Force sensor having force sensor electrodes, display device including the same, and method for driving the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11961322-B2
Application number	US-202117189203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2021
Priority date	Apr 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

Provided are a force sensor, a display device including the same, and a method of driving the same. The force sensor includes a first base substrate and a second base substrate facing each other; first force sensor electrodes extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction on the first base substrate; second force sensor electrodes extending in the second direction and arranged in the first direction on the second base substrate; and a sensor hole configured to transmit light. Any one of the first force sensor electrodes includes a first sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a first side of the sensor hole and a second sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a second side opposite to the first side of the sensor hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A force sensor comprising:
a first base substrate and a second base substrate facing each other;
first force sensor electrodes extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction on the first base substrate;
second force sensor electrodes extending in the second direction and arranged in the first direction on the second base substrate; and
a sensor hole configured to transmit light,
wherein any one of the first force sensor electrodes includes a first sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a first side of the sensor hole and a second sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a second side opposite to the first side of the sensor hole,
wherein any one of the second force sensor electrodes includes a third sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a third side of the sensor hole and a fourth sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a fourth side opposite to the third side of the sensor hole, and
wherein the sensor hole is between the first sub-force sensor electrode and the second sub-force sensor electrode in the first direction in plan view, and the sensor hole is between the third sub-force sensor electrode and the fourth sub-force sensor electrode in the second direction in plan view.

2. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first sub-force sensor wiring disposed on the first base substrate and connected to a first side end of the first sub-force sensor electrode; and
a second sub-force sensor wiring disposed on the first base substrate and connected to a second side end of the second sub-force sensor electrode.

3. The force sensor of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first sub-force sensor pad and a second sub-force sensor pad disposed on the first base substrate and connected to the first sub-force sensor wiring and the second sub-force sensor wiring, respectively.

4. The force sensor of claim 2 , further comprising:
a third sub-force sensor wiring disposed on the second base substrate and connected to a third side end of the third sub-force sensor electrode; and
a fourth sub-force sensor wiring disposed on the second base substrate and connected to a fourth side end of the fourth sub-force sensor electrode.

5. The force sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first sub-force sensor pad and a second sub-force sensor pad disposed on the first base substrate and connected to the first sub-force sensor wiring and the second sub-force sensor wiring, respectively; and
a third sub-force sensor pad and a fourth sub-force sensor pad disposed on the second base substrate and connected to the third sub-force sensor wiring and the fourth sub-force sensor wiring, respectively.

6. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first force connection wiring disposed on the first base substrate and configured to bypass the sensor hole to connect the first sub-force sensor electrode to the second sub-force sensor electrode.

7. The force sensor of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second force connection wiring disposed on the second base substrate and configured to bypass the sensor hole to connect the third sub-force sensor electrode to the fourth sub-force sensor electrode.

8. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of a length of the first sub-force sensor electrode in the first direction and a length of the second sub-force sensor electrode in the second direction is smaller than a length of any one of remaining first force sensor electrodes other than the first force sensor electrode in the first direction.

9. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of a length of the third sub-force sensor electrode in the second direction and a length of the fourth sub-force sensor electrode in the second direction is smaller than a length of any one of remaining first force sensor electrodes other than the second force sensor electrode in the second direction.

10. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein a length of one of the second force sensor electrodes that is disposed on a third side of the sensor hole, in the second direction, among the second force sensor electrodes, is smaller than a length of any other one of the second force sensor electrodes in the second direction.

11. The force sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
force sensitive layers disposed between the first force sensor electrodes and the second force sensor electrodes, respectively, in a thickness direction of the first base substrate.

12. The force sensor of claim 11 , wherein each of the force sensitive layers is in contact with at least one of any one of the first force sensor electrodes or any one of the second force sensor electrodes.

13. The force sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor hole passes through the first base substrate and the second base substrate.

14. The force sensor of claim 13 , wherein the first force sensor electrodes and the second force sensor electrodes are not disposed in the sensor hole.

15. A display device comprising:
a display panel including a display area having pixels configured to display an image;
a force sensor disposed on one surface of the display panel to sense a force applied from an outside, and including a sensor hole which transmits light in a thickness direction of the display panel; and
an optical sensor disposed to overlap the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel and configured to sense light incident through the sensor hole,
wherein the force sensor includes a first force sensor electrode and a first sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a first side of the sensor hole and a second sub-force sensor electrode disposed on a second side opposite to the first side of the sensor hole, and
wherein the force sensor overlaps the display area of the display panel in the thickness direction.

16. The display device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a bottom panel cover disposed on one surface of the force sensor and including a cover hole disposed to overlap the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein a size of the cover hole is larger than a size of the sensor hole.

18. The display device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a bracket disposed on one surface of the force sensor and including a battery hole disposed to overlap the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel.

19. The display device of claim 18 , wherein a size of the battery hole is larger than a size of the sensor hole.

20. The display device of claim 18 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed in the battery hole.

21. The display device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a light emitting unit disposed to overlap the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel and configured to emit light.

22. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the display panel further includes a through hole disposed to overlap the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel.

23. The display device of claim 22 , wherein a size of the through hole is smaller than a size of the sensor hole.

24. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the display area includes a main display area and a sub-display area overlapping the sensor hole in the thickness direction of the display panel, and
wherein the number of pixels per unit area of the main display area is greater than the number of pixels per unit area of the sub-display area.

25. The display d

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seomoon Hee
• Hong Won Ki
• Lee Hyeon Jun

Classifications

• G06V40/1318 Primary

  using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing · CPC title

• A61B5/0265

  using electromagnetic means, e.g. electromagnetic flowmeter · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• A61B2562/0261

  Strain gauges · CPC title

• A61B5/02233 Primary

  Occluders specially adapted therefor (tourniquets A61B17/132) · CPC title