Input device and electrical apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10620757-B2
Application number	US-201615554854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

An input device includes a casing having a recess in its inner surface, and a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed in the recess. The pressure-sensitive sensor is fixed in the recess so that a sensing surface of the pressure-sensitive sensor and a bottom surface of the recess are in contact with each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
a casing having a recess in an inner surface thereof;
a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed in the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is fixed in the recess so that a sensing surface of the pressure-sensitive sensor and a bottom surface of the recess are in contact with each other; and
a pressing member configured to press the pressure-sensitive sensor against the bottom surface of the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor has a Young's modulus smaller than a Young's modulus of the pressing member.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing member is fitted in the recess.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a fixing member configured to fix the pressing member.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein a raised portion is disposed on at least one of the sensing surface of the pressure-sensitive sensor and the bottom surface of the recess.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the casing has rigidity.

6. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the casing is made of a metal.

7. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor includes a conductive layer, a sensor layer with a plurality of sensor portions included therein, and a space layer disposed between the conductive layer and the sensor layer.

8. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor and the recess are disposed along a peripheral edge of the casing.

9. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the casing has a rectangular surface, and the pressure-sensitive sensor and the recess are disposed along respective sides of the surface.

10. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor has a sheet shape.

11. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor has an elongated shape.

12. The input device according to claim 11 , wherein
the pressure-sensitive sensor includes a plurality of sensor portions, and
the plurality of sensor portions are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the pressure-sensitive sensor.

13. An input device comprising:
an exterior body having a recess in an inner surface thereof and having rigidity;
a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed in the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is fixed in the recess so that a sensing surface of the pressure-sensitive sensor and a bottom surface of the recess are in contact with each other; and
a pressing member configured to press the pressure-sensitive sensor against the bottom surface of the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor has a Young's modulus smaller than a Young's modulus of the pressing member.

14. An electrical apparatus comprising:
a casing having a recess in an inner surface thereof;
a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed in the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is fixed in the recess so that a sensing surface of the pressure-sensitive sensor and a bottom surface of the recess are in contact with each other; and
a pressing member configured to press the pressure-sensitive sensor against the bottom surface of the recess, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor has a Young's modulus smaller than a Young's modulus of the pressing member.

15. The electrical apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a control unit configured to control an operation of the electrical apparatus on the basis of detection results by the pressure-sensitive sensor.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Taka Yoshiteru
• Koizumi Takeshi
• Kawabata Tomoki
• Ebihara Munetake
• Nakazawa Tatsuya
• Endo Machiko
• Goto Takuya
• Nakamura Keiichi
• Sakakibara Yukio

Classifications

• G06F1/169

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes (G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033) · CPC title

• G06F3/03547 Primary

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title

• G01L1/00

  Measuring force or stress, in general (measuring force due to impact G01L5/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title

• G06F1/1671 Primary

  Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence) · CPC title