Capacity detecting sensor

• US 20060119369A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Masahito, Kawahata, Ken
• Application Number:
  US11/261,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/662
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor includes first electrodes which extend from column wiring lines, second electrodes which extend from row wiring lines and are formed on a layer different from that of the first electrodes, a third electrode which is electrically independent from the first electrode and the second electrode through an insulating film, a first electrostatic capacity region C1 formed between the first electrodes and the third electrode, and a second electrostatic capacity region C2 formed between the second electrodes and the third electrode.

Claims

1. An electrostatic capacity detecting sensor, in which row wiring lines and column wiring lines are arranged in a matrix on a substrate, comprising:

first electrodes which extend from the row wiring lines at intersections between the row wiring lines and the column wiring lines;

second electrodes which extend from the column wiring lines and are formed on a different layer from that of the first electrodes;

a third electrode which is electrically independent from the first electrodes and the second electrodes through an insulating film;

a first electrostatic capacity region formed between the first electrodes and the third electrode; and

a second electrostatic capacity region formed between the second electrodes and the third electrode,

wherein a change in distance between an object to be detected and the third electrode is detected by change of displacement current between the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

2. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the third electrode is provided above the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

3. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the third electrode is formed between the first electrodes and the second electrodes through the insulating film.

4. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 3,

wherein a portion of the third electrode is exposed to a surface through a contact hole formed in the insulating film.

5. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the third electrode vertically extends to surround upper electrodes of the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

6. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the third electrode is formed on the same layer of the upper electrodes of the first electrodes and the second electrodes and a layer located higher than the upper electrodes while conducted with one another.

7. The electrostatic capacity detecting sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the substrate is made of a transparent material, and the first electrodes, the second electrodes, and the third electrode are made of a transparent conductive material.