of the disks 2 and / or 3, so that it is not visible from the outside. Further markings or symbols can be printed, affixed, or otherwise arranged on the inner and outer surfaces. The distance between the first surface electrode 8 and the second surface electrode 9 is, for example, from 0.01 mm to 10 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, and particularly preferably from 0.5 mm to 1.6 mm. In particular, the distance between the surface electrodes is determined by the thickness of the thermoplastic intermediate layer 4 used. Several intermediate layers 4 and, optionally, functional layers (not shown) can also be arranged between the disks 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows the embodiment of the composite disk 1 according to the invention from Figure 1. In the illustrated situation, a force F acts on the surface in a deforming manner. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 17 IV of the second disk 3. This changes the distance between the second surface electrode 9 and the first surface electrode 8. This change in distance also alters the capacitance between the two electrodes 8 and 9, which is detected by the capacitive sensor electronics 7. The sensor electronics 7 are connected, either directly or indirectly, to a switching functional element (not shown). Indirect connection includes, for example, signal transmission to a control unit, which in turn only transmits a switching signal to the functional element when a threshold value is exceeded. Figure 3 shows a schematic detail section as a top view of a flexible printed circuit board 10 with applied surface electrode 8, conductor paths and sensor electronics 7, as applied to the inner surface II of the first disk 2 from Figures 1 and 2. The composite disc 1 according to the invention provides a composite disc with a force-actuated touch sensor, the functionality of which is improved under various environmental conditions such as humidity, dirt, and temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, the touch sensor in the composite disc 1 is designed so that it does not register false triggers and is simultaneously sensitive enough to reliably detect actual touches. For example, it can be easily operated even with gloves, without the gloves being made of a specially conductive material, since it depends solely on the applied force and thus the change in distance between the surface electrodes, and not on the change in capacitance caused by the application of a conductive material. SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 18 Reference symbol list 1 composite disc with switching area 2 first disc 3 second disc 4 intermediate layer 5 recesses 6 Sealing 7 capacitive sensor electronics 8 first surface electrode 9 second surface electrode 10 flexible PCB I outer surface of the first disc II inner surface of the first disc III inner surface of the second disc IV outer surface of the second disc

Claims

SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 19 Patent claims 1. Composite disk (1) with circuit area comprising: a first disk (2) with an outer surface (I) and an inner surface (II) and a second disk (3) with an outer surface (IV) and an inner surface (III), which are connected to each other by at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer (4), a recess (5) in the thermoplastic intermediate layer (4) which is surrounded by a circumferential seal (6), a capacitive sensor electronics (7), wherein in the area of ​​the recess (5) the following arrangement is included: a first surface electrode (8) arranged on the inner surface (II) of the first disk (2), an electrically conductive coating as a second surface electrode (9), applied to the inner surface (III) of the second disk (3) opposite the first surface electrode (8) and electrically conductively contacted with the sensor electronics (7),wherein the first surface electrode (8) is applied to a flexible printed circuit board (10) and is conductively connected to the capacitive sensor electronics (7).

2. Composite disc (1) according to claim 1, wherein the seal (6) is electrically insulating.

3. Composite disc (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the flexible printed circuit board (10) extends beyond the recess (5) and the capacitive sensor electronics (7) are arranged on the flexible printed circuit board (10) outside the recess (5). SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 20 4. Composite disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein the second surface electrode (9) is designed as a transparent, electrically conductive coating and contains at least one metal, preferably silver, nickel, chromium, niobium, tin, titanium, copper, palladium, zinc, gold, cadmium, aluminum, silicon, tungsten or alloys thereof, and / or at least one metal oxide, preferably tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO, SnO2:F), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO, SnO2:Sb), and / or carbon nanotubes and / or optically transparent, electrically conductive polymers, preferably poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polystyrene sulfonate, poly(4,4-dioctylcyclopentadithiophene), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone, Mixtures and / or copolymers thereof.

5. Composite disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the first surface electrode (8) and the second surface electrode (9) is from 0.01 mm to 10 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, particularly preferably from 0.5 mm to 1.6 mm.

6. Composite pane (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the composite pane (1) is designed as a laminated glass pane.

7. Method for manufacturing a composite disk (1) according to claims 1 to 6 with a switching area comprising at least the following steps: Providing a first disk (2) with an outer surface (I) and an inner surface (II) and a second disk (3) with an outer surface (IV) and an inner surface (III), coating the inner surface (III) of the second disk (3) with an electrically conductive layer as a second surface electrode (9), - Applying a first surface electrode (8) to a flexible printed circuit board (10), SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE 2024140-WO-PCT 21 - Applying the flexible printed circuit board (10) to the inner surface (II) of the first disk (2), - Applying a thermoplastic intermediate layer (4) to the inner surface (II) of the first disk (2), wherein the thermoplastic intermediate layer has a recess (5) and wherein at least the area of ​​the first surface electrode (8) of the flexible printed circuit board (10) is arranged in the recess (5), Inserting a circumferential seal (6) to surround the recess (5), - Applying a capacitive sensor electronics (7) and establishing an electrically conductive connection between the sensor electronics (7) and the first surface electrode (8), Joining the first and second disks such that the second surface electrode (9) and the first surface electrode (8) are arranged opposite each other, and producing the composite disk (1) by lamination, contacting the second surface electrode (9) and establishing an electrically conductive connection with the sensor electronics (7), and connecting the sensor electronics (7) directly or indirectly to a functional element to be switched.

8. Use of the laminated glass pane with switching area according to one of claims 1 to 6 as an insulating glass pane with a capacitive switch, as a built-in component in furniture and appliances, in particular electronic appliances with cooling or heating function, for glazing buildings, in particular in the access or window area, or for glazing in a vehicle for transport on land, in the air or on water, in particular in motor vehicles, for example as a vehicle door or vehicle roof, in buses, trams, subways, trains for public or private local or long-distance passenger transport.

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