CAPACITIVE PRESSURE SENSOR AND INPUT DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20130047747A1
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: JOUNG, Il Kweon
• Application Number:
  US13/490,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20130047747A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.68
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04142 the force sensing means being located peripherally, e.g. disposed at the corners or at the side of a touch sensing plate

Abstract

There are provided a pressure sensor and an input device including the same. The pressure sensor includes: a first conductive substrate having flexibility; a second conductive substrate disposed in parallel with the first conductive substrate; and an elastic dielectric layer disposed between the first and second conductive substrates and including a plurality of structures having a pyramidal shape, wherein the structures of the elastic dielectric layer are deformed according to pressure applied to the first conductive substrate to generate a change in capacitance between the first and second conductive substrates. Accordingly, the pressure sensor is capable of efficiently sensing a small amount of pressure.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor comprising:

a first conductive substrate having flexibility;

a second conductive substrate disposed in parallel with the first conductive substrate; and

an elastic dielectric layer disposed between the first and second conductive substrates and including a plurality of structures having a pyramidal shape,

wherein the structures of the elastic dielectric layer are deformed according to pressure applied to the first conductive substrate to generate a change in capacitance between the first and second conductive substrates.

2. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the structures of the elastic dielectric layer have a conical shape.

3. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the structures of the elastic dielectric layer have a poly-pyramidal shape.

4. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the first and second conductive substrates have voltages having different levels applied thereto.

5. The pressure sensor of claim 4, wherein the second conductive substrate has a voltage having a ground level applied thereto.

6. An input device comprising:

a plurality of pressure sensors; and

a circuit part sensing a change in capacitance generated in the plurality of pressure sensors,

wherein each of the pressure sensors includes;

a first conductive substrate having flexibility;

a second conductive substrate disposed in parallel with the first conductive substrate; and

an elastic dielectric layer disposed between the first and second conductive substrates and including a plurality of structures having a pyramidal shape.

7. The input device of claim 6, wherein the circuit part senses a change in capacitance generated between the first and second conductive substrates due to deformation of the structures of the elastic dielectric layer by pressure.

8. The input device of claim 6, wherein the circuit part includes a charge pump circuit.

9. The input device of claim 6, wherein the circuit part applies different voltages to the first and second conductive substrates and measures changes in the applied voltages to sense a change in capacitance between the first and second conductive substrates.

10. The input device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are disposed on a two-dimensional plane.

11. The input device of claim 10, wherein the circuit part determines a coordinate of pressure applied to the two-dimensional plane, based on the change in capacitance sensed in the plurality of pressure sensors.