Patent Description:
Electronic buttons of a vehicle electronic device are usually provided with force sensitive resistors to prevent accidental touches and actions. The force sensitive resistor is a special component that can convert mechanical force into electrical signal, which is made of semiconductor materials with pressure resistance effect. That is, a resistance value of the force sensitive resistor changes with magnitude of the applied force. The force sensitive resistor is mainly used in various pressure sensors, and may also be used in structural designs with the electronic buttons, such as product packaging or food packaging, device housings, wearable electronic devices, personal electronic devices, displays, detectors or sensors, vehicle interiors, antennas, tags, vehicle electronic devices, furniture, and the like. However, for a conventional pressure sensor provided with the force sensitive resistor inside, lines of the force sensitive resistor are full of a pressure sensing area of the pressure sensor, resulting in that the pressure sensor is unable to have both pressure sensing and display functions. <CIT> refers to a control panel, the control panel has an enclosure mounted on a support and provided with a detection zone detecting a tactile support forming a control knob. An effort sensor is arranged between the enclosure and the support so as to detect actuation of the knob to produce electric control signal when a user exerts tactile support force. A resistive coating is arranged between two substrates so as to define a pressure sensitive zone that defines a light passage zone, where the passage zone is not provided with conductive strips. The sensor is associated with a spacer plate. The spacer plate is made of silicone. <CIT> relates to an operator control for e.g. an electric household appliance. Said control comprises a cover, which is extremely thin and flexible in one region. A sensor element is situated underneath the cover, said element consisting of a special plastic material, which is compressed when pressure is exerted on the thin region, alters its volume and emits an electric signal during said volume alteration. Preferably, the material is an electrically charged polymer foam containing PTFE. The electric signal is evaluated as the operating pressure. <CIT> refers to a cover glass pressure button (CGPB) for an electronic device that has an image display module which is protected by a cover glass. When the cover glass is pressed, the CGPB senses the pressure to output a corresponding physical parameter to a control circuit for triggering a function of the image display module. <CIT> refers to an input device for a motor vehicle with an input surface for detecting an input from an input means with a force sensor comprising a support element for supporting the input surface and an illumination device for illuminating an illumination area of the input surface, wherein the force sensor is arranged between the input surface and the support element, the support element being essentially rigidly connected to the base surface. <CIT> refers to a mount structure of a touch input device which includes a touch input device having at least a touch panel, and a pressure sensitive sensor attached to a lower surface thereof, and a casing dented to allow the device to be externally fitted in, and having a concave part or an opening part for a display device, and a frame-shaped support part to support a back surface peripheral part of the touch input device, in its bottom surface, the pressure sensitive sensor includes a pressure concentration member laminated and arranged in a dot shape so as to support the pressure sensitive ink member on a back surface, and a frame-shaped gasket is attached between the pressure sensitive sensor and the support part of the casing, in which the gasket does not overlap with the pressure concentration member.

Dependent claims refer to preferred embodiments.

According to various embodiments, a pressure sensing display module and a panel are provided.

A pressure sensing display module has a display area and a wiring area surrounding a periphery of the display area. The pressure sensing display module includes a force sensitive unit provided in the wiring area; and a display unit provided corresponding to the display area. Information generated by the display unit is displayed on the display area.

A panel includes one or more buttons. The button includes the pressure sensing display module as described above. When the pressure sensing display module senses that the force sensitive unit is pressed, the button is selectively activated.

According to the above-mentioned pressure sensing display module and panel, the force sensitive unit is provided in the wiring area, the display unit is provided corresponding to the display area, and the display information generated by the display unit can be displayed on the display area, such that the force sensitive unit does not affect the display of the display unit. Therefore, the pressure sensing display module and the panel as described above can have both a pressure sensing function and a display function.

Details of one or more embodiments of the present application are set forth in the attached drawings and description. Other features, purposes and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

To illustrate the technical solutions according to the embodiments of the present disclosure or prior art more clearly, the accompanying drawings for describing the embodiments or the prior art are introduced briefly in the following. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and persons of ordinary skill in the art can derive other drawings from the accompanying drawings without creative efforts.

In order to make the above objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated in detail below in conjunctions with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth in order to assist readers in fully understanding of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many other ways than described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that orientation or positional relationships indicated by terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial" ,"radial", "circumferential", etc. are based on orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, which are merely to facilitate the description of the present disclosure and simplify the description, not to indicate or imply that the device or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as a limitation on the present disclosure.

In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for description only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features described. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may include at least one of the features explicitly or implicitly. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless explicitly defined otherwise.

In the present disclosure, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or an integration, may be a mechanical connection or electrical connection, may be a direct connection, or may be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, may be the connection between two elements or the interaction relationships between two elements, unless explicitly defined otherwise. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood by one of those ordinary skills in the art according to specific circumstances.

In the present disclosure, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the first feature being "on" or "below" the second feature may be that the first and second features are in a direct contact, or the first and second features are in an indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "over", "above" and "on" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher than the second feature in a horizontal direction. The first feature being "beneath", "under", and "below" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower than the second feature in a horizontal direction.

It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed" or "provided on" another element, it may be directly on another element or there may also be an intermediate element therebetween. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to another element or there may be an intermediate element therebetween. As used herein, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", and similar expressions are for illustration only and are not meant to be the only embodiments.

As previously mentioned, the wires of the force sensitive resistor of the conventional pressure sensor are full of the pressure sensing area of the pressure sensor, resulting in that the pressure sensor is unable to have both of the pressure sensing and display functions.

In order to address the above problem, a pressure sensing display module of an embodiment is provided. As shown in <FIG>, the pressure sensing display module has a wiring area <NUM> and a display area <NUM> viewed from the front. The display area <NUM> is located in a middle portion of the pressure sensing display module and has a round shape, and the wiring area <NUM> surrounds a periphery of the display area <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the pressure sensing display module includes a force sensitive unit <NUM> and a display unit <NUM>. The force sensitive unit <NUM> is ring-shaped and arranged in the wiring area <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> is provided corresponding to the display area <NUM>. Information generated by the display unit <NUM> can be displayed on the display area <NUM>, such that a user can observe the information generated by the display unit <NUM> through the display area <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the force sensitive unit <NUM> is a force sensitive resistor.

As shown in <FIG>, the pressure sensing display module further includes a first substrate <NUM> and a second substrate <NUM>. The force sensitive unit <NUM> is located between the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. Both of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are transparent substrates. A side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> can serve as an operating surface, which can be operated and pressed by the user. The display unit <NUM> is located below the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. Light emitted by the display unit <NUM> can go through the second substrate <NUM> and the first substrate <NUM> sequentially, and is then observed by the user.

In an embodiment, the force sensitive unit <NUM> is electrically connected to the display unit <NUM>. When the force sensitive unit <NUM> senses that it is pressed, the display unit <NUM> is activated to display information. The information generated by the display unit <NUM> is determined by the specific type of the display unit <NUM>. In some embodiments, the display unit <NUM> is an LED lamp, a backlight module, a TFT or any other modules with display function.

In addition, a decorative layer <NUM> is interposed inside the first substrate <NUM>. A portion of the decorative layer <NUM> corresponding to the display unit <NUM> is provided with a decoration pattern <NUM>. The decorative pattern <NUM> may be used to indicate a pressed position or function of the pressure sensing display module. For example, in an embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the decorative pattern <NUM> may be a circle for indicating the pressed position. As shown in <FIG>, the decorative pattern <NUM> may be a phone logo. When the pressure sensing display module is pressed, the display unit <NUM> is activated and emits light. The light emitted by the display unit <NUM> goes through the second substrate <NUM> and the first substrate <NUM> sequentially to illuminate the phone logo, indicating that a button related to the phone logo has been activated, and a connection with another communication device has been established, thus prompting that the user can proceed with the next operation. In another embodiment, a picture or an animation can be displayed by the display unit <NUM> according to various programs. In another embodiment, when the pressure sensing display module is pressed for the first time or pressed again, a pressing signal can be transmitted to a main controller (not shown). The main controller will activate the display unit <NUM> or switch information displayed on the display unit <NUM> according to the pressing signal.

In an embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the pressure sensing display module further includes a spacer layer <NUM>, which is hollow in a middle portion thereof. The spacer layer <NUM> is located between the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. A hollow area <NUM> of the spacer layer <NUM> corresponds to the display area <NUM> of the pressure sensing display module. The force sensitive unit <NUM> is located on a side of the second substrate <NUM> adjacent to the first substrate <NUM>. A thickness H3 of the spacer layer <NUM> is greater than a thickness H1 of the force sensitive unit <NUM>. The first substrate <NUM> is further provided with an ink shielding layer <NUM> on a side thereof adjacent to the second substrate <NUM>. A shape, size, and position of the ink shielding layer <NUM> correspond to those of the force sensitive unit <NUM> and are used to shield the force sensitive unit <NUM>. In an embodiment, the force sensitive unit <NUM> is adjacent to the display area <NUM>. A width of the force sensitive unit <NUM> may be less than or equal to a width of the ink shielding layer <NUM>, such that the ink shielding layer <NUM> can well shield the force sensitive unit <NUM>.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, a sum (H1+H2) of the thickness H1 of the force sensitive unit <NUM> and a thickness H2 of the ink shielding layer <NUM> is less than the thickness H3 of the spacer layer <NUM>. A gap <NUM> is formed between the force sensitive unit <NUM> and the ink shielding layer <NUM>. Due to the existence of the gap <NUM>, the pressure sensing display module have a pressure threshold. Only when the pressing force is greater than the pressure threshold, the first substrate <NUM> can be deformed to eliminate the gap <NUM> between the ink shielding layer <NUM> and the force sensitive unit <NUM>, such that the pressing force is transmitted to the force sensitive unit <NUM>, thereby effectively preventing the user from misoperation. In addition, the gap <NUM> further provides a space for the first substrate <NUM> to be bent and deformed downward when the pressing force is applied to the first substrate <NUM>.

In an embodiment, in order to well transmit the pressing force acting on the first substrate <NUM> to the force sensitive unit <NUM>, the first substrate <NUM> is made of a flexible material, such as Polyimide. In an embodiment, the second substrate <NUM> is made of a rigid material to protect the display unit <NUM> from being pressed, thereby ensuring the stability of the connection between the display unit <NUM> and other electronic components. Moreover, the types of the display unit <NUM> can be various, and any display unit <NUM> with display function can be used in the above-mentioned pressure sensing display module.

In another embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the decorative layer <NUM> is located on a surface of the first substrate <NUM> adjacent to the second substrate <NUM>. The ink shielding layer <NUM> is located on a side of the decorative layer <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM>.

In another embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the force sensitive unit <NUM> includes a first resistor <NUM> and a second resistor <NUM>. The first resistor <NUM> is substantially ring-shaped and surrounds the display area <NUM>. The second resistor <NUM> is substantially ring-shaped and arranged on an outer side of the first resistor <NUM> away from the display area <NUM>. The ink shielding layer <NUM> includes a first ink layer <NUM> and a second ink layer <NUM>. A shape, size, and position of the first ink layer <NUM> correspond to those of the first resistor <NUM>, and the first ink layer <NUM> is used to shield the first resistor <NUM>. A shape, size, and position of the second ink layer <NUM> correspond to those of the second resistor <NUM>, and the second ink layer <NUM> is used to shield the second resistor <NUM>. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the decorative layer <NUM> is sandwiched in the first substrate <NUM>. The first ink layer <NUM> and the second ink layer <NUM> are both provided on a side of the first substrate <NUM> adjacent to the second substrate <NUM>. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the decorative layer <NUM> is provided on a surface of the first substrate <NUM> adjacent to the second substrate <NUM>. The first ink layer <NUM> and the second ink layer <NUM> are both provided on a side of the decorative layer <NUM> adjacent to the second substrate <NUM>.

It should be noted that the number of force sensitive units <NUM> is not limited. In other embodiments, two or more force sensitive units <NUM> may be provided. In addition, the shape of the force sensitive unit <NUM> is not limited. In the embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the force sensitive unit <NUM> is in the shape of a circular ring. It is understood that in other embodiments, the force sensitive unit <NUM> can also be other ring structures such as square ring and elliptical ring.

As shown in <FIG>, in an embodiment, a panel <NUM> is provided, which includes one or more buttons <NUM>. The button <NUM> includes the pressure sensing display module as described above. When the pressure sensing display module senses that the force sensitive unit <NUM> is pressed, the button <NUM> is selectively activated.

In an embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, when the pressure sensing display module is not pressed, the resistance change rate ΔR1/R1 of the first resistor <NUM> and the resistance change rate ΔR2/R2 of the second resistor <NUM> are both equal to zero, where R1 is a resistance of the first resistor when the pressure sensing display module is not pressed, ΔR1 is a change in the resistance of the first resistor after the pressure sensing display module is pressed, R2 is a resistance of the second resistor when the pressure sensing display module is not pressed, and ΔR2 is a change in the resistance of the second resistor after the pressure sensing display module is pressed. As shown in <FIG>, when the pressure sensing display module is normally pressed, that is, when the display area <NUM> is pressed, since the first resistor <NUM> is closer to the pressed area (i.e., the display area <NUM>) than the second resistor <NUM>, the pressing force applied to the first resistor <NUM> is greater than the pressing force applied to the second resistor <NUM>. In this case, the resistance change rate ΔR1/R1 of the first resistor <NUM> will be greater than the resistance change rate ΔR2/R2 of the second resistor <NUM>. In addition, in order to prevent the user from misoperation, a critical threshold value K is predetermined. Only when the resistance change rate ΔR1/R1 of the first resistor <NUM> is greater than the resistance change rate ΔR2/R2 of the second resistor <NUM>, and when the resistance change rate ΔR1/R1 of the first resistor <NUM> is greater than the critical threshold value K, the button <NUM> will be activated.

As shown in <FIG>, four buttons <NUM> are provided on the panel <NUM>. Each button <NUM> includes a pressure sensing display module. Each pressure sensing display module is provided with the first resistor <NUM> and the second resistor <NUM>. The wiring area <NUM> and the display area <NUM> of each pressure sensing display module are located in a non-edge area of the panel <NUM>. When the pressure sensing display module is pressed abnormally, that is, areas other than the wiring area <NUM> and the display area <NUM> is pressed, the pressing force applied to the first resistor <NUM> is less than the pressing force applied to the second resistor <NUM>, and the resistance change rate ΔR1/R1 of the first resistor <NUM> is less than the resistance change rate ΔR2/R2 of the second resistor <NUM>. In this case, the buttons <NUM> are turned off or deactivated. It should be understood that in other embodiments, two or more force sensitive units <NUM> may be provided. By providing two or more force sensitive units <NUM> in the wiring area <NUM> of the pressure sensing display module, the pressure sensing display module and the panel can determine a position where it is being pressed independently, and misoperations can be more effectively prevented. The misoperation mentioned herein refers to not only slight pressing with a small pressing force, but also abnormal pressing outside the wiring area <NUM> and the display area <NUM>.

In addition, in the embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the display unit <NUM> is located below the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. The information generated by the display unit <NUM> can be displayed on the display area <NUM> in such a way that the light emitted by the display unit <NUM> goes through the second substrate <NUM> and the first substrate <NUM> sequentially. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the display unit <NUM> may also be provided at other positions. For example, in an embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, a mounting hole <NUM> may be provided on the second substrate <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> is embedded in the mounting hole <NUM>, such that the light emitted by the display unit <NUM> can go through the first substrate <NUM>. In another embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the display unit <NUM> can also be directly located on a surface of the second substrate <NUM> adjacent to the first substrate <NUM>. That is, the display unit <NUM> and the force sensitive unit <NUM> are provided on the same layer. The light emitted by the display unit <NUM> can go through the first substrate <NUM>. In the embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the display unit <NUM> is embedded in the second substrate <NUM> or directly located on the surface of the second substrate <NUM> adjacent to the first substrate <NUM>, such that the overall thickness of the pressure sensitive display module can be reduced.

Claim 1:
A pressure sensing display module, having a display area (<NUM>) and a wiring area (<NUM>) surrounding a periphery of the display area (<NUM>), the pressure sensing display module comprising:
a force sensitive unit (<NUM>) provided in the wiring area (<NUM>), wherein the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) is a force sensitive resistor;
a display unit (<NUM>) provided corresponding to the display area (<NUM>), wherein information generated by the display unit (<NUM>) is displayed on the display area (<NUM>);
a first substrate (<NUM>) and a second substrate (<NUM>), wherein the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) is located between the first substrate (<NUM>) and the second substrate (<NUM>), light emitted by the display unit (<NUM>) goes through the second substrate (<NUM>) and the first substrate (<NUM>) sequentially;
a spacer layer (<NUM>) located between the first substrate (<NUM>) and the second substrate (<NUM>), wherein the spacer layer (<NUM>) comprises a hollow area (<NUM>) corresponding to the display area (<NUM>), the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) is located on a side of the second substrate (<NUM>) adjacent to the first substrate (<NUM>), and a thickness of the spacer layer (<NUM>) is greater than a thickness of the force sensitive unit (<NUM>);
wherein the first substrate (<NUM>) is provided with an ink shielding layer (<NUM>) on a side thereof adjacent to the second substrate (<NUM>), the ink shielding layer (<NUM>) corresponds to the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) and is configured to shield the force sensitive unit (<NUM>);
wherein a sum of the thickness of the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) and a thickness of the ink shielding layer (<NUM>) is less than the thickness of the spacer layer (<NUM>), and a gap (<NUM>) is formed between the force sensitive unit (<NUM>) and the ink shielding layer (<NUM>).