Backlit User Interface Film for Curved Capacitive Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user interfaces for devices rely on costly substrates like PCBs and FPCs, which hinder effective backlighting and cannot accommodate curved surfaces, leading to suboptimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
A backlit user interface comprising a lens, a transparent circuit film in a fold-over configuration, light emitting diodes, silver conductors, and a layer of transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive, allowing for efficient backlighting and capacitive touch sensing on curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If PCBs or FPCs are used as substrates, then structural support is provided, but light cannot transfer from one side to the other and curved surfaces cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid PCBs and FPCs with a flexible thin film substrate that allows light transmission and can be formed into curved surfaces. The thin film substrate serves as the base layer upon which transparent conductive layers are deposited, enabling both backlighting functionality and adaptability to curved geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of multiple layers including thin film substrate, transparent conductive layers, and encapsulation layers. This composite material approach combines the advantages of flexibility, light transmission, and structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between maintaining structural support and enabling light transfer and curvature.
2Illumination intensity
If molded light pipes and light guides are used with PCBs and FPCs, then light distribution is achieved, but the complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for separate molded light pipes and light guides by integrating light distribution functionality directly into the thin film substrate structure. The transparent conductive layers and thin film itself serve dual purposes as both structural elements and light guiding elements, simplifying the overall device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of substrate support, light guidance, and electrical conduction into a single integrated thin film structure. The transparent conductive layers are deposited directly on the thin film substrate, combining structural and optical functions that were previously separated into distinct components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible light guide films are used, then curved surfaces can be accommodated, but the quality of backlighting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure where the thin film substrate provides flexibility for curved surfaces, while deposited transparent conductive layers and encapsulation layers ensure high-quality light transmission and distribution. This multi-layer composite approach maintains backlighting quality while enabling curvature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs high-quality flexible thin films with optimized optical properties that maintain excellent light transmission and distribution even when formed into curved surfaces. The thin film technology enables curvature without compromising backlighting quality through careful material selection and deposition processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved backlighting and capacitive touch functionality on curved surfaces, enhancing user interface quality without the need for expensive substrates, thus offering a cost-effective and user-friendly solution.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light emitting diode (LED)
Implementation Method 2
a layer of transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive that secures the bottom surface of the lens to the top surface of the transparent circuit film
Implementation Method 3
capacitive touch sensing technology
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An user interface device includes a lens with a top surface and a bottom surface, where the bottom surface includes at least one graphic that is visible through the top surface of the lens. The user interface device further includes a transparent circuit film with a top surface and a bottom surface, at least one light emitting diode (LED), at least one silver conductor, and a layer of transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive that secures the bottom surface of the lens to the top surface of the transparent circuit film.