Proximity Sensor with Connection Hole, and Method for Manufacturing the Same

• US 20090001999A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Douglas, Malcolm F.
• Application Number:
  US12/160,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/688
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a capacitive sensor film (50) for mounting to a body, said film comprising a backing layer (2) having, on one side, a rear major surface (2a) facing, in use, the body and, on the other side, a front major surface (2b), said rear major surface (2a) bearing a guard conductor (1) and said front major surface (2b) bearing a sensor conductor (7), and at least on through-going hole (10) extending through the backing layer to enable electrical contact to be made to one of the conductors from the respectively opposite side of the film, wherein the inner wall of the through-going hole is covered, at least partly, by an electrically-insulating film (11).

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A capacitive sensor film for mounting to a body, comprising a dielectric backing layer having a rear major surface facing, in use, the body and, on the other side, a front major surface, said rear major surface bearing a guard conductor and said front major surface bearing a sensor conductor, and at least one through-going hole defined by an inner wall extending through the backing layer, wherein the inner wall of the through-going hole is covered, at least partly, by an electrically-insulating film.

22. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21 wherein said front major surface additionally bears a superguard conductor.

23. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21, in which the electrically-insulating film extends into the through-going hole from at least one of the major surfaces of the backing layer.

24. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21, in which the electrically-insulating film is adhered to the inner wall of the through-going hole.

25. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 24, in which the electrically-insulating film is also adhered to a major surface of the backing layer around the through-going hole.

26. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 25, in which the electrically-insulating film is adhered to the wall of the through-going hole and the major surface of the backing layer by an adhesive.

27. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 25, in which a hole formed in the electrically-insulating film in alignment with the through-going hole (10), and a portion of the electrically-insulating film surrounding the hole is adhered to the inner wall of the through-going hole.

28. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21, wherein the through-going hole is arranged so that it does not extend through the sensor conductor.

29. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 28, wherein an auxiliary connector is electrically connected to the sensor conductor and extends essentially parallel to the front major surface of the backing layer at least partly over the through-going hole.

30. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21, wherein the guard conductor, the sensor conductor and, if present, the superguard conductor are provided with electrical connectors so that such connectors can be fed into a socket which is arranged on one side of the film, wherein one of the electrical connectors extends through the said through-going hole.

31. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21, in which the through-going hole is filled with an electrically-conductive material.

32. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21 comprising one or more protective layers applied to the rear major surface of the backing layer and/or on the front surface of the backing layer.

33. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 32, wherein an extension of the protective layers exceeds an extension of the backing layer in both the length and the width direction of the sensor film and the protective layers are laminated against each other around the edge of the sensor film thereby forming an edge sealing.

34. Capacity sensor film according to claim 21, wherein the sensor conductor is a metal film bonded to the front surface of the backing layer with an adhesive layer or is applied to the front surface of the backing layer by metal vapour coating.

35. Capacity sensor film according to claim 21, wherein the sensor conductor is an electrically conductive film or pattern comprising a conductive ink.

36. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21 wherein the sensor conductor forms a continuous or discontinuous metal area or areas whereby the discontinuous areas are electrically connected.

37. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21 wherein the guard conductor is a metal film bonded to the rear surface of the backing layer with an adhesive layer or is applied to the rear surface of the backing layer by metal vapour coating.

38. Capacitive sensor film according to claim 21 wherein the area of the guard conductor is selected to shield the sensor conductor and, if present, the superguard conductor.

39. Method of manufacturing a capacitive sensor film comprising

(i) providing a backing layer comprising a rear major surface and a front major surface,

(ii) applying a guard conductor to the rear major surface of the backing layer,

(iii) applying a sensor conductor to the front major surface of the backing layer, and

(iv) providing one or more through-going hole or holes extending through the backing layer so that the guard conductor, the sensor conductor and optionally the superguard conductor can be electrically contacted from one major surface of the laminate.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising applying an electrically-insulating film to a major surface of the backing layer, over a through-going hole, forming a hole in the electrically-insulating film in alignment with the through-going hole and pushing the surrounding portion of the electrically-insulating film into the through-going hole to cover at least part of the wall thereof.