INPUT DEVICE

• US 20150090579A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Inventors: ONO, Yasushi, KURIKAWA, Yohei, KONDO, Wataru, TAKAMATSU, Makoto, SANO, Yoshinori, TOMITSUKA, Toshimizu, AOKI, Osamu, AOSHIMA, Shinsuke, TACHIKAWA, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9613 using two electrodes per touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 with tactile or haptic feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960745 Capacitive differential; e.g. comparison with reference capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96076 with spring electrode

Abstract

An input device includes an insulation substrate, a switch element, and a detection portion. The switch element includes a fixed electrode portion that is provided on the substrate, and a movable electrode portion that is provided on a main surface side of the substrate, at least part of the movable electrode portion being elastically displaceable toward a direction approaching and leaving the fixed electrode portion. The movable electrode portion is displaceable toward a direction approaching the fixed electrode portion due to pressure from an object to be detected that is an electric conductor. The detection portion is capable of detecting a capacitance change caused by the object to be detected approaching and leaving the movable electrode portion and a capacitance change between the movable electrode portion and the fixed electrode portion produced by displacement of the movable electrode portion due to pressing.

Claims

1. An input device comprising an insulation substrate, a switch element provided on the substrate, and a detection portion that detects a capacitance change at the switch element, wherein:

the switch element comprises a fixed electrode portion that is provided on the substrate, and a movable electrode portion that is provided on a main surface side of the substrate, at least part of the movable electrode portion being elastically displaceable toward a direction approaching and leaving the fixed electrode portion;

the movable electrode portion is displaceable toward a direction approaching the fixed electrode portion due to pressure from an object to be detected that is an electric conductor;

the detection portion is capable of detecting a capacitance change caused by the object to be detected approaching and leaving the movable electrode portion and a capacitance change between the movable electrode portion and the fixed electrode portion produced by displacement of the movable electrode portion due to pressing; and

the fixed electrode portion is electrically insulated with respect to the movable electrode portion and is connected to ground.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable electrode portion is a domical shape or an arch shape which is protruded toward a direction leaving the substrate, and an approximate center portion is elastically displaceable toward a direction approaching and leaving the fixed electrode portion.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the movable electrode portion is electrically connected to an external electrode portion provided on a main surface side of the substrate; and

the external electrode portion is formed at a periphery of the fixed electrode portion when seen from a planar view, and has a distance to the fixed electrode portion that is greater than a distance of maximum displacement toward a direction approaching and leaving the fixed electrode portion of the movable electrode portion.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the external electrode portion is formed at a region comprising the movable electrode portion when seen from a planar view; and

an outside dimension of the external electrode portion is 1.5 times larger than an outside dimension of the movable electrode portion.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed electrode portion is provided at a surface side which is opposite to the main surface side of the substrate.

6. The input device according to claim 5, wherein a height adjustment unit that regulates a shift of the movable electrode portion toward a direction approaching the substrate is formed at the main surface side of the substrate.

7. The input device according to claim 6, wherein the height adjustment unit is formed in laminate along the main surface.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the fixed electrode portion is provided on the main surface side of the substrate; and

at least on a surface of the movable electrode portion side of the fixed electrode portion, an insulation portion is formed that prevents the movable electrode portion from being electrically connected to the fixed electrode portion when the movable electrode portion is displaced toward a direction approaching the fixed electrode portion.

9. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the insulation portion is made of one resin or two or more resins selected from a group of an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, a polyester resin, a polyimide resin, and an epoxide resin.

10. The input device according to claim 8, wherein relative permittivity of the insulation portion is 1.5 to 10.

11. The input device according to claim 8, wherein a thickness of the insulation portion is 5 μ

m or more.

12. The input device according to claim 8, wherein a difference in height between an upper surface of the insulation layer and an upper surface of the external electrode portion based on the main surface of the substrate is 0 or more, and is within a range of less than or equal to one-tenth of a distance between the fixed electrode portion and a portion of the movable electrode portion that faces to the fixed electrode portion.