Sensor, input device, and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029221-B2
Application number	US-201816486755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2018
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes: an exterior body; a pressure-sensitive sensor having a first surface and a second surface; a support body supporting the pressure-sensitive sensor such that the exterior body faces the first surface; and a first deformation layer disposed at least either between the first surface and the exterior body or between the second surface and the support body. The pressure-sensitive sensor includes a capacitive sensor electrode unit including a sensing unit, a reference electrode layer, and a second deformation layer disposed between the reference electrode layer and the sensor electrode unit. The first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy a predetermined relationship.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
an exterior body;
a pressure-sensitive sensor having a first surface and a second surface;
a support body supporting the pressure-sensitive sensor such that the exterior body faces the first surface; and
a first deformation layer disposed at least either between the first surface and the exterior body or between the second surface and the support body, wherein
the pressure-sensitive sensor includes
a capacitive sensor electrode unit including a sensing unit,
a reference electrode layer, and
a second deformation layer disposed between the reference electrode layer and the sensor electrode unit, and
the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least one of relationships represented by the following formulas (1) to (3),
Elastic modulus of the first deformation layer≤elastic modulus of the second deformation layer  (1)

Thickness of the first deformation layer≥thickness of the second deformation layer  (2)

Area occupancy of the first deformation layer≤area occupancy of the second deformation layer  (3)

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer each contain a foamed resin.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformation layer has a shape pattern.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior body contains a metal or a polymer resin.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the exterior body has a side wall portion, and
the pressure-sensitive sensor and the first deformation layer are disposed on the side wall portion.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior body includes a housing.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the exterior body can press the first surface by being pressed toward the first surface.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least two of the relationships represented by the above formulas (1) to (3).

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy all the relationships represented by the above formulas (1) to (3).

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least one of relationships represented by the following formulas (4) to (6),
Elastic modulus of the first deformation layer<elastic modulus of the second deformation layer  (4)

Thickness of the first deformation layer>thickness of the first deformation layer  (5)

Area occupancy of the first deformation layer<area occupancy of the first deformation layer  (6)

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first deformation layer has an elastic modulus of 0.04 MPa or less,
the first deformation layer has a thickness of 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and
the first deformation layer has an area occupancy of 10% or more and 100% or less.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising:
an exterior body;
a pressure-sensitive sensor having a first surface and a second surface;
a support body supporting the pressure-sensitive sensor such that the exterior body faces the first surface; and
a first deformation layer disposed at least either between the first surface and the exterior body or between the second surface and the support body, and including a conductive material, wherein
the pressure-sensitive sensor includes
a capacitive sensor electrode unit including a sensing unit, and
a second deformation layer disposed between the first deformation layer and the sensor electrode unit, and
the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least one of relationships represented by the following formulas (1) to (3),
Elastic modulus of the first deformation layer≤elastic modulus of the second deformation layer  (1)

Thickness of the first deformation layer≥thickness of the second deformation layer  (2)

Area occupancy of the first deformation layer≤area occupancy of the second deformation layer  (3)

13. A sensor comprising:
a pressure-sensitive sensor main body having a first surface and a second surface; and
a first deformation layer disposed on at least one of the first surface or the second surface, wherein
the pressure-sensitive sensor main body includes
a capacitive sensor electrode unit including a sensing unit,
a reference electrode layer, and
a second deformation layer disposed between the reference electrode layer and the sensor electrode unit, and
the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least one of relationships represented by the following formulas (1) to (3),
Elastic modulus of the first deformation layer≤elastic modulus of the second deformation layer  (1)

Thickness of the first deformation layer≥thickness of the second deformation layer  (2)

Area occupancy of the first deformation layer≤area occupancy of the second deformation layer  (3)

14. An input device comprising:
an exterior body;
a pressure-sensitive sensor having a first surface and a second surface;
a support body supporting the pressure-sensitive sensor such that the exterior body faces the first surface; and
a first deformation layer disposed at least either between the first surface and the exterior body or between the second surface and the support body, wherein
the pressure-sensitive sensor includes
a capacitive sensor electrode unit including a sensing unit,
a reference electrode layer, and
a second deformation layer disposed between the reference electrode layer and the sensor electrode unit, and
the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer satisfy at least one of relationships represented by the following formulas (1) to (3),
Elastic modulus of the first deformation layer≤elastic modulus of the second deformation layer  (1)

Thickness of the first deformation layer≥thickness of the second deformation layer  (2)

Area occupancy of the first deformation layer≤area occupancy of the second deformation layer  (3)

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Kobayashi Ken
• Ebisui Akira
• Tsukamoto Kei
• Nishimura Taizo
• Goto Tetsuro
• Kawabata Tomoki
• Yamaguchi Makoto

Classifications

• B32B2307/51

  Elastic · CPC title

• B32B27/38

  comprising epoxy resins · CPC title

• B32B2255/205

  Metallic coating · CPC title

• B32B27/36

  comprising polyesters · CPC title

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title