PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9083344-B2
Application Number: US-201213363648-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Touch sensor with integrated signal bus extensions

Abstract:
A touch sensor may be formed from a flexible substrate such as a sheet of polymer. The flexible substrate may have a main rectangular portion and a protruding portion. Capacitive touch sensor electrodes may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible substrate. Signal lines may be coupled to the touch sensor electrodes. The ends of the signal lines may extend onto the protruding portion. Signal lines may be formed on upper and lower surfaces of the flexible substrate. The signal lines may be coupled to circuitry on a printed circuit using a connector that receives the end of the protruding portion. Ground structures on the protruding portion may be configured to overlap the signal lines or may be laterally interposed between upper surface signal lines and lower surface signal lines.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A touch sensor, comprising:
 a flexible substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the flexible substrate includes a main portion having a first edge with a first width and one or more extending portions having one or more widths less than the first width, the one or more extending portions extending from the first edge of the main portion; 
 capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the substrate; and 
 first and second signal lines that are coupled to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend along the one or more extending portions, wherein the one or more extending portions includes first and second sections, wherein the first section includes the first signal lines on the first surface and not the second signal lines on the first and second surfaces, and wherein the second section includes the second signal lines on the second surface and not the first signal lines on the second and first surfaces. 
 
     
     
       2. The touch sensor defined in  claim 1  wherein the flexible substrate comprises a flexible sheet of polymer, and wherein the main portion comprises a rectangular main portion having four edges, and wherein the first edge from which the one or more extending portions extends comprises one of the four edges. 
     
     
       3. The touch sensor defined in  claim 2  wherein some of the capacitive touch sensor electrodes are formed on the first surface, and wherein some of the capacitive touch sensor electrodes are formed on the second surface. 
     
     
       4. The touch sensor defined in  claim 3  wherein the first section includes a first ground structure on the second surface that overlaps at least some of the first signal lines on the first surface and wherein the second section includes a second ground structure on the first surface that overlaps at least some of the second signal lines on the second surface. 
     
     
       5. The touch sensor defined in  claim 3  wherein the capacitive touch sensor electrodes comprise indium tin oxide and wherein the first and second signal lines comprise a conductive material selected from the group consisting of: metal and indium tin oxide. 
     
     
       6. The touch sensor defined in  claim 3  wherein the one or more extending portions includes at least one additional section that includes the first signal lines on the first surface and that includes a ground structure on the second surface that overlaps at least some of the first signal lines on the first surface. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted in the housing; and 
 a touch sensor that overlaps the display, wherein the touch sensor includes a flexible substrate having a main portion including a first edge with a first width, opposing first and second surfaces, first and second signal lines, and a plurality of separated extending portions having one or more widths less than the first width, the plurality of separated extending portions extending from the first edge; 
 wherein a first extending portion of the plurality of separated extending portions includes the first signal lines on the first surface and not the second signal lines on the first and second surfaces, and wherein a second extending portion of the plurality of separated extending portions includes the second signal lines on the second surface and not the first signal lines on the second and first surfaces. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein at least one of the extending portions is bent. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the touch sensor comprises capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the flexible substrate and wherein the first and second signal lines are coupled to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the touch sensor further comprises a ground structure on the second surface that at least partially overlaps the first signal lines on the first surface. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the first and second signal lines are laterally offset from each other and wherein the touch sensor further comprises:
 first ground structures on the second surface of the first extending portion that at least partially overlap the first signal lines; and 
 second ground structures on the first surface of the second extending portion that at least partially overlap the second signal lines. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the first and second extending portions overlap each other in an overlapping region and wherein the touch sensor further comprises:
 first ground structures on the second surface of the first extending portion in the overlapping region, wherein the first ground structures are laterally interposed between the first and second signal lines; 
 second ground structures on the first surface of the second extending portion in the overlapping region, wherein the second ground structures are laterally interposed between the first and second signal lines. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising:
 a printed circuit; 
 at least one integrated circuit mounted on the printed circuit; and 
 a connector on the printed circuit that receives at least one of the extended portions and has metal structures coupled to one or more of the first and second signal lines. 
 
     
     
       14. A touch sensor, comprising:
 a flexible polymer sheet having opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the flexible polymer sheet includes a main portion having a first edge with a first width and one or more protruding portions having one or more widths less than the first width, the one or more protruding portions protruding from the first edge; 
 capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the flexible polymer sheet; and 
 signal lines that are connected to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the one or more protruding portions, wherein the signal lines include first signal lines on the first surface and second signal lines on the second surface, wherein the one or more protruding portions has a first section on which the first signal lines are formed on the first surface and not the second signal lines on the first and second surfaces, and a second section on which the second signal lines are formed on the second surface and not the first signal lines on the second and first surfaces, and wherein the first and second signal lines are non-overlapping. 
 
     
     
       15. The touch sensor defined in  claim 14  wherein the main portion is rectangular and has four edges including the first edge. 
     
     
       16. The touch sensor defined in  claim 14  wherein some of the capacitive touch sensor electrodes are formed on the first surface, wherein some of the capacitive touch sensor electrodes are formed on the second surface, wherein the first signal lines are coupled to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the first surface, and wherein the second signal lines are coupled to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the second surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to sensors, and more particularly, to touch sensors for electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones are often provided with displays. Touch sensitive displays are often used to provide users with the ability to interact with a display through touch-based commands. Touch sensitive displays can be implemented using capacitive touch sensor. Capacitive touch sensors may also be used in forming computer track pads and other input devices. 
     A capacitive touch sensor may include an array of touch sensor electrodes. In configurations such as those in which the touch sensor is being used as part of a display, the touch sensor electrodes may be formed from pads of transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide. When a user brings a finger or other external object into the vicinity of the touch sensor electrodes, touch sensor circuitry can detect changes in capacitance on the touch sensor electrodes. These detected capacitance changes can be processed to generate touch event data for controlling an electronic device. 
     To satisfy consumer demand for small form factor devices, capacitive touch sensor arrays are sometimes formed on thin flexible substrates such as sheets of polyimide. A flexible printed circuit signal bus formed from a separate strip of polyimide can be attached to the edge of touch sensor substrate to route signals from the touch sensor to a logic board within a device. 
     The signal lines in the flexible printed circuit bus may be attached to the capacitive touch sensor substrate using anisotropic conductive film. Care must be taken not to impose excessive stress on anisotropic conductive film bonds between the flexible printed circuit bus and the touch sensor substrate, because excessive stress may lead to reliability issues. This type of restriction on the amount of acceptable stress for the anisotropic conductive film bonds may impose undesired constraints on use of the flexible printed circuit bus when installing a touch sensor in an electronic device. For example, the acceptable bend radius for the flexible printed circuit bus may be limited. There may also be additional cost and complexity associated with attaching the flexible printed circuit bus to the touch sensor. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved touch sensors for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. A touch sensor may be mounted over the display or may be mounted in other portions of the device. 
     The touch sensor may be formed from a flexible substrate such as a sheet of polymer. The flexible substrate may have a main rectangular portion and a protruding portion that protrudes from one or more edges of the main rectangular portion. 
     Capacitive touch sensor electrodes and associated signal lines may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible substrate. The signal lines may be coupled to the touch sensor electrodes. The signal lines may extend onto the protruding portion of the flexible substrate. The signal lines on the protruding portion of the flexible substrate may be coupled to circuitry on a printed circuit using one or more connectors. 
     Ground structures on the protruding portion may be configured to overlap the signal lines or may be laterally interposed between upper surface signal lines and lower surface signal lines. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device having a touch sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an illustrative touch sensor having integral flexible printed circuit bus structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an illustrative touch sensor having integral flexible printed circuit bus structures on protruding tail portions that are attached to each other using adhesive in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of a flexible printed circuit bus structure having signal traces on an upper surface and a ground structure on an opposing lower surface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a flexible printed circuit bus structure having signal traces on a lower surface and a ground structure on an opposing upper surface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a flexible printed circuit bus structure formed by attaching bus structures of the type shown in  FIG. 4  to bus structures of the type shown in  FIG. 5  using adhesive in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of a touch sensor with an integral flexible printed circuit bus structure having regions with traces on an upper surface, regions with traces on a lower surface, and regions with traces on both the upper and lower surfaces in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration that may be used for the regions of the flexible printed circuit bus structure of  FIG. 7  that include traces on both upper and lower surfaces in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of another illustrative configuration that may be used for the regions of the flexible printed circuit bus structure of  FIG. 7  that include traces on both upper and lower surfaces in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative touch sensor with an integral flexible printed circuit tail section having traces on its lower surface that is attached to a printed circuit using a connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative touch sensor with an integral flexible printed circuit tail section having traces on its upper surface that is attached to a printed circuit using a connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative touch sensor with an integral flexible printed circuit tail having traces on its upper and lower surfaces that may be attached to a printed circuit using a connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of a portion of a touch sensor with an integral flexible printed circuit bus structure showing illustrative bend axis locations along which the flexible printed circuit bus structure may be bent in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of an illustrative touch sensor showing how integral flexible printed circuit bus structures may protrude outwards along one or more sides of a main rectangular portion of the touch sensor and may reduce signal path in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a top view of an illustrative touch sensor showing how integral flexible printed circuit bus structures may protrude outwards along two different edges of a rectangular touch sensor substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be provided with one or more touch sensors such as touch sensor  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a housing such as housing  14 . Housing  14  may be formed from metal, glass, ceramic, plastic, fiber-based composites, other materials, or combinations of these materials. 
     A display such as display  20  may be mounted in housing  14 . Display  20  may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode display, a plasma display, an electrowetting display, an electrophoretic display, or a display formed using other display technologies. Display  20  may be formed from one or more rigid substrate layers (e.g., one or more glass substrate layers) and/or one or more flexible substrate layers (e.g., one or more polymer layers). 
     Display cover layer  16  may cover display  20 . Display cover layer  16  may be formed from glass, plastic, or other transparent material. Touch sensor  12  may be mounted between display  20  and display cover layer  16  using a layer of adhesive such as adhesive  18 . If desired, touch sensor  12  may be mounted in housing  12  of device  10  using other arrangements. For example, touch sensor  12  may be attached to the upper surface of display structures  20  or may be incorporated into the layers of material that make up display structures  20 . Touch sensors such as touch sensor  12  may also be incorporated into non-display components such as track pads or other input devices. 
     The touch sensor elements that form touch sensor  12  may be based on any suitable touch sensor technology such as acoustic touch technology, force-sensor-based touch technology, resistive touch technology, or capacitive touch technology (as examples). In capacitive touch sensors, capacitive electrodes may be formed from a conductive material. For example, for use in display applications in which the touch sensor electrodes are transparent to allow a user to view an underlying display, the touch sensor electrodes may be formed from a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide. Configurations in which touch sensor  12  is a capacitive touch sensor and in which touch sensor electrodes for touch sensor  12  are formed from transparent conductive materials are sometimes described herein as an example. Other types of arrangements may be used for touch sensor  12  if desired (e.g., arrangements with non-capacitive sensors, arrangements with capacitive electrodes formed from materials other than indium tin oxide, etc.). 
     The capacitive electrodes of touch sensor  12  may be formed on a substrate such as a transparent substrate. For example, the touch sensor electrodes may be formed on a rectangular clear flexible plastic substrate such as a sheet of polyimide or other polymer. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the substrate for touch sensor  12  may have an integral portion such as portion  26  that protrudes outward from the edges of the main portion of the touch sensor substrate. Portion  26  may be a flexible tail portion or other extending portion of touch sensor  12  that includes a signal bus for routing signals between display  12  and control circuitry such as control circuitry on printed circuit board  22 . 
     One or more electronic components such as components  24  may be mounted in housing  14  of device  10 . Components  24  may include integrated circuits, discrete components such as capacitors, resistors, and inductors, switches, speakers, microphones, connectors, and other electrical components. Components  24  may be mounted on one or more printed circuit boards such as printed circuit  22 . Printed circuit  22  may be, for example, a rigid printed circuit board such as a board formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy (e.g., FR 4 ) or may be a flexible printed circuit (“flex circuit”) formed from a flexible sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer. Components  24  may include surface mount technology (SMT) parts and other components that are mounted on printed circuit  22  using solder (as an example). The circuits that are mounted on printed circuit  22  may include, for example, one or more integrated circuits for controlling the operation of touch sensor  12 . As an example, components  24  may include a touch sensor integrated circuit that converts raw capacitance data from touch sensor electrodes on touch sensor  12  into touch event data for processing by applications and operating system functions running on device  10 . 
     Protruding flexible tail portion  26  of the touch sensor substrate may include conductive lines (e.g., metal traces) that form a signal bus. The signal bus may be used to conveying signals between touch sensor electrodes that are located on the main portion of touch sensor  12  that is located under cover layer  16  and components  24  on printed circuit  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , end  28  of flexible tail portion  26  of touch sensor  12  may be connected to printed circuit  22  using one or more connectors such as connector  74 . If desired, other attachment mechanisms may be used for connecting signal lines in portion  26  of touch sensor  12  to printed circuit  22  (e.g., conductive bonds formed from solder, conductive bonds formed from anisotropic conductive film, etc.). The use of connectors such as connector  74  to connect portions such as portion  26  of touch sensor  12  to circuitry on printed circuit  22  is merely illustrative. 
     Tail portion  26  of touch sensor  12  may be formed from one or more extending (protruding) portions of the substrate used to form touch sensor  12 . An illustrative configuration is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in the example of  FIG. 2 , touch sensor  12  may have a substrate such as substrate  32 . Substrate  32  may have a main portion such as main portion  33  with a rectangular outline or other suitable shape. Protruding portion  26  may be formed from integral extending portions of substrate  32  that extend outwards from one or more of the edges of main portion  33 . 
     Capacitive electrodes such as electrodes  34  and  38  may be formed on substrate  32 . Electrodes  34  and  38  may have any suitable shapes (e.g., squares, diamonds, elongated rectangles, etc.). In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 2 , electrodes  34  and  38  have the shape of elongated rectangles (i.e., strips). Electrodes  34  extend horizontally to form rows. Electrodes  38  extend vertically to form columns. By monitoring capacitance changes associated with the horizontal and vertical electrodes, touch sensor  12  may be used to ascertain the location of an external object such as finger  36  during a touch event (i.e., when a user of device  10  brings finger  36  in contact with cover glass  16  or otherwise brings finger  36  into close proximity to sensor  12 ). 
     Conductive lines such as conductive lines  40  may each be coupled to a respective one of electrodes  34  and may be routed from main portion  33  (e.g., a rectangular planar portion) of substrate  32  to protruding portion  26 . Conductive lines  42  may each be coupled to a respective one of electrodes  38  and may likewise be routed from main portion  33  to protruding portion  26 . In protruding portion  26 , signal lines such as lines  40  and  42  may run parallel to each other and may form signal buses (i.e., protruding portion  26  may form an integral flexible printed circuit bus for touch sensor  12 ). 
     Conductive electrodes  38  and  34  may, if desired, be formed on the same side of substrate  32 . In this type of arrangement, an intervening dielectric coating layer may be used to prevent electrodes  38  and  34  from being shorted to each other. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 2 , electrodes  34  and  38  are formed on opposing surfaces of substrate  32 . In particular, electrodes  34  and associated signal routing lines  40  have been formed on the upper surface of substrate  32 , whereas electrodes  38  and associated signal routing lines  42  have been formed on the lower surface of substrate  32 . 
     Conductive lines  40  and  42  may be formed from conductive material such as metal (e.g., copper), transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide, or other conductive substances. For example, conductive lines  40  and  42  may be copper lines, indium tin oxide lines, or lines that include a lower layer of indium tin oxide and an upper layer of copper (as examples). 
     Main portion  33  of substrate  32  may have a rectangular shape, a shape with curved edges, a shape with straight edges, a shape with curved and straight edges, or other suitable shapes. When mounted to a planar support structure such as planar cover glass  16  or planar display structures  20 , main portion  33  may be maintained in a planar state. If desired, main portion  33  may be mounted to a curved surface (e.g., a curved cover glass, etc.). 
     Protruding structure  26  may extend from one or more edges of main portion  33 . For example, protruding structure  26  may have three separate tab-shaped (e.g., rectangular) extending portions that each extend from the lower edge of main portion  33 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In this type of arrangement, portion  26  may have one or more sections (labeled “T” in  FIG. 2 ) that are used to support lines  40  (i.e., signal lines on the top of substrate  32 ), and one or more sections (labeled “B” in  FIG. 2 ) that are used to support lines  42  (i.e., signal lines on the lower surface of substrate  32 ). Lines  40  extend from the upper surface of substrate  32  to the upper surface of sections T. Within sections T of extended portion  26 , lines  40  generally run parallel to each other and form a signal bus. Lines  42  extend from the lower surface of substrate  32  to the lower surface of section B of extended portion  26 , where lines  42  form a signal bus. 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , there is one “B” section and two “T” sections. This type of arrangement may help minimize the need for the lines associated with upper electrodes  34  (i.e., lines  40 ) from crossing the lines associated with lower electrodes  38  (i.e., lines  42 ). Minimizing crossing of the upper and lower signal lines in touch sensor  12  may improve touch sensor signal quality by reducing spurious signals due to unwanted coupling between the upper and lower lines. There may, in general, be any suitable number of “T” and “B” sections in extending portion  26 . These sections of portion  26  may extend laterally from the lower edge of main portion  33 , from one or more side edges of main portion  33 , and/or from the top edge of portion  33 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , sections T and B may be configured to overlap. This type of structure may be formed by laminating multiple polymer sheets together (as an example). With a configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 3 , sections T and B do not overlap in regions  56 . In regions  58 , portion  26 T of sections T overlaps portion  26 B of section B. 
     A cross-sectional side view of section T of extending portion  26  of substrate  32  of  FIG. 2  taken along line  50  and viewed in direction  44  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , section T of extending portion  26  may include signal lines  40  that run along the upper surface of substrate  32  and an overlapping ground structure such as ground  60  that runs under the signal lines along the lower surface of substrate  32 . Ground  60  may be formed from metal (e.g., copper), transparent conductor (e.g., indium tin oxide), a layered structure having a lower layer of indium tin oxide and an upper layer of copper or other metal, or other suitable conductive materials. 
     A cross-sectional side view of section B of extending portion  26  of substrate  32  of  FIG. 2  taken along line  46  and viewed in direction  48  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , section B of extending portion  26  may include signal lines  42  that run along the lower surface of substrate  32  and an overlapping ground structure such as ground  62  that runs on top of the signal lines along the upper surface of substrate  32 . Ground  62  may be formed from metal (e.g., copper), transparent conductor (e.g., indium tin oxide), a layered structure having a lower layer of indium tin oxide and an upper layer of copper or other metal, or other suitable conductive materials. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of region  58  of extending portion  26  of touch sensor substrate  32  showing how upper section T may be attached to lower section B using adhesive such as adhesive  64 . 
     As shown in the top view of touch sensor  12  in  FIG. 7 , extending portion  26  may, if desired, include sections T and B that merge into a section “T/B” that includes signal lines on both upper and lower surfaces of substrate  32 . Sections T and B may extend from different portions of the lower edge of main portion  33  of substrate  32  and may be separated by optional openings such as openings  66  in substrate  32 . In sections T, lines  40  may run in parallel on the upper surface of substrate  32  whereas ground  60  may cover some or all of the lower surface of substrate  32 . In section B, lines  42  may run in parallel on the lower surface of substrate  32  whereas ground  62  may cover some or all of the upper surface of substrate  32 . In section T/B of extended portion  26  of substrate  32 , lines  42  may be run in parallel along the upper surface of substrate  32  and lines  42  may run along the lower surface of substrate  32 . To avoid signal interference, it may be desirable to laterally offset lines  40  and  42  so that they do not overlap each other. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative section T/B of extended portion  26  of touch sensor substrate  32  of  FIG. 7  taken along line  68  and viewed in direction  70 . As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 8 , lines  40  and lines  42  may be formed on protruding portion  26  of common substrate  32 . Lines  40  may run parallel to each other along the upper surface of substrate  32 . Lines  42  may run parallel to each other along the lower surface of substrate  32 . To minimize signal interference, lines  40  and lines  42  may be formed in different areas, so that lines  40  and lines  42  are laterally offset from each other and do not overlap. As shown in  FIG. 8 , for example, lines  40  may be formed on the right-hand side of section T/B and lines  42  may be formed on the left-hand side of section T/B. 
     Grounding structures may be provided on substrate  32  such as ground structures  62  and  60 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 8 , ground structures  62  are formed on the upper surface of substrate  32  and overlap lines  42 , whereas ground structures  60  are formed on the lower surface of substrate  32  and overlap lines  40 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 9 , ground structures  62  on the upper surface of substrate  32  are laterally interposed between lines  40  and  42 , but do not overlap lines  42 . Similarly, ground structures  60  on the lower surface of substrate  32  of  FIG. 9  are laterally interposed between lines  42  and  40 , but do not overlap lines  40 . If desired, other configurations may be used (e.g., with ground structures  62  that partly overlap lines  42  and/or ground structures  60  that partly overlap lines  40 , etc.). 
     The signal lines on extending portion  26  may be coupled to circuitry on a printed circuit such as printed circuit  22  of  FIG. 1 . Signal line connections between extended portion  26  of substrate  32  and circuitry in device  10  such as circuitry on printed circuit  22  may be formed using solder, anisotropic conductive film, connectors, other connection techniques, or combinations of these arrangements. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , for example, section B of extended portion  26  may be inserted into a connector such as connector  70  on printed circuit  22 . Printed circuit  22  may include conductive paths (e.g., metal traces) such as path  72 . Paths such as paths  72  may be coupled to electrical components such as component  24  (e.g., using solder). Extended portion  26  may include section B. Section B may be bent so that portion  26  may be received in connector  74 . Signal lines  42  may be formed on the lower surface of substrate  32  in section B. 
     Connector  74  may have a connector housing such as connector housing  76 . Metal structures such as metal spring structure  78  may be formed in housing  76  and may be used in interconnecting lines  42  to paths  72 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , metal structure  78  may have a spring portion such as spring portion  80  that contacts a respective one of lines  42 . Portion  82  of metal structure  78  may be connected to path  72  using solder  84  (as an example). Ground structures on extending portion  26  (not shown in  FIG. 10 ) may be coupled to paths on printed circuit  22  using a separate metal structure.  FIG. 11  shows how section T of extended portion may be coupled to printed circuit  22  using a connector such as connector  74 . When section T of substrate  32  is inserted in connector  74 , signal lines such as signal line  40  of  FIG. 11  may be coupled to path  72  via metal structure  78  and solder  84 . Ground structures on extending portion  26  (not shown in  FIG. 11 ) may be coupled to printed circuit  22  using a separate metal structure. 
     If desired, connector  74  may include multiple metal structures such as metal structures  78 A and  78 B of  FIG. 12 . With this type of configuration, connector  74  may be used to form both upper and lower signal lines connections for a portion of extending portion  26  (e.g., section T/B such as sections T/B of  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). As shown in  FIG. 12 , signal lines such as single line  40  may be coupled to paths  72  on printed circuit  22  using metal structures such as structure  78 B and signal lines such as signal line  42  may be coupled to paths  72  on printed circuit  22  using metal structures such as structure  78 A. Ground structures on extending portion  26  (not shown in  FIG. 12 ) may likewise be coupled printed circuit  22  using metal structures in connector  74 . 
     One or more sections of extended portion  26  of touch sensor substrate  32  may be connected to printed circuit  22  using connectors such as connector  74  of  FIG. 10 , connector  74  of  FIG. 11 , and/or connector  74  of  FIG. 12  (e.g., one or more “B” sections, one or more “T” sections and/or one or more “T/B” sections). 
       FIG. 13  is a top view of an illustrative portion of substrate  32  of touch sensor  12  showing illustrative locations for a bend axis along which substrate  32  may be bent when installed within housing  14 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , substrate  32  may be bent along a bend axis such as bend axis  90  or a bend axis such as bend axis  88  to allow protruding portion  26  to be bent (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 1 ,  10 ,  11 , and  12 ). If desired, substrate  32  may be bent along a bend axis such as bend axis  86  that intersects substrate  32  in main portion  33  (i.e., main portion  33  of substrate  32  may be bent in addition to or instead of bending protruding portion  26  of substrate  32 ). Configurations for touch sensor  12  in which substrate  32  is not bent may also be used. 
     Protruding portion  26  of substrate  32  may be formed along any suitable edge of main portion  33  of substrate  32 . In the example of  FIG. 14 , protruding portion  26  has two sections (“T”) formed as protruding extensions of the left and right edges of main portion  33  of substrate  32  on which parallel upper signal lines  40  are used to form signal buses. Protruding portion  26  also has two sections (“B”) formed as protruding extensions of upper and lower edges of main portion  33  of substrate  32  on which parallel lower signal lines  42  are used to form signal buses. 
     By arranging sections of protruding portion  26  on each of the edges of substrate  32  as shown in  FIG. 14 , the length of signal lines such as signal lines  40  and  42  that are used in conveying signals between the capacitive touch sensor electrodes and protruding portion  26  can be minimized. Because the length of signal lines  40  and  42  can be reduced, less area is consumed by signal lines. As a result, the width W around the periphery of main portion  33  that is consumed by signal traces can be minimized and the inactive portion of touch sensor  12  can be minimized. 
     In the example of  FIG. 14 , protruding portion  26  protrudes from each of the four edges of rectangular main portion  33  of substrate  32 .  FIG. 15  is a top view of touch sensor  12  in an illustrative configuration in which protruding portion  26  extends from two of the four edges of main portion  33 . Configurations in which different numbers of sections protrude from main portion  33  may be used (e.g., configurations with more than one section protruding from each side of main portion  33 , configurations with extending sections on all four edge, on three edges, on two edges, or on one edge of portion  33 , etc.). 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120201
Publication Date: 20150714
Grant Date: 20150714
Priority Date: 20120201
Inventors: KANG SUNGGU
ZHONG JOHN Z.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10189", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9622", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10128", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/94094", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96031", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04164", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04164", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9622", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/94094", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02P70/50", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96031", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04108", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02P70/50", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/96031", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K2217/94094", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04103", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10128", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10189", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10128", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10189", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03K17/9622", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48870034