Abstract: A touch sensing direct input data display device is described. The data display screen is directly and solely supported within a housing by stiff springs having essentially uniaxial freedom of motion. Strain gauge sensors are applied directly to the springs and are connected in a full Wheatstone bridge sensing circuit. The outputs of the sensors are fed to a calculating and processing device for calculaating the X, Y and Z coordinate information relative to the point on the face of the display which has been pushed or touched. The Z component is of total force and the X any Y components give the two dimensional location for the application of the force measured in the Z axis. The stiff springs allow very little deflection to occur under normal touch imposed fores on the display screen. They permit essentially uniaxial motion only in the Z axis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 1989
Date of Patent:
August 6, 1991
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors:
Dale R. Flower, Pat Gallarelli, Kevin P. Goffinet, Anthony W. Miles, Charles A. Rudisill, Kevin H. Vorhees