Touchscreen Button Assembly Without Glass Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing button devices for touchscreens require cutting or forming mounting holes in the protective glass, leading to increased installation costs and time, as well as potential damage and contamination risks.

Innovation Solution

A button device that attaches to a touchscreen without cutting or forming holes, featuring a base fixed to the touchscreen, a push button with conductive layers, and a through-base conductor for electrical connection, allowing for intuitive input while maintaining the touchscreen's integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If protective glass is cut or a mounting hole is formed to install the button device, then the button device can be installed on the touchscreen, but installation costs and time increase, and liquid or foreign matter may enter the device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation processVSAvoiddevice sealing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A conductive adhesive tape is introduced as an intermediary component between the touchscreen and the button device. This adhesive tape serves dual purposes: it provides electrical connection through its conductive properties and seals the interface to prevent liquid or foreign matter entry, eliminating the need for cutting or drilling holes in the protective glass

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The conductive adhesive tape performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an electrical conductor to transmit touch signals, as an adhesive to bond components, and as a seal to prevent contamination. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by achieving reliable installation without compromising device sealing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a wire is used to energizably connect the button device and touchscreen through a mounting hole, then electrical connection is achieved, but the touchscreen structure is compromised and installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidinstallation structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wire and mounting hole structure are extracted/removed from the design. Instead of using a physical wire passing through a hole, the electrical connection is achieved through the conductive adhesive tape that bonds the button device directly to the touchscreen surface, simplifying the overall structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical wire connection system is replaced with a conductive adhesive bonding system. The electrical connection is achieved through the conductive properties of the adhesive tape rather than through a physical wire, reducing structural complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If the touchscreen is repeatedly pressed at a specific portion, then input instructions can be entered, but the touchscreen may be easily damaged or malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput capabilityVSAvoidtouchscreen durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The button device is designed with a push button portion that can be pressed and a base portion that distributes the pressing force to a larger area of the touchscreen. This segmentation allows input operation while distributing stress to prevent touchscreen damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base portion of the button device acts as a cushioning element that distributes the concentrated force from finger pressing over a larger area of the touchscreen. This beforehand cushioning prevents excessive stress concentration that could damage the touchscreen

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 reduces installation costs and time, prevents liquid or foreign matter from entering the device, and ensures reliable input detection even with non-conductive materials, enhancing user experience and device reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a push button having an upper surface conductive layer laminated on at least an upper surface of a central portion of an upper surface of the push button, a lower surface conductive layer laminated on at least a lower surface of the flange portion of a lower surface of the push button, and a connecting conductive layer configured to energizably connect the upper surface conductive layer and the lower surface conductive layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250037947A1Button device attachable to touch screen

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 KORTEK CORP

AI summary

A button device that is attachable to a touchscreen is provided, the button device including: a base adhered and fixed to a surface of a touchscreen is push button disposed to overlap with the base and be able to move upward and downward relative to the base and having a central portion and a flange portion stepped from an outer boundary of the central portion and expanding outward; a bezel placed on the push button to expose the central portion and cover the flange portion and detachably coupled to the base; and a through-base conductor having an upper side passing through the base in an up-down direction and a lower side coming in contact with the surface of the touchscreen.