Abstract
A touch-sensitive and/or proximity-sensitive input device has an operator panel, a sensor film and a carrier plate, arranged on a side of the operator panel that is facing away from a user. The sensor film has at least one capacitive sensor area and also at least one antenna element. Provided on the carrier plate are a sensor circuit that is connected to the capacitive sensor areas and an antenna circuit that is connected to the antenna element. Such an input device can be used for example in electronic domestic appliances or commercial laundry treatment appliances.
Claims
1. A touch-sensitive and proximity-sensitive input device, comprising: an operator panel having a functional portion; a sensor film having at least one capacitive sensor area and at least one antenna; at least one electrical line; a carrier plate having a sensor circuit and disposed on a side of said operator panel that is facing away from a user, said at least one capacitive sensor area being connected to said sensor circuit by way of said at least one electrical line; at least one further electrical line; and an antenna circuit disposed on said carrier plate, said at least one antenna connected to said antenna circuit by way of said at least one further electrical line; wherein said sensor circuit and said antenna circuit are connected to one another and configured in such a way that said at least one capacitive sensor area is deactivated while said antenna is active.
2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said antenna is disposed on said sensor film alongside said at least one capacitive sensor area or around said at least one capacitive sensor area.
3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor film is disposed on said side of said operator panel that is facing away from the user and said operator panel is configured as electrically non-conducting in a region of said functional portion.
4. The input device according to claim 3, further comprising a flexible pressure element disposed on said side of said operator panel that is facing away from the user, in order to press said sensor film against said operator panel.
5. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrically non-conducting covering, wherein said sensor film is disposed on a side of said operator panel that is facing the user and is covered by said electrically non-conducting covering.
6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor film has at least one clearance formed therein in a region outside said at least one capacitive sensor area.
7. The input device according to claim 6, wherein said operator panel has at least one venting channel, which is connected to said at least one clearance in said sensor film.
8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said operator panel has in said functional portion, on a side facing said sensor film, in a region outside said at least one capacitive sensor area, at least one depression formed therein for forming a free space between said sensor film and said operator panel.
9. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said operator panel is configured as raised on a side facing said sensor film, in a region of said at least one capacitive sensor area.
10. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said carrier plate is directly in engagement with said operator panel.
11. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one light and/or at least one indicating device disposed on said carrier plate; and wherein said sensor film and said functional portion of said operator panel are configured as at least partially light-transmissive.
12. The input device according to claim 6, wherein said region is also outside an area of said antenna.
13. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said operator panel has in said functional portion, on a side facing said sensor film, in a region outside said at least one capacitive sensor area and also outside said antenna element, at least one depression formed therein for forming a free space between said sensor film and said operator panel.
14. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said operator panel is configured as raised on a side facing said sensor film, in a region of said at least one capacitive sensor area and also in a region of said antenna element.
15. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, said carrier plate is disposed in said housing that is in engagement with said operator panel.
16. A method of using a touch-sensitive and/or proximity-sensitive input device, which comprises the steps of: providing the touch-sensitive and/or proximity-sensitive input device with: an operator panel having a functional portion; a sensor film having at least one capacitive sensor area and at least one antenna; at least one electrical line; a carrier plate having a sensor circuit and disposed on a side of the operator panel that is facing away from a user, the at least one capacitive sensor area being connected to the sensor circuit by way of the at least one electrical line; at least one further electrical line; and an antenna circuit disposed on the carrier plate, the at least one antenna element being connected to the antenna circuit by way of the at least one further electrical line; wherein the sensor circuit and the antenna circuit are connected to one another and configured in such a way that the at least one capacitive sensor area is deactivated while the antenna is active; and installing the touch-sensitive and/or proximity-sensitive input device in an electronic domestic appliance or a commercial laundry treatment appliance.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one antenna surrounds the at least one capacitive sensor area on the sensor film.
18. The input device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna surrounds said at least one capacitive sensor area on said sensor film.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, exploded, perspective view of an input device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;
(2) FIGS. 2A and 2B are partial sectional views of the input device from FIG. 1;
(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sensor film for the input device according to the invention according to a first embodiment;
(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sensor film for the input device according to the invention according to a second embodiment;
(5) FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the input device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;
(6) FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the input device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention;
(7) FIG. 7 is an exploded, perspective view of the input device according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention;
(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the sensor film for the input device according to the invention according to a further embodiment; and
(9) FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the input device according to the invention with the sensor film from FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(10) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a structure of an input device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.
(11) The input device has an operator panel 10 formed from a plastics material (e.g. PC or PMMA), which is provided with a functional portion 11. On the side of the operator panel 10 that is facing a user (on the left in FIGS. 1 and 2), a sensor film 12 is arranged. As shown in FIG. 2B, the operator panel 10 is provided in the functional portion 11 with a depression 24b for receiving the sensor film 12. The sensor film 12 may be adhesively bonded to the operator panel 10 in the depression 24b.
(12) As explained later, the sensor film 12 is provided with an arrangement of multiple capacitive sensor areas 13, in order to form a touch-sensitive and/or proximity-sensitive input device with a capacitive functional principle. Furthermore, the sensor film 12 is provided with an antenna element 14, in order to make wireless data exchange possible, for example with a user's mobile phone.
(13) As shown in FIG. 1, a decorative film 15 is also optionally provided on the side of the sensor film 12 that is facing the user. The decorative film 15 is light-transmissive and contains symbols for identifying the operating buttons defined by the sensor areas 13 and back-lit information displays. Alternatively, the symbols may also be printed or coated directly onto the sensor film 12.
(14) Finally, also provided on the side facing a user is a top layer 16, which covers the sensor film 12 and—if present—also the decorative film 15. As shown in FIG. 2B, the operator panel 10 is provided in the functional portion 11 with a depression 24a for receiving the top layer 16. The depression 24b for the sensor film 12 is located within the depression for the top layer 16. The top layer 16 is formed from a plastics material (e.g. PC, PET). It is electrically non-conducting and its layer thickness is at least 2 mm, in order to form a dielectric for the capacitive sensors, and it is configured as at least partially light-transmissive.
(15) On the side of the operator panel 10 that is facing away from a user (on the right in FIGS. 1 and 2) is a carrier plate 17 in the form of a printed circuit board. The carrier plate 17 is fastened on the operator panel 10 for example by screwing or snapping into place. Provided on the carrier plate 17 are a sensor circuit 18 and an antenna circuit 19, which are respectively connected in an electrically conducting manner to the sensor areas 13 and the antenna element 14 on the sensor film 12 by connecting lines, in order to respectively activate the sensor areas 13 and the antenna element 14 and evaluate their measuring signals. The connecting lines 20 are led through an aperture 21 in the operator panel 10. The sensor circuit 18 and the antenna circuit 19 are connected to an appliance controller of the respective appliance in which the input device is installed, which may likewise be arranged on the carrier plate 17 or separately from it.
(16) As shown in FIG. 2A, the operator panel 10 has multiple depressions 22 in its functional portion 11 on its side facing a user. The depressions 22 are located outside the sensor areas 13 and the antenna element 14 and make it possible for air between the operator panel 10 and the sensor film 12 to escape while the latter is being mounted, so that air inclusions can be avoided.
(17) As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, multiple lighting devices 23 in the form of LEDs are mounted on the carrier plate 17. The functional portion 11 of the operator panel 10 is accordingly provided with multiple apertures/light channels 30, in order to be light-transmissive. FIG. 2A illustrates in this context LEDs 23 for a 7-segment display, while FIG. 2B shows LEDs 23 for identifying the operating buttons defined by the sensor areas 13.
(18) With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, two embodiments of the sensor film for an input device of the invention are now described in more detail. The sensor films from FIGS. 3 and 4 may be used for example in the input devices according to FIGS. 1-2, 5, 6 and 7.
(19) FIGS. 3 and 4 show in each case the sensor film 12 with an arrangement of eight capacitive sensor areas 13, the electrode areas of which are connected by way of electrical lines 20a to the sensor circuit 18 on the carrier plate 17, and also an antenna element 14, the line structure of which is connected by way of further electrical lines 20b to the antenna circuit 19 on the carrier plate 17. The electrically conducting elements of the sensor areas 13 and of the antenna element 14 are separated from one another and consequently electrically insulated from one another. The frequencies and spacings are chosen such that no mutual disturbance occurs. Optionally, the sensor circuit 18 and the antenna circuit 19 may also be connected to one another and configured such that the capacitive sensor areas 13 are switched off while the antenna element 14 is active.
(20) In the variant of the embodiment from FIG. 3, the antenna element 14 is positioned alongside the arrangement of the sensor areas 13. In the variant of the embodiment from FIG. 4, the antenna element 14 runs around the arrangement of sensor areas 13. In the case of FIG. 4, the electrical lines 20b for connecting the sensor areas 13 preferably run substantially perpendicularly to the electrically conducting structure of the antenna element 14, in order to minimize disturbing effects.
(21) The sensor areas 13 and the antenna element 14 may be provided either on the same side of a carrier film or on different sides of a carrier film.
(22) With reference to FIG. 5, the structure of an input device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention is now described in more detail. In this case, the same or corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the first exemplary embodiment.
(23) The input device from FIG. 5 differs from the first exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular in that the sensor film 12 is arranged on the side of the operator panel 10 that is facing away from a user.
(24) Although it is not shown in the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5, a decorative film 15 may also be optionally provided; in the embodiment from FIG. 5, for example, between the sensor film 12 and the operator panel 10 or between the top film 16 and the operator panel 10.
(25) As illustrated in FIG. 5, a housing 25 for receiving the carrier plate 17 with the sensor circuit 18 and the antenna circuit 19 may also be provided. In this case, the housing 25 is fastened on the operator panel 10, for example by means of screwing or snapping into place. The sensor film 12 is fastened on the operator panel 10 by means of adhesive bonding.
(26) Otherwise, the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5 corresponds to the first exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 1 and 2 with its possible variants.
(27) With reference to FIG. 6, the structure of an input device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention is now described in more detail. In this case, the same or corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the previous exemplary embodiments.
(28) The input device from FIG. 6 differs from the second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5 in that arranged between the housing 25 for the carrier plate 17 and the sensor film 12 there is a flexible pressure element 26, which is supported against the housing 25 and presses the sensor film 12 against the operator panel 10. The flexible pressure element 26 is for example a sheet of foam, for example of EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber). The pressure element has for example a layer thickness of approximately 2 mm. When such a pressure element 26 is used, it is possible to dispense with adhesive bonding of the sensor film 12 to the operator panel 10.
(29) Otherwise, the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 6 corresponds to the second exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5 with its possible variants.
(30) With reference to FIG. 7, the structure of an input device according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention is now described in more detail. In this case, the same or corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the previous exemplary embodiments.
(31) In the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 7, at least one diffusion element 27 is additionally provided in the functional portion 11 of the operator panel 10, in order to diffuse the light directed through apertures in the operator panel.
(32) This embodiment can be combined with all of the previous exemplary embodiments. That is to say that the carrier plate 17 may be fastened on the operator panel 10 or be accommodated in a housing 25 fastened on the operator panel 10, and the sensor film 12 may be fastened on the operator panel 10 by adhesive bonding or be pressed against the operator panel 10 by a flexible pressure element 26.
(33) With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a further embodiment of a sensor film and its integration in an input device of the invention are described in more detail. In this case, the same or corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the previous exemplary embodiments.
(34) The sensor film 12 from FIG. 8 is provided with an arrangement of sixteen capacitive sensor areas 13, the electrode areas of which are connected by way of electrical lines 20a to the sensor circuit 18 on the carrier plate 17, and also an antenna element 14, the line structure of which is connected by way of further electrical lines 20b to the antenna circuit 19 on the carrier plate 17. In the embodiment from FIG. 8, the antenna element 14 is positioned alongside the arrangement of sensor areas 13. Alternatively, the antenna element 14 may also run around the arrangement of sensor areas 13.
(35) The exemplary embodiment of the sensor film 12 from FIG. 8 differs from the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4 by having multiple clearances 28. The clearances 28 are respectively positioned alongside the sensor areas 13 in the portion of the arrangement of sensor areas 13. As illustrated in FIG. 9, these clearances 28 may be connected to venting channels 29, in order to allow air between the sensor film 12 and the operator panel 10 to escape and therefore air inclusions to be prevented. The venting channels 29 may for example be a component part of the operator panel 10 or be mounted as separate elements on the carrier plate 17. Furthermore, the clearances 28 may serve for allowing light to pass through.
(36) The sensor film 12 from FIG. 8 can likewise be used in all of the exemplary embodiments of the input device of the invention described above.
(37) As shown in FIG. 9, the operator panel 10 may also have light channels 30, in order to direct light from lighting means 23 on the carrier plate 17 through the operator panel 10. The sensor film 12 is likewise provided with clearances at the locations of the light channels 30. At the end of the light channels 30, for example, a diffusion element 27 may then be mounted on the operator panel 10, as illustrated in FIG. 7. This variant of the embodiment is advantageous in particular when using operator panels of a non-light-transmissive material.
