External operation detection structure body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9307663-B2
Application number	US-201313953171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2013
Priority date	Jul 4, 2011
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

An external operation detection structure body including: a sensor casing having an aperture window; an external operation detection sensor arranged at a formation zone of the aperture window; a sheet-like interface member that covers a front face of the detection sensor and closes the aperture window; an outer peripheral wall protruding out from a rear face of an outer periphery of the interface member and penetrating into the aperture window so as to be arranged between the detection sensor and the sensor casing; and front and rear face seal protrusions extending respectively from front and rear edges of the outer peripheral wall toward an outer peripheral side so as to be superposed respectively with front and rear faces of a peripheral edge of the aperture window of the sensor casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external operation detection structure body comprising:
a sensor casing having an aperture window;
an external operation detection sensor arranged at a formation zone of the aperture window;
a sheet-like interface member that covers a front face of the detection sensor and closes the aperture window, the interface member being formed of an elastic material;
an outer peripheral wall formed protruding out from a rear face of an outer periphery of the interface member and penetrating into the aperture window of the sensor casing so as to be arranged between the detection sensor and the sensor casing;
a front face seal protrusion formed extending from a front edge of the outer peripheral wall toward an outer peripheral side so as to be superposed with a front face of a peripheral edge of the aperture window of the sensor casing; and
a rear face seal protrusion formed extending from a rear edge of the outer peripheral wall toward the outer peripheral side so as to be superposed with a rear face of the peripheral edge of the aperture window of the sensor casing.

2. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , further comprising a base member fixed and attached to the sensor casing, wherein the rear face seal protrusion is compressed between the base member and the peripheral edge of the aperture window of the sensor casing.

3. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , further comprising: a base member fixed and attached to the sensor casing; and a thick latching head integrally formed with a protruded tip of the rear face seal protrusion, wherein the latching head is retained under a latched condition between the sensor casing and the base member.

4. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , wherein the front face seal protrusion gradually reduces a thickness thereof toward an outer peripheral edge so that a surface thereof gets closer to that of the sensor casing to form a slope.

5. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , further comprising: an operating area for external operations provided at a center of the interface member; and a concave groove for isolating strain formed at a location on an outer peripheral side of the operating area and on an inner peripheral side of a formation zone of the outer peripheral wall, extending open on a front face of the interface member.

6. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , further comprising: an operating area for external operations provided at a center of the interface member; and a concave groove for isolating strain formed at a location on an outer peripheral side of the operating area and on an inner peripheral side of a formation zone of the outer peripheral wall, extending open on a rear face of the interface member.

7. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , wherein the detection sensor is a capacitance type sensor that detects external forces based on changes in capacitance following a deformation due to an action of the external forces, the sensor being stored and arranged on a rear face of the interface member within an interior area surrounded by the outer peripheral wall.

8. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , wherein an electrical circuit for directing electric current to the detection sensor is arranged at the formation zone of the aperture window of the sensor casing.

9. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 1 , wherein the detection sensor is a capacitance type sensor that detects external forces based on changes in capacitance following a deformation due to an action of the external forces, and a rear face of the detection sensor is supported by a base member fixed and attached to the sensor casing, whereas the interface member covering the front face of the detection sensor is formed of an elastic material, the interface member being provided with an operating area for external operations, and a front face of the operating area being made in a concave curved shape.

10. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 9 , wherein, corresponding to the external forces acting on the operating area of the interface member, a displacement on a rear face of the operating area at an acting position of the external forces is made larger than that on a front face of the base member.

11. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 10 , further comprising a pressure receiving buffer arranged superposed between the detection sensor and the base member, wherein, corresponding to the external forces acting on the operating area of the interface member, the displacement on the rear face of the operating area at the acting position of the external forces is made larger than that on a front face of the pressure receiving buffer, while the displacement on the front face of the pressure receiving buffer at the acting position of the external forces is made larger than that on the front face of the base member.

12. The external operation detection structure body according to claim 9 , wherein the front face of the operating area of the interface member is composed of a concave curved shape, while a rear face of the operating area is composed of a plane and superposed with the detection sensor.

Assignees

• Tokai Rubber Ind Ltd
• Sumitomo Riko Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Koichi
• Hayakawa Tomonori
• Muramatsu Atsushi

Classifications

• H01H9/04 Primary

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings · CPC title

• G01R27/2605

  Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24) · CPC title

• H05K5/061 Primary

  sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing · CPC title

• H01H2009/048

  using a sealing boot, e.g. the casing having separate elastic body surrounding the operating member and hermetically closing the opening for it · CPC title