Micrometer mechanical force interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001418-B1
Application number	US-201715431502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 13, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments generally relate to device and methods for detecting force. A force sensor may include a sense die, a substrate, one or more sense elements supported by the sense die, one or more electrical contacts located on the sense die and electrically coupled to electrical traces on the substrate, and an actuation element configured to transmit a force to the sense die. The width of the actuation element may be less than the distance between the one or more electrical contacts. In some embodiments, the actuation element may include a thin wedge/plate configured to interact with the sense die at a contact point. The thin wedge/plate may allow use of a smaller sense die and/or may allow closer placement of the one or more sense elements to the contact point and/or may prevent accidental contact with the one or more electrical contacts which may lead to a short circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three sensor comprising:
a sense die including a front side and a back side;
a substrate located adjacent to the sense die;
one or more sense elements supported by the sense die;
one or more electrical contacts located on the sense die and electrically coupled to electrical traces on the substrate; and
an actuation element configured to transmit a force to the sense die, wherein the width of the actuation element is less than the distance between the one or more electrical contacts, wherein the actuation element is a plate.

2. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an aperture extending from a top side of the substrate to a bottom side of the substrate, and wherein the substrate is formed from at least one of a ceramic board or a laminated board.

3. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sense die is mounted above the aperture in the substrate.

4. The force sensor of claim 3 , wherein the sense die is mounted to the substrate using an adhesive or solder.

5. The force sensor of claim 3 , wherein the sense die is comprised of silicon or other semiconductor material.

6. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sense elements comprise piezoelectric elements.

7. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising signal conditioning circuitry mounted on the substrate in electrical communication with the sensing die, and wherein the signal conditioning circuitry is configured to receive an electrical output signal from the sensing die and condition the electrical output signal to provide a conditioned output signal from the force sensor.

8. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a structural frame mounted on the top side of the substrate, and wherein the structural frame at least partially covers the sense die and at least one of the signal conditioning circuitry.

9. The force sensor of claim 8 , wherein the structural frame comprises an opening positioned over the aperture in the substrate.

10. The force sensor of claim 7 , further comprising at least one of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and an application-specific standard product (ASSP) mounted on the substrate, and wherein the sensing die and the at least one of the ASIC and ASSP are wire bonded to the substrate.

11. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sense die is a slab die.

12. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the edges of the actuation element are configured to be rounded, and wherein the edges of the actuation element are configured to interact with the contact point on the sense die.

13. The force sensor of claim 12 , wherein the face of the actuation element spans a larger width than the edges of the actuation element.

14. The force sensor of claim 12 , wherein the height of the actuation element is equal to or longer than the width of the actuation element, wherein the height of the actuation element depends on the distance between the contact point located on the sense die and the opening of the structural frame, and wherein the actuation element is configured to project outward from the opening of the structural frame.

15. The force sensor of claim 12 , wherein a first end of the actuation element is retained between the opening in the structural frame and a second end of the actuation element is disposed in contact with the front side of the sense die.

16. The force sensor of claim 8 , wherein the structural frame comprises an inwardly protruding body for holding the actuation element in place.

17. The force sensor of claim 6 , wherein the distance between the one or more sense elements is centered about the contact point between the actuation element and the sense die.

18. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising one or more bond pads, wherein the one or more electrical contacts is electrically coupled to the one or more bond pads.

19. A method of sensing a force using a force sensor, the method comprising:
applying a force to the force sensor, the force sensor comprising an actuation element configured to transmit a force to a sense die, wherein the sense die comprises one or more sense elements, wherein the actuation element is a plate;
detecting a force increase by the one or more sense elements of the sense die;
at least partially contacting the sense die at the contact point by the actuation element;
deflecting at east a portion of the one or more sense elements due to the force; and
transmitting, by the sense die, an electrical output signal.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
receiving, by a signal conditioning circuitry, the electrical output signal from the sense die; and
conditioning, by the signal conditioning circuitry, the electrical output signal to provide a conditioned output signal.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Machir James F
• Patch Jason Dennis

Classifications

• G01L1/005 Primary

  by electrical means and not provided for in G01L1/06 - G01L1/22 · CPC title

• G01L1/18

  using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material · CPC title

• H01L2924/10253

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01L1/2231 Primary

  the supports being disc- or ring-shaped, adapted for measuring a force along a single direction · CPC title