Force-sensitive resistor assemblies and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664577-B1
Application number	US-201414469436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2014
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A force-sensitive resistor (FSR) assembly includes first and second electrically insulative substrates. The first substrate includes a first top surface and a first bottom surface. The second substrate includes a second top surface and a second bottom surface. The first substrate is positioned such that the first bottom surface is disposed facing the second top surface. The FSR assembly also includes thermoset ink disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A force-sensitive resistor (FSR) assembly, comprising:
a first substrate made from a polyimide material having a decomposition temperature greater than or equal to approximately 300° Celsius and a coefficient of thermal expansion less than or equal to approximately 30, the first substrate having a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite the first top surface;
a second substrate made from the polyimide material, the second substrate having a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite the second top surface;
a first thermoset ink disposed on a portion of the first bottom surface;
a second thermoset ink disposed on a portion of the second top surface,
wherein the first substrate is positioned such that the portion of the first bottom surface faces the portion of the second top surface, and
the first thermoset ink or the second thermoset ink comprising at least one of carbon black particles or silver particles; and
an adhesive disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein
the first thermoset ink and the second thermoset ink are disposed radially inward of the adhesive along an axis of the FSR assembly extending substantially parallel to at least one of the first bottom surface and the second top surface, and
the adhesive is configured to separate the first thermoset ink from the second thermoset ink by a distance.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of conductors disposed on the second top surface, and a dielectric material disposed on at least one conductor of the plurality of conductors, the dielectric material being disposed between the adhesive and the second bottom surface.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoset ink comprises carbon black particles and the second thermoset ink comprises silver particles, the assembly further including a layer of carbon material disposed between the second thermoset ink and the first thermoset ink.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , the first substrate having a first thickness and the second substrate having a second thickness less than the first thickness, the carbon black particles having a particle size between approximately 70 nanometers and approximately 2 micrometers, and the silver particles having a particle size between approximately 70 nm and approximately 2 micrometers.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a force concentration layer is disposed on the first top surface and a preload layer is disposed on the force concentration layer, the preload layer applying a preload force to at least the first substrate, via the force concentration layer, of between approximately 100 gram force and approximately 500 gram force in the absence of other external forces applied to the first substrate.

6. An electronic device, comprising:
a processor;
a display coupled to the processor;
memory coupled to the processor; and
a force-sensitive resistor (FSR) assembly coupled to the processor, the FSR assembly including:
a first substrate comprising an electrically insulative material, the first substrate having a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite the first top surface,
a second substrate including the electrically insulative material, the second substrate having a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite the second top surface,
a thermoset ink disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and
an adhesive forming at least part of a gap extending from the first bottom surface to the second top surface, wherein the thermoset ink is disposed radially inward of the adhesive along an axis of the FSR assembly extending substantially parallel to at least one of the first bottom surface and the second top surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the adhesive is in contact with the at least one of the first bottom surface and the second top surface and extends substantially around a perimeter of the at least one of the first bottom surface and the second top surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the adhesive is radially spaced from the thermoset ink along the axis.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the thermoset ink comprises a first portion disposed on the first bottom surface and a second portion disposed on the second top surface, and wherein the first substrate is spaced from the second substrate such that the first portion is separated from the second portion by a distance.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first substrate is configured to flex in response to application of force, and wherein flexing of the first substrate varies the distance between the first and second portions.

11. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the thermoset ink is embedded within one of the first substrate or the second substrate.

12. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the thermoset ink comprises a first thermoset ink and second thermoset ink,
a single layer of the first thermoset ink is disposed on substantially the entire first bottom surface of the first substrate, and
a single layer of the second thermoset ink is disposed on substantially the entire second top surface of the second substrate.

13. The electronic device of claim 6 , the thermoset ink having one or more of:
a curing temperature between approximately 150° Celsius and approximately 350° Celsius, or
an electrical resistance between approximately 16 kΩ/mm2 and approximately 29 kΩ/mm2.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , the electrically insulative material having one or more of:
a decomposition temperature greater than or equal to approximately 300° Celsius, or
a coefficient of thermal expansion less than or equal to approximately 30.

15. The electronic device of claim 6 , the thermoset ink comprising at least one of carbon black particles and silver particles, the at least one of the carbon black particles and the silver particles each having a particle size between approximately 70 nanometers and approximately 2 micrometers.

16. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a preload layer, and a force concentration layer disposed between the preload layer and the first top surface, the preload layer applying a preload force to at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate, via the force concentration layer, between approximately 100 gram force and approximately 500 gram force in the absence of other external forces applied to the first substrate.

17. A force sensing resistor (FSR) assembly, comprising:
a first electrically insulative substrate, the first electrically insulative substrate having a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite the first top surface;
a second electrically insulative substrate, the second electrically insulative substrate having a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite the second top surface;
a thermoset ink disposed on at least one of the first bottom surface or on the second top surface; and
a spacer disposed at least partly between the first and second electrically insulative substrates, the spacer forming at least part of a gap extending from the first bottom surface to the second top surface, wherein
the thermoset ink is disposed radially inward of the spacer along an axis of the FSR assembly extending substantially parallel to at least one of the first bottom surface and the second top surface.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein:
the thermoset ink comprises a first thermoset ink and a second thermoset ink different from the fir

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Liljegren Edward Albert
• Almanza-Workman Angeles Marcia
• Lee Anna Kim
• Olson Robert
• Yang Jung Sik

Classifications

• G01L1/2287 Primary

  constructional details of the strain gauges (adjustable resistors H01C10/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/045

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title