TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20160195971A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Ando, Masamichi, Kano, Hidekazu
• Granted Patent: US 10,466,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A touch sensor that includes a pressure detection sensor and a position detection sensor. The pressure detection sensor and the position detection sensor are sequentially disposed from an operation surface side of the touch sensor. The position detection sensor includes a dielectric substrate, first position detecting electrodes on a first principal surface of the dielectric substrate, and second position detecting electrodes on a second principal surface of the dielectric substrate. The pressure detection sensor includes a piezoelectric film, a first piezoelectric detecting electrode on a first principal surface of the piezoelectric film, and a second piezoelectric detecting electrode on a second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second piezoelectric detecting electrodes are disposed so as to not overlap the first and second position detecting electrodes.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising:

a pressure detection sensor that includes a piezoelectric film and first and second piezoelectric detecting electrodes arranged on respective opposed sides of the piezoelectric film; and

a position detection sensor that includes a dielectric substrate and first and second position detecting electrodes arranged on respective opposed sides of the dielectric substrate, wherein the pressure detection sensor and the position detection sensor are sequentially arranged from an operation surface side of the touch sensor, and the piezoelectric detecting electrodes and the position detecting electrodes are disposed so as to not overlap each other when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the operation surface.

2. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting sensor is an electrostatic position detecting sensor.

3. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second piezoelectric detecting electrodes are disposed on respective opposed principal surfaces of the piezoelectric film.

4. The touch sensor according to claim 3, wherein the first and second position detecting electrodes are disposed on respective opposed principal surfaces of the dielectric substrate.

5. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second position detecting electrodes are disposed on respective opposed principal surfaces of the dielectric substrate.

6. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric detecting electrodes are in a cyclic shape along an outer periphery of the piezoelectric film, and the position detecting electrodes are located in a region on an inside of the cyclic shape.

7. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric detecting electrodes are positioned at least partly along an outer periphery of the piezoelectric film.

8. The touch sensor according to claim 1, further comprising first and second insulating films arranged on the respective opposed sides of the piezoelectric film and between the first and second piezoelectric detecting electrodes and the piezoelectric film.

9. The touch sensor according to claim 8, wherein, of the first and second insulating films, the insulating film located on the side of the position detection sensor includes an opening within which the position detection sensor is located.

10. The touch sensor according to claim 8, further comprising third and fourth insulating films arranged on the respective opposed sides of the dielectric film and between the first and second position detecting electrodes and the dielectric film.

11. The touch sensor according to claim 10, wherein, of the first and second insulating films, the insulating film located on the side of the position detection sensor includes an opening within which the position detection sensor is located.

12. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric film is made of polylactic acid stretched in a uniaxial direction.