The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2018
Filed:
May. 27, 2016
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyuki Bannai, Tokyo, JP;
I Ka, Tokyo, JP;
Atsushi Masuda, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Tokyo, JP;
Marcello Milli, Tokyo, JP;
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An in-vehicle input device includes a touch panel including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a spacer, and is capable of detecting a capacitance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. The device has an operation surface located above the upper electrode. The operation surface includes a plurality of operation areas. The spacer has a plurality of openings that coincide with the operation areas in plan view. The device further includes a suppression layer that is disposed between the operation surface and the upper electrode or disposed on an upper surface of the operation surface. The suppression layer eliminates or reduces formation of a capacitance between the upper electrode and an operator. The device detects an input operation based on a change in distance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode in response to pressing any of the operation areas by the operator.