Flexible Touch Pad Substrate for Reliable Thermal Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensor devices face limitations in flexibility, cost, and reliability, particularly due to the use of large and inflexible circuit boards and high-cost materials, making them unsuitable for small or irregular spaces and cost-prohibitive for various applications.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor device utilizing a flexible circuit substrate with a high-temperature-resistant touch sensor controller affixed via thermal bonding techniques, paired with a low-temperature-resistant sensor component, offering a cost-effective and reliable solution that can be mounted on flat or curved substrates and connected using capacitive or ohmic methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible circuit substrate is used instead of a rigid circuit board, then the adaptability to limited spaces is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible circuit substrate that can be bent and conform to irregular surfaces, replacing traditional rigid circuit boards. This flexible substrate enables the touch sensor device to adapt to limited and varied spaces while maintaining electrical connectivity through flexible conductive traces.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch sensor device is divided into separate functional components including the flexible circuit substrate, sensor elements, and controller, allowing each to be optimized independently and assembled in space-constrained environments.
2Reliability
If high-cost materials are used for substrates, then the reliability is improved, but the device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the touch sensor device use different materials optimized for their specific functions. High-performance materials are used only where critical for reliability, while cost-effective materials are used in non-critical areas, balancing overall device cost and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite material structures combining flexible substrates with conductive layers and protective coatings, achieving reliable electrical performance and mechanical durability while controlling material costs through strategic material selection and layer optimization.
3Reliability
If thermal bonding techniques are used to affix the controller, then the reliability is improved, but the temperature resistance requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible circuit substrate is pre-designed with thermal management considerations, including heat dissipation pathways and temperature-resistant material selection in critical areas, enabling reliable thermal bonding of the controller without compromising the substrate.
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 flexible touch sensor device provides enhanced flexibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, enabling its use in diverse applications while maintaining dimensional stability and reducing material costs.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of thermal bonding
Implementation Method 2
in some capacitive touch sensors capacitive coupling can be used to provide connection between the flexible circuit substrate and the sensor component
Implementation Method 3
ohmic connections can be provided through the use of solder, conductive adhesive, anisotropic conductive film, ultrasonic welding
Implementation Method 4
ohmic connections can be provided through the use of solder, conductive adhesive, anisotropic conductive film, ultrasonic welding
Data Source
AI summary
A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost.