Video Display and Touchscreen Assembly, System and Method

Abstract

A touch screen assembly for use with a display, such as, for example, a flat panel display. The touch screen assembly includes a transparent panel, preferably in the form of a panel of tempered glass adhered to a touch screen panel. Consoles having touch screen assemblies are also disclosed.

1 . A touch screen assembly, comprising:
 a panel of transparent material having a panel front side and a panel back side opposite the panel front side;   an independently functioning touch screen device having a device interactive side and a device back side opposite the device interactive side, the touch screen device being positioned at a distance away from the transparent panel front side, the touch screen device being positioned in an orientation generally corresponding to the orientation of the transparent panel front side, the device back side being in an opposed relationship to the transparent panel front side; and   an adhesive layer disposed between at least a portion of the transparent panel front side and the device back side, the adhesive layer being permanently attached to at least a portion of the transparent front side and at least a portion of the device back side; and   wherein the transparent panel, the touch screen, and the adhesive layer comprising a unitary assembly and the unitary assembly is removably attached to a display screen.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the distance the touch screen is positioned away from the transparent panel is within the range of 60/1000 of an inch to 30/1000 of an inch. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is a UV curable material. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer has a periphery, and further including a gasket interposed between the panel front side and the device back side, the gasket being positioned at the adhesive layer periphery. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a liquid adhesive. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further including a video display positioned adjacent the transparent panel back side of the unitary assembly, the video display being positioned in an orientation generally corresponding to the orientation of the touch screen device. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the display includes a display screen and a frame having a plurality of sides surrounding the display screen, and further including at least one frame adhesive interposed between the transparent panel back side and at least one frame side. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 6 , further including:
 a console housing, the console housing including a console front side, the console front side including an opening disposed in the console front side, the console housing further defining a console interior, and wherein the touch screen assembly is disposed within the console interior and the touch screen interactive side is viewable through the opening; and   a controller disposed within the console interior, the controller being configured to receive an input signal from the touch screen device and provide a video signal to the video display, and wherein the controller is in communication with the touch screen device and the video display.   
   
   
       9 . A method of making a unitary touch screen assembly for use with a display, comprising:
 providing a panel of transparent material in a predetermined orientation, the transparent panel having a transparent panel front side and a transparent panel back side opposite the transparent panel front side;   providing an independently functioning touch screen device, the touch screen device having a device interactive side and a device back side opposite the device interactive side;   orienting the touch screen device in a position corresponding to the orientation of the panel of transparent material, the device back side being in an opposed relationship to the transparent panel front side;   positioning the touch screen device a distance from the panel of transparent material to define a space therebetween;   disposing a curable and optically clear compound into the space; and   curing the compound to form an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer being permanently adhered to at least a portion of the device back side and at least a portion of the transparent panel front side; and   wherein the unitary touch screen assembly is removably attached to a display screen.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the distance the touch screen is positioned away from the transparent panel is within the range of 60/1000 of an inch to 30/1000 of an inch. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further including:
 providing a video display in a position corresponding to the orientation of the touch screen device, the video display including a display screen; and   positioning the video display behind the panel of transparent material, the video display screen being visible through the touch screen device.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the panel of transparent material includes a panel perimeter, and further including interposing a gasket between the panel and the touch screen device, the gasket being positioned adjacent the panel perimeter. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the panel perimeter includes a plurality of opposed straight sides, and wherein the gasket extends continuously along at least three of the sides. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the compound is a UV curable compound, and further including providing a UV light source; and
 wherein curing the compound includes exposing the assembly to the UV light source for a predetermined amount of time.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing a console, the console including a console housing, the console housing including a console front side, the console front side including an opening disposed in the console front side, the console housing further defining a console interior; and   disposing the assembly within the console interior, the device front side being viewable through the opening.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a controller within the console interior; and   configuring the controller to receive signals from the touch screen device and provide signals to the video display.