Force determination based on capacitive sensing

• US 10,386,970 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Harley, Jonah A., Richards, Peter W., Huppi, Brian Q., Leung, Omar Sze, Shah, Dhaval N., Grunthaner, Martin P., Hotelling, Steven P., Christophy, Miguel C, Katiyar, Vivek, Tan, Tang Yew, Butler, Christopher J., de Jong, Erik G., Sartee, Ming, Qiao, Rui, Martisauskas, Steven J., Hoen, Storrs T., Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Hooton, Lee E., Spraggs, Ian A., Cohen, Sawyer I., Pakula, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiles, Ivelisse Martinez
• Application Number:
  US14/766,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a cover glass;

a touch sensor comprising one or more arrays of conductive lines integrated with the cover glass and configured to detect a location of a touch on the cover glass;

a force-sensing structure disposed at a periphery of the touch sensor, wherein the force-sensing structure comprises;

a first layer of polyimide flex material;

a first capacitive plate on the first layer of polyimide flex material;

a second layer of polyimide flex material;

a second capacitive plate disposed on the second layer of polyimide flex material; and

a compressible dielectric element disposed between the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate; and

force-sensing circuitry configured to detect changes in capacitive coupling between the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate due to compression of the compressible dielectric element, and to produce a signal that corresponds to a magnitude of a touch force on the touch sensor, wherein;

the compressible dielectric element of the force-sensing structure is configured to compress in response to the touch force on the touch sensor;

the force-sensing structure encircles an interior cavity of the electronic device;

the first capacitive plate is positioned closer to the compressible dielectric element than the first layer of polyimide flex material, the second capacitive plate is positioned closer to the compressible dielectric element than the second layer of polyimide flex material, and the first layer of polyimide flex material is positioned between the cover glass and the first capacitive plate;

a portion of the first capacitive plate extends outward from the first layer of polyimide flex material, towards the interior cavity, and a portion of the second capacitive plate extends outward from the second layer of polyimide flex material, towards the interior cavity; and

the portions of the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate are operatively coupled to the force-sensing circuitry.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force-sensing structure is a first force-sensing structure disposed along a first edge of the touch sensor, the electronic device further comprising:

a second force-sensing structure disposed along a second edge of the touch sensor, the second force-sensing structure comprising;

a third layer of polyimide flex material;

a third capacitive plate;

a fourth layer of polyimide flex material;

a fourth capacitive plate; and

a second compressible dielectric element disposed between the third capacitive plate and the fourth capacitive plate;

wherein;

the third capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible dielectric element than the third layer of polyimide flex material, and the fourth capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible dielectric element than the fourth layer of polyimide flex material; and

the force-sensing circuitry operatively coupled to the first force-sensing structure and the second force-sensing structure and configured to detect changes in capacitive coupling due to deflection of the first force-sensing structure and the second force-sensing structure, wherein the force-sensing circuitry is further configured to produce the signal that corresponds to the magnitude of the touch force on the touch sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an enclosure having an opening and a bezel surrounding the opening; and

a display element disposed within the enclosure, below the cover glass, and viewable through the opening of the enclosure.

5. A force-sensing structure, comprising:

an upper body comprising a dielectric layer;

an upper capacitive plate connected to the upper body;

a lower body;

a lower capacitive plate connected to the lower body;

a deformable middle body connected to one of the upper body and the upper capacitive plate, the deformable middle body further connected to one of the lower body and the lower capacitive plate; and

an electrical connector tail configured to electrically connect the force-sensing structure to a force-sensing circuit, wherein;

each of the upper body, the upper capacitive plate, the lower body, the lower capacitive plate, and the deformable middle body defines a hole for positioning a display, wherein the force-sensing structure is disposed at a periphery of a cover glass and around the display, and between the cover glass and a ledge of a housing of an electronic device, with the dielectric layer oriented toward the cover glass;

the lower body comprises a second dielectric layer; and

the electrical connector tail comprises;

a first circuit layer comprising a first flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the upper capacitive plate, a second circuit layer comprising a second flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the lower capacitive plate, and an end portion configured to be detachably connected to a circuit component.

6. The force-sensing structure of claim 5, wherein the deformable middle body is configured to deform in response to a force on the force-sensing structure.

7. The force-sensing structure of claim 5, further comprising the force-sensing circuit, wherein the upper capacitive plate and the lower capacitive plate are operatively coupled to the force-sensing circuit, and the force-sensing circuit is configured to detect changes in capacitive coupling between the upper capacitive plate and the lower capacitive plate due to deformation of the deformable middle body.

8. The force-sensing structure of claim 7, wherein the force-sensing circuit is further configured to produce a signal that corresponds to a magnitude of a force on the force-sensing structure.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a cover glass;

a touch sensor comprising one or more arrays of conductive lines integrated with the cover glass and configured to detect a location of a touch on the cover glass;

a display disposed below the cover glass;

a force-sensing structure disposed around the display, wherein the force-sensing structure comprises;

a first layer of polyimide flex material;

a first capacitive plate on the first layer of polyimide flex material;

a second layer of polyimide flex material;

a second capacitive plate disposed on the second layer of polyimide flex material;

a compressible element disposed between the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate; and

an electrical connector tail for electrically connecting the force-sensing structure to force-sensing circuitry, wherein;

each of the first layer, the first capacitive plate, the second layer, the second capacitive plate, and the compressible element defines a hole in which the display is positioned;

the first capacitive plate is positioned closer to the compressible element than the first layer of polyimide flex material, the second capacitive plate is positioned closer to the compressible element than the second layer of polyimide flex material, and the first layer of polyimide flex material is positioned between the cover glass and the first capacitive plate; and

the electrical connector tail comprises a first circuit layer comprising a first flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the first capacitive plate, a second circuit layer comprising a second flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the second capacitive plate, and an end portion configured to be detachably connected to a circuit component, wherein the end portion includes a void region between the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the compressible element of the force-sensing structure is configured to compress in response to a touch force on the touch sensor.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate are operatively coupled to the force-sensing circuitry;

the force-sensing circuitry is configured to detect changes in capacitive coupling between the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate due to compression of the compressible element; and

the force-sensing circuitry is further configured to produce a signal that corresponds to a magnitude of a touch force on the touch sensor.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the force-sensing structure is a first force-sensing structure disposed along a first edge of a periphery of the touch sensor, the electronic device further comprising:

a second force-sensing structure disposed along a second edge of the periphery of the touch sensor, the second force-sensing structure comprising;

a third layer of polyimide flex material;

a third capacitive plate;

a fourth layer of polyimide flex material;

a fourth capacitive plate; and

a second compressible element disposed between the third capacitive plate and the fourth capacitive plate;

wherein;

the third capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible element than the third layer of polyimide flex material, and the fourth capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible element than the fourth layer of polyimide flex material;

the force-sensing circuitry is operatively coupled to the first force-sensing structure and the second force-sensing structure and configured to detect changes in capacitive coupling due to deflection of the first force-sensing structure and the second force-sensing structure; and

the force-sensing circuitry is further configured to produce a signal that corresponds to a magnitude of a touch force on the touch sensor.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

an enclosure having an opening and a bezel surrounding the opening; and

a display element disposed within the enclosure, below the cover glass, and viewable through the opening of the enclosure.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the force-sensing structure is a first force-sensing structure disposed along a first edge of a periphery of the touch sensor, the electronic device further comprising:

a second force-sensing structure disposed along a second edge of the periphery of the touch sensor, the second force-sensing structure comprising;

a third layer of polyimide flex material;

a third capacitive plate;

a fourth layer of polyimide flex material;

a fourth capacitive plate; and

a second compressible element disposed between the third capacitive plate and the fourth capacitive plate;

wherein

the third capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible element than the third layer of polyimide flex material, and the fourth capacitive plate is positioned closer to the second compressible element than the fourth layer of polyimide flex material; and

the electrical connector tail further comprises;

a third circuit layer comprising a third flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the third capacitive plate, a fourth circuit layer comprising t a fourth flexible conductive layer electrically connected with the fourth capacitive plate, wherein the void region is further between the third circuit layer and the fourth circuit layer.