Patent ID: 7208691

Claim:
A touch screen comprising: a) a substrate; b) a first conductive layer located on the substrate; c) a flexible sheet comprising a substantially planar surface and integral compressible spacer dots formed thereon, each integral compressible spacer dot having a base closest to the substantially planar surface and a peak furthest from the substantially planar surface; and d) a second conductive layer located on the substantially planar surface of the flexible sheet, the peaks of the integral compressible spacer dots extending beyond the second conductive layer located on the substantially planar surface; wherein the first and second conductive layers are positioned towards each other and separated by the integral compressible spacer dots, whereby, when a minimum required activation force is applied to the touch screen at the location of one of the compressible spacer dots, the compressible spacer dot is compressed to allow electrical contact between the first and second conductive layers, and further wherein the integral compressible spacer dots are formed on the substantially planar surface with first and second cross sections parallel to the substantially planar surface where the first cross section is closer to the base and smaller in cross-sectional area than the second cross section, the second conductive layer is formed by deposition of conductive layer material in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface, and wherein due to the smaller cross-sectional area of the first cross section closer to the base of the spacer dots the second conductive layer is electrically isolated from any conductive layer material deposited on the peaks of the spacer dots while depositing the conductive layer material on the substantially planar surface.