Sensor device, display unit, and input unit

• US 10,386,971 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Taizo, Iida, Fumihiko, Mizuno, Hiroshi, Abe, Yasuyuki, Tanaka, Takayuki, Hasegawa, Hayato, Shinkai, Shogo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mishler, Robin J
• Application Number:
  US14/910,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20160179248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

A sensor device includes: a sensor layer provided at a position facing a surface, of a substrate having an operation surface, opposite to the operation surface, and configured to detect a contacted position or a pressed position on the operation surface; and a gap layer located in a gap between the substrate and the sensor layer. The gap layer includes a bonding region bonding the substrate to the sensor layer, and a relaxation region relaxing stress applied from the substrate to the sensor layer.

Claims

1. A sensor device, comprising:

a sensor layer at a first position, wherein

a first surface of the sensor layer faces a second surface of a display panel having an operation surface,

the second surface is opposite to the operation surface, and

the sensor layer is configured to detect one of a contacted position or a pressed position on the operation surface;

a gap layer in a gap between the display panel and the sensor layer, wherein

the gap layer includes a bonding region and a relaxation region,

the bonding region is at a second position on a central part of the sensor layer,

the relaxation region is at a third position that faces an edge of the sensor layer,

the bonding region bonds the display panel to the sensor layer,

the relaxation region relaxes a stress applied from the display panel to the sensor layer,

each of the bonding region and the relaxation region includes one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like adhesive parts or one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like bonding parts, and

a first bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the relaxation region is lower than a second bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the bonding region.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

a first population density of the adhesive parts in the relaxation region is smaller than a second population density of the adhesive parts in the bonding region, and

a first population density of the bonding parts in the relaxation region is smaller than a second population density of the bonding parts in the bonding region.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the relaxation region is a clearance region.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the bonding region further includes one of a sheet adhesive layer or a sheet bonding layer, and

the relaxation region is a clearance region.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the bonding region and the relaxation region further includes one of a sheet adhesive layer or a sheet bonding layer.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the bonding region further includes one of a sheet adhesive layer or a sheet bonding layer, and

the relaxation region is a sheet non-adhesive part.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor layer is a flexible layer.

10. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

an edge of the operation surface of the display panel faces an upper surface part of a housing.

8. A display unit, comprising:

a display panel that includes a display surface; and

a sensor device on a first side of the display panel, wherein the first side is opposite to the display surface, and wherein the sensor device comprises;

a sensor layer at a first position apart from the display panel, wherein

a first surface of the sensor layer faces the display panel, and

the sensor layer is configured to detect one of a contacted position or a pressed position on the display surface; and

a gap layer in a gap between the display panel and the sensor layer, wherein

the gap layer includes a bonding region and a relaxation region,

the bonding region is at a second position on a central part of the sensor layer,

the relaxation region is at a third position that faces an edge of the sensor layer,

the bonding region bonds the display panel to the sensor layer,

the relaxation region relaxes stress applied from the display panel to the sensor layer,

each of the bonding region and the relaxation region includes one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like adhesive parts or one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like bonding parts, and

a first bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the relaxation region is lower than a second bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the bonding region.

11. The display unit according to claim 8, further comprising a housing, wherein an upper surface part of the housing is opposite to an edge of the display surface of the display panel.

9. An input unit, comprising:

a display panel that includes an operation surface; and

a sensor device on a first side of the display panel, wherein

the first side is opposite to the operation surface, and

the sensor device comprises;

a sensor layer at a first position apart from the display panel, wherein

a first surface of the sensor layer faces the display panel, and

the sensor layer is configured to detect one of a contacted position or a pressed position on the operation surface; and

a gap layer in a gap between the display panel and the sensor layer, wherein

the gap layer includes a bonding region and a relaxation region,

the bonding region is at a second position on a central part of the sensor layer and the relaxation region is at a third position that faces an edge of the sensor layer, and

the bonding region bonds the display panel to the sensor layer,

the relaxation region relaxes stress applied from the display panel to the sensor layer,

each of the bonding region and the relaxation region includes one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like adhesive parts or one of dot-like, lattice-like, or stripe-like bonding parts, and

a first bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the relaxation region is lower than a second bonding strength of each of the adhesive parts or each of the bonding parts in the bonding region.