Multi-angle pressure sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349131-A1
Application number	US-201514951652-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pressure sensor able to value touch pressures at oblique angles includes a substrate base, a deformable substrate disposed on the substrate base, and a carbon nanometer layer disposed on the deformable substrate. A cover plate is disposed on the carbon nanometer layer, and two flexible power circuit boards electrically connect the carbon nanometer layer to the substrate base. The device includes a processor. The substrate base includes a substrate and a pad. The pad is located between the substrate and the deformable substrate. The deformable substrate and the cover plate are made of elastic materials. The processor calculates lateral pressures based on the resistance variation value due to the vertical deformation of the carbon nanometer layer and the capacitance variation value between the carbon nanometer layer and the pads when an external physical resistance is experienced as a force applied to the cover plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pressure sensor comprising:
a substrate base comprising a substrate and a pad; a deformable substrate disposed on the substrate base and being made of one or more elastic materials, wherein the pad is positioned between the substrate and the deformable substrate; a carbon nanometer layer disposed on the deformable substrate and comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; a cover plate disposed on the carbon nanometer layer and being made of one or more elastic materials; two flexible power circuit boards connecting the carbon nanometer layer and the substrate base; and a processor,
wherein when an external physical resistance is experienced by the cover plate, the processor calculates a lateral pressure at the point of contact of the external physical resistance in accordance with the resistance variation value due to the deformation of the carbon nanometer layer and the capacitance variation value between the carbon nanometer layer and the pad.

2 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor further comprises a resistance measurement device and a capacitance measurement device, the resistance measurement device measures the variations in resistance due to the vertical deformation of the carbon nanometer layer and the capacitance measurement device measures the variations in capacitance between the carbon nanometer layer and the pad.

3 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanometer layer comprises a plurality of parallel metallic column electrodes patterned on the upper surface of the carbon nanometer layer and a plurality of parallel metallic row electrodes patterned on the lower surface of the carbon nanometer layer, the parallel metallic column electrodes and the parallel metallic row electrodes are spaced to perpendicularly intersect.

4 . The pressure sensor of claim 3 , wherein the parallel metallic column electrodes and the parallel metallic row electrodes are electrically connected to the substrate through a plurality of wires.

5 . The pressure sensor of claim 3 , wherein the distance between each of the parallel metallic column electrodes and each of the parallel metallic row electrodes is constant.

6 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the substrate of the substrate base is a rigid power circuit board and made of a flame resistant material, a glass substrate with circuit wires, or a ceramic substrate with circuit wires.

7 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the deformable substrate is made of polydimethylsiloxane, silicone resin, or rubber.

8 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the cover plate is made of polyethylene terephthalate or thin glass composition.

9 . The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the two flexible circuit boards are positioned on the upper surface of the carbon nanometer layer and electrically connected to the carbon nanometer layer and the substrate base.

10 . The pressure sensor of claim 9 , wherein the substrate base further comprises a connector and a plurality of solder joints, one end of each two flexible power circuit boards is electrically connected to the upper surface of the carbon nanometer layer, and the other end of each flexible power circuit boards is electrically connected to the connector or the solder joints.

Assignees

• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chang Jen-Tsorng

Classifications

• G01L5/228

  using tactile array force sensors · CPC title

• G01L5/165

  using variations in capacitance · CPC title

• G01L9/0058 Primary

  of pressure sensitive conductive solid or liquid material, e.g. carbon granules · CPC title

• G01L9/0072

  using variations in capacitance · CPC title