Stone Panel Capacitive Touch Layout With Printed Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensing technologies are not effectively integrated into natural stone structures, lacking direct application and suitable configurations for aesthetic and functional integration with stone facades.
Innovation Solution
A natural stone panel with integrated capacitive touch sensing capabilities, featuring printed conductive inks on its back, including a sensing electrode and shielding layer, is developed, utilizing a polymeric layer for insulation and uniformity, and connected to a control circuit for detecting touch events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If touch sensing components are attached to a separate substrate (PCB, polymeric film, or glass panel), then the touch sensor is protected from environmental conditions, but the device complexity and number of layers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch sensing components directly onto the stone tile substrate, eliminating the need for separate PCB, polymeric film, or glass panel substrates. The conductive ink electrodes are printed directly on the stone surface, and the decorative layer serves simultaneously as both aesthetic covering and protective barrier for the sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The decorative layer is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides aesthetic appearance, protects the underlying touch sensing components from environmental conditions, and maintains capacitive coupling for touch detection. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated protective substrates.
2Shape
If a decorative layer is used as a separate substrate for touch sensors, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the overall structure becomes more complex and requires additional attachment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the decorative layer directly with the stone tile substrate, with touch sensing components printed between the decorative layer and the stone. This integration eliminates separate attachment steps and reduces structural complexity while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch sensing components are nested within the structure formed by the stone tile and decorative layer, with the sensing electrodes positioned in the space between these two layers. This nested arrangement protects the sensing components while maintaining a compact, integrated structure.
3Device complexity
If touch sensors are integrated directly into stone structures, then device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and suitability for stone facades may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surface parameters of the stone tile by applying a polymeric layer that creates a uniform, non-porous printing surface. This surface preparation enables precise printing of conductive ink patterns directly on the stone, overcoming the challenges of working with natural stone surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining stone tile, polymeric layer, conductive ink, and decorative layer. The polymeric layer acts as an intermediate material that provides a suitable substrate for printing while maintaining compatibility with the stone structure, enabling precise 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
Enables efficient touch detection on stone surfaces while protecting the electrical components from environmental conditions and maintaining aesthetic appeal, allowing activation of associated systems.
Implementation Method 1
capable of detecting alterations in the electrical field between two electrodes when a foreign body, in particular, a finger, is introduced making use of the Joule Effect
Implementation Method 2
The sensing arrangement is composed of at least one sensor supporting surface, a proximity and/or touching sensor connected to said supporting surface... with alterations of the internal capacitance indicating that an object, for example, a human finger, is located in the vicinity of the electrode
Data Source
AI summary
Natural stone panel with an integrated touch capacitive sensing system for placing as a touch detection facade, in direct contact with a wall, is disclosed. An embodiment includes: a natural stone tile; a printed sensing on said tile having a plurality of conductive tracks; a printed shielding on said tile having a plurality of conductive tracks; an insulating layer between the printed sensing layer and the wall; wherein the sensing tracks have been printed using a first ink, and the shielding tracks have been printed using a second ink, wherein electrical conductivity of the first ink is lower or equal than electrical conductivity of the second ink; wherein the printed sensing layer has two conductive zones, one square shaped, with an open interior, for detecting the touch events, and one rectangular shaped, to connect the control and power printed circuit board to the printed sensor.