Slit Touch Electrode Layout for Faster Capacitive Release Response
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Capacitance touch switches with elongated electrodes experience slow response and discomfort when transitioning from a touched to a non-touched state, leading to a mismatch between operator intent and actual touch detection.
Innovation Solution
A capacitance touch switch design featuring a flat touch electrode with slits angled in specific directions, dividing it into multiple connected touch regions, including guard electrodes, which enhances the transition responsiveness and simplifies wiring connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the touch electrode is made elongated in the longitudinal direction to fit the controller shape, then the adaptability to controller shape is improved, but the response speed in transition from touched to non-touched state deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The touch electrode is divided into multiple touch regions by introducing slits that extend in a direction angled at 45 degrees to the longitudinal direction. This segmentation creates smaller effective detection areas within the elongated electrode, which improves the response speed when transitioning from touched to non-touched state while maintaining the overall elongated shape for controller fit.
2Ease of manufacture
If the touch electrode has a rectangular shape, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the responsiveness when finger moves away deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rectangular touch electrode is segmented into multiple touch regions by slits extending at 45 degrees to the longitudinal direction. This segmentation maintains the ease of manufacturing a rectangular overall shape while improving responsiveness by creating smaller effective detection areas that respond more quickly when a finger moves away.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits are introduced at a specific angle (45 degrees) to the longitudinal direction, creating an asymmetric pattern within the symmetric rectangular electrode. This asymmetric slit arrangement optimizes the electric field distribution to improve responsiveness while maintaining the simple rectangular external shape for easy manufacturing.
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 accelerates the response from a touched to a non-touched state, reducing operator discomfort and simplifying design and wiring burdens by creating touch regions with shapes close to squares, improving responsiveness and maintaining efficient capacitance detection.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitance touch switch includes a touch electrode, a touch detection circuit and a guard electrode. The touch electrode is flat and has a first length along a first direction and a second length along a second direction. The first length is longer than the second length, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The touch detection circuit is configured to determine whether a touch operation to the touch electrode is performed based on a change in capacitance of the touch electrode.
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitance touch switch includes a touch electrode being flat and having a length longer in a first direction than a length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a touch detection circuit which determines whether a touch operation is performed to the touch electrode based on a change in capacitance of the touch electrode, and a guard electrode insulated from the touch electrode. The touch electrode includes at least one slit extending in a direction which is angled at a larger angle with respect to the first direction than an angle from the second direction. The touch electrode is partially separated by the at least one slit into a plurality of touch regions while the plurality of touch regions being connected to each other. The guard electrode is disposed within the slit.