ELECTRICAL CAPACITANCE SENSOR

• US 20110163763A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Inventors: Sakiyama, Koji, Kondo, Masahiro, Osaki, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,487,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/69 deformable terminals, e.g. crimping terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94094 Wired transmission, e.g. via bus connection or similar
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09318 Core having one signal plane and one power plane
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09354 Ground conductor along edge of main surface edge contacts H05K3/403
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09781 Dummy conductors, i.e. not used for normal transport of current; Dummy electrodes of components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector

Abstract

Disclosed is an electrical capacitance sensor comprising: a board 10 having a one main surface and an other main surface; a sensor electrode 26 formed on the one main surface of the board 10 and detecting an electrical capacitance between the sensor electrode 26 and an object; a first guard electrode 25 formed on the one main surface of the board 10 and in a vicinity of the sensor electrode 26; and a second guard electrode 27 formed on the other main surface of the board 10, wherein a first terminal connecting portion 21 for the first guard electrode 25 and a second terminal connecting portion 23 for the second guard electrode 27 are provided at positions opposing each other.

Claims

1. An electrical capacitance sensor comprising:

a board having a one main surface and an other main surface;

a sensor electrode formed on the one main surface of the board and detecting an electrical capacitance between the sensor electrode and an object;

a first guard electrode formed on the one main surface of the board and in a vicinity of the sensor electrode; and

a second guard electrode formed on the other main surface of the board,

wherein a first terminal connecting portion for the first guard electrode and a second terminal connecting portion for the second guard electrode are provided at positions opposing each other.

2. The electrical capacitance sensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a third terminal connecting portion for the sensor electrode, the third terminal connecting portion being formed on the one main surface of the board; and

a dummy terminal connecting portion formed at a position opposing the third terminal connecting portion and on the other main surface of the board,

wherein the dummy terminal connecting portion has a height approximately equal to a height of the second terminal connecting portion.

3. The electrical capacitance sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein

a terminal clamp having a pair of clamping plates for clamping the board from both surface sides is attached to each of a pair of the first terminal connecting portion and the second terminal connecting portion and a pair of the third terminal connecting portion and the dummy terminal connecting portion.

4. The electrical capacitance sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein

the dummy terminal connecting portion is formed of a conductive material same as for the second terminal connecting portion.

5. The electrical capacitance sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein

a pair of the third terminal connecting portion and the dummy terminal connecting portion opposing each other comprises a plurality of pairs of the third terminal connecting portions and the dummy terminal connecting portions, and the plurality of pairs are arranged in substantially parallel to one another.

6. The electrical capacitance sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the board is provided as a membrane having an electrode section.