Waterproof MEMS button device, input device comprising the MEMS button device and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12050102-B2
Application number	US-202017025977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A button device includes a MEMS sensor having a MEMS strain detection structure and a deformable substrate configured to undergo deformation under the action of an external force. The MEMS strain detection structure includes a mobile element carried by the deformable substrate via at least a first and a second anchorage, the latter fixed with respect to the deformable substrate and configured to displace and generate a deformation force on the mobile element in the presence of the external force; and stator elements capacitively coupled to the mobile element. The deformation of the mobile element causes a capacitance variation between the mobile element and the stator elements. Furthermore, the MEMS sensor is configured to generate detection signals correlated to the capacitance variation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a MEMS (Microelectromechanical system) button having a MEMS sensor, the MEMS sensor including a MEMS strain detection structure and a deformable portion configured to undergo deformation in response to an external force, the MEMS strain detection structure including:
a mobile element;
a first anchorage and a second anchorage, both the first and second anchorages rigid with respect to the deformable portion and configured to displace and generate a deformation force (F t ) on the mobile element in response to the external force; and
a first electrode and a second electrode capacitively coupled to the mobile element, the first anchorage between the first and second electrodes on a first side of the mobile element, a displacement of the mobile element causing a capacitance variation between the mobile element and the first and second electrodes, the MEMS sensor configured to generate a detection signal based on the capacitance variation.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile element comprises:
a beam, configured to rotate about a rotation axis in response to the deformation force, the beam having a first half beam and a second half beam;
a first arm extending between and coupling the first half beam and the first anchorage;
a second arm extending between and coupling the second half beam and the second anchorage, the first and the second arms being in an eccentric position with one another and generating a torque on the beam when subject to the deformation force.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second electrodes are facing and capacitively coupled to the first and the second half beams, respectively.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the mobile element comprises:
a first frame structure rigid with respect to the first half beam and surrounding the first electrode and a third electrode; and
a second frame structure rigid with respect to the second half beam and surrounding the second electrode and a fourth electrode, wherein the first frame structure is arranged parallel to the second frame structure, and the first half beam opposite to the second half beam with the first and second anchorages between the first and second frame structures.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second frame structures comprise:
respective longitudinal sides, arranged in parallel to the beam and symmetrically with respect to the beam; and
respective transverse sides extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal sides,
wherein the first and second frame structures define first, second, third, and fourth openings configured to surround the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes, respectively.

6. The device according to claim 5 , comprising fifth and sixth electrodes in the first and in the second openings and laterally adjacent to and in parallel to the first and third electrodes, respectively, the fifth and sixth electrodes directly facing and being capacitively coupled to the longitudinal sides, respectively.

7. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a MEMS block that comprises a measurement oscillating element including:
a first and a second measurement flexure arm, each having a first and a second end, the first and second measurement flexure arms being capacitively coupled to measurement electrodes, and being configured to oscillate at a measurement resonance frequency;
a first and a second measurement connection arms, the first measurement connection arm coupling the first ends of the first and the second measurement flexure arms together, and the second measurement connection arm coupling the second ends of the first and the second measurement flexure arms together so as to form a measurement window; and
a first measurement anchorage arm and a second measurement anchorage arm, each extending between a respective one of the first and second measurement connection arms and a respective anchorage.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the measurement electrodes comprise:
a first measurement driving electrode and a second measurement driving electrode, facing and capacitively coupled to the first measurement flexure arm and the second measurement flexure arm, respectively; and
at least a measurement sensing electrode, facing and capacitively coupled to at least one of the first and second measurement flexure arms.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the measurement sensing electrode is arranged in the measurement window, and the first and second measurement driving electrodes are arranged outside the measurement window and each facing a respective one of the first and second measurement flexure arms.

10. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the MEMS block includes a positive self-sustaining resonant feedback loop that includes the mobile element and a driving stage having an input coupled to the measurement sensing electrode and an output coupled to the first and second measurement driving electrodes.

11. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the MEMS block further comprises a reference oscillating element including:
reference electrodes;
a central anchorage;
a first reference flexure arm and a second reference flexure arm, each having a first and a second end, the first and the second reference flexure arms being configured to oscillate at a reference resonance frequency and be capacitively coupled to the reference electrodes;
a first reference connection arm and a second reference connection arm, the first reference connection arm connecting the first ends of the first and the second reference flexure arms together, and the second reference connection arm connecting the second ends of the first and the second reference flexure arms together; and
a reference anchorage arm extending between the first and the second reference connection arms and is connected to the central anchorage, the reference flexure arms, the reference anchorage arm and the first and second reference connection arms defining a first reference-electrode opening and a second reference-electrode opening.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the reference electrodes comprise:
a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode, each facing and being capacitively coupled to the first and the second reference flexure arms, respectively, the first and second reference sensing electrodes being arranged in the first and the second reference electrode openings, respectively; and
a first reference driving electrode and a second reference driving electrode, each facing and being capacitively coupled to the first and second reference flexure arms, respectively.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the MEMS block includes a positive self-sustaining resonant feedback loop that includes the reference oscillating element and a reference driving stage having an input coupled to the measurement sensing electrode and an output coupled to the first and second measurement driving electrodes.

14. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a processing circuit configured to receive and process the detection signal from the MEMS sensor to generate an output signal.

15. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a cap fixed to the deformable portion and surrounding the MEMS strain detection structure; and wherein the deformable portion includes electrical-connection regions and conductive paths electrically coupled to the MEMS strain detection structure.

16. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a supporting substrate, fixed to t

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Gattere Gabriele
• Valzasina Carlo
• Duqi Enri

Classifications

• G01L1/14

  by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators · CPC title

• B81B2203/0154

  Torsion bars · CPC title

• B81B2201/0221

  Variable capacitors · CPC title

• H01H1/0036

  Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] (for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009) · CPC title

• H03K17/975 Primary

  using a capacitive movable element · CPC title