Force sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10054503-B2
Application number	US-201615068306-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 11, 2016
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

Examples of force sensors that may be incorporated into a number of devices or other objects are disclosed. In one example, a sensor includes a substrate including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being spaced by an insulating gap, and a compliant material with plural conductive pathways disposed over the gap and contacting the first electrode and the second electrode such that a resistance of an electrical path passing through the compliant material between the first electrode and the second electrode changes in response to force of the compliant material against one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor comprising:
a substrate comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being spaced by an insulating gap;
a spacer disposed adjacent to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a compliant fabric material with plural conductive pathways disposed over the insulating gap, at least a portion of the compliant fabric material separated from the first electrode and the second electrode by the spacer such that an electrical path passes through the compliant fabric material between the first electrode and the second electrode when the compliant fabric material is moved to contact the first electrode and the second electrode and a resistance of the electrical path changes in response to a force of the compliant fabric material against one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is interdigitated with the second electrode.

3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a flexible material.

4. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are printed on the substrate.

5. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plural conductive pathways comprise conductive fibers woven into fabric.

6. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the compliant fabric material comprises one or more of an upholstered object and an article of clothing.

7. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the compliant fabric material forms at least a portion of a housing of an electronic device.

8. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form an electrode pair, and wherein the spacer is positioned between the electrode pair and at least the portion of the compliant fabric material.

9. The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive material for adhering the sensor to a surface.

10. A sensor comprising:
a substrate comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being formed on a same surface of the substrate and being spaced by an insulating gap;
a spacer disposed adjacent to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a fabric material disposed over the insulating gap, the fabric material having plural conductive pathways woven into the fabric material and at least a portion of the fabric material being separated from the first electrode and the second electrode by the spacer such that an electrical path passes through the fabric material between the first electrode and the second electrode when the fabric material is moved to contact the first electrode and the second electrode and a resistance of the electrical path changes in response to a force of the fabric material against one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

11. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode is interdigitated with the second electrode.

12. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the substrate is flexible.

13. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are screen printed on the substrate.

14. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the fabric material is included in one or more of an article of clothing, an upholstered object, a band for a wearable device, and at least a portion of a housing of an electronic device.

15. A method of manufacturing a sensor, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode and a second electrode on a same surface of a substrate, the first electrode and the second electrode being spaced by an insulating gap;
affixing a spacer adjacent to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
affixing a compliant fabric material including plural conductive pathways to the spacer such that the plural conductive pathways are disposed over the insulating gap and at least partially separated from the first electrode and the second electrode by the spacer, such that an electrical path passes through the compliant fabric material between the first electrode and the second electrode when the compliant fabric material is moved to contact the first electrode and the second electrode and a resistance of the electrical path changes in response to a force of the compliant fabric material against one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode, the plural conductive pathways being woven into the compliant fabric material.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the first electrode and the second electrode on the substrate comprises screen printing the first electrode and the second electrode in an interdigitated pattern on the substrate.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises a flexible material.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plural conductive pathways comprise a plurality of flexible conductive wires that are woven into fabric of one or more of an article of clothing, an upholstered object, a band for a wearable device, and at least a portion of a housing of an electronic device.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form an electrode pair, and wherein affixing the spacer comprises affixing one or more non-conductive spacers to one or more of the electrode pair, the substrate, and the compliant fabric material, the one or more non-conductive spacers separating at least a portion of the electrode pair from at least a portion of the plural conductive pathways.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising affixing an adhesive material to one or more of the substrate and the compliant fabric material.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Ma Siyuan
• Holbery James David
• Ribeiro Flavio Protasio

Classifications

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title