Electronic device including display equipped with force sensor

• US 10,531,580 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jung Won, Kim, Eui Jin, Kang, Han Vit, Kang, Ho Kyung, Kim, Byeong Cheol, Byeon, Hyung Sup, Jeong, Jeong Sik, Cho, Eun Sung, Kim, Kwang Tai, Hong, Hyun Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Yuzhen
• Application Number:
  US15/668,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20180042127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0084 comprising a single continuous metallic layer on an electrically insulating supporting structure, e.g. metal foil, film, plating coating, electro-deposition, vapour-deposition

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing that includes a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and a transparent member forming at least part of the first surface, a display that is interposed between the first surface and the second surface of the housing and is exposed through the transparent member, and a force sensor that is interposed between the display and the second surface of the housing.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the housing includes a transparent member forming at least part of the first surface;

a display interposed between the first surface and the second surface of the housing and exposed through the transparent member; and

a force sensor interposed between the display and the second surface of the housing,

wherein the force sensor includes;

a first electrode layer disposed on a rear surface of the display, the first electrode layer substantially in parallel with the display;

a second electrode layer consisting of a copper sheet laminated with a graphite sheet and is electrically connected with a ground of the display, the copper sheet being electrically ground and spaced apart from the first electrode layer in the second direction, the second electrode layer substantially in parallel with the first electrode layer; and

an opaque adhesive member interposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the opaque adhesive member includes an opaque material and an adhesive material, and

wherein the first electrode layer contacts a first surface of the opaque adhesive member in the first direction, and the second electrode layer contacts a second surface of the opaque adhesive member in the second direction.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the opaque adhesive member includes:

a first adhesive layer in contact with the first electrode layer;

a second adhesive layer spaced apart from the first adhesive layer in the second direction and in contact with the second electrode layer; and

an opaque layer interposed between the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer.

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

a polymer interposed between the display and the first electrode layer to prevent oxidation of the opaque adhesive member.

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

a printed circuit board interposed between the second electrode layer and the second surface of the housing,

wherein the second electrode layer includes a material that shields at least a part of electromagnetic interference (EMI) between the display and the printed circuit board.

6. An electronic device comprising:

a display including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction;

a transparent member disposed over the first surface of the display;

a force sensor disposed on the second surface of the display; and

a printed circuit board disposed below the force sensor in the second direction,

wherein the force sensor includes;

a first electrode layer directly disposed on the second surface of the display;

an opaque adhesive member disposed on a surface of the first electrode layer facing the second direction; and

a second electrode layer consisting of a copper sheet laminated with a graphite sheet and is electrically connected with a ground of the display, the copper sheet being electrically ground and disposed on a surface of the opaque adhesive member facing the second direction,

wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the display are electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of electrodes extending in a third direction parallel with the second surface of the display.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of electrodes extending in a fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the second electrode layer is a bracket supporting the printed circuit board.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising:

a polarizer configured to convert light emitted from the display into polarized light; and

a touch sensor configured to recognize a location of a touch input on or near the transparent member.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein

the touch sensor is interposed between the transparent member and the display, and

wherein the polarizer is interposed between the transparent member and the touch sensor.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the polarizer is disposed on the first surface of the display;

and

wherein the touch sensor is embedded within the polarizer.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the touch sensor is interposed between the first surface and the second surface of the display;

and

wherein the polarizer is disposed on the first surface of the display.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the polarizer is disposed on the first surface of the display;

and

wherein the touch sensor is disposed over the polarizer in the first direction.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the touch sensor is disposed on a surface of the transparent member facing the second direction, and

wherein the polarizer is disposed on the first surface of the display.

16. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising:

a touch sensor configured to sense a location of a touch input from an object on or near the transparent member;

an integrated circuit connected to at least one of the display, the touch sensor, and the force sensor and configured to control driving timing of at least one of the display, the touch sensor, and the force sensor; and

a processor configured to control the integrated circuit, wherein the processor is mounted on the printed circuit board.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the respective driving timing of the display, the touch sensor, and the force sensor are different from each other.