Detection device and illumination switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024063793-A1
Application number	US-202318487667-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2023
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	Feb 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A detection device includes a panel having opposed main surfaces including an operation surface and a rear surface. A support structure is located on at least one of the main surfaces and prevents warping of the panel while permitting the operation surface to be deformed in response to a pressing operation applied to the operation surface. A sensor for sensing the pressing operation applied to the operation surface is provided on one of the main surfaces at a location where at least a portion of the sensor does not overlap the support structure in plan view.

First claim

1 . A detection device, comprising:
a panel having opposed main surfaces including an operation surface and a rear surface; a support structure located on at least one of the main surfaces and preventing warping of the panel while permitting the operation surface to be deformed in response to a pressing operation applied to the operation surface; a sensor for sensing the pressing operation applied to the operation surface, the sensor being provided on one of the main surfaces at a location where at least a portion of the sensor does not overlap the support structure in plan view, the sensor generating an output indicative of the pressing operation applied to the operation surface; and a transmitter connected to the sensor and transmitting a signal to a remote receiver.

2 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a frequency discriminator that determines whether the output generated by the sensor is indicative of an intended pressing operation as a function of the frequency of the output sensor.

3 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor and the output is a first output, the detection device further including a second sensor provided on one of the main surfaces at a location where at least a portion of the second sensor does not overlap the support structure in plan view, the second sensor being spaced from the first sensor and generating a second output indicative of the pressing operation applied to the operation surface, the transmitter the signal transmitted to the remote receiver by the transmitter being a function of the first and second output signals and being indicative of the pressing operation.

4 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support structure includes first and second supports located at spaced locations on at least one of the main surfaces; and the sensor is located between the first and second supports.

5 . The detection device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the supports extend in a first direction; the piezoelectric member is a chiral polymer; and a uniaxial stretching direction of the piezoelectric member is not parallel to the first direction.

6 . The detection device according to claim 4 , wherein the supports are located on the rear surface.

7 . The detection device according to claim 6 , wherein the supports are located at opposed lateral ends of the operation surface.

8 . The detection device according to claim 4 , wherein the panel lies in a plane and the first and second supports extend parallel to the plane and parallel to each other.

9 . The detection device according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second supports are located at opposite lateral ends of the panel.

10 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure is integrally formed with the panel.

11 . The detection device according to claim 3 , wherein the transmitter includes a signal comparison unit that compares the outputs of the first and second sensors and generates the transmitted signal as a function thereof.

12 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a frequency discriminator that determines whether the signal output by the sensor is indicative of an intended input as a function of a frequency of the output of the sensor.

13 . An illumination switching device comprising:
a light source; a switch for turning the light source on and off; the detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is controlled by the remote receiver as a function of the signal generated by the transmitter.

14 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is located on the operation surface; and the detection device further comprises a surface film which is provided on the operation surface in such a manner that the sensor is sandwiched between the operation surface and the surface film.

15 . The detection device according to claim 14 , wherein the surface film covers the entire operation surface.

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Mori Kenichi
• Ando Masamichi

Classifications

• H03K17/9643 Primary

  using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard · CPC title

• H10N30/302

  Sensors · CPC title

• H10N30/857

  Macromolecular compositions · CPC title

• H10N30/10513

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H03K17/964 Primary

  Piezoelectric touch switches · CPC title