Device forming a pressure sensor, method for producing such a sensor and application in the production of a touch screen

• US 9,057,651 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Benwadih, Mohamed
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/639,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 73723-724, 737/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/02 by hydraulic or pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0092 using variations in ohmic resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0095 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/12 by making use of variations in capacitance , i.e. electric circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/18 with level of surface of contact liquid displaced by non-electrical contact-making plunger
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

A device forming a pressure sensor is provided. The device includes: a substrate made of electrical insulation material including a first reservoir, a second reservoir in communication with the first reservoir and of which two internal walls are each equipped with an electrode, and a flexible membrane made of an electrical insulation material, including a protuberance and secured to the substrate so as to enable movement of the protuberance between a position in which it is at a distance from a liquid filling the first reservoir and at least one second position in which it exerts a pressure on the liquid, thus discharging it at least partially from the first reservoir toward the second reservoir with mechanical contact with the two electrodes, the mechanical contact of the liquid with the electrodes establishing a resistance or capacitance between the electrodes. Application in the production of a touch screen is also provided.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor device comprising:

a substrate comprising an electrical insulation material, said substrate further comprising a first reservoir, a second reservoir in communication with the first reservoir and of which two internal walls are each equipped with an electrode;

a flexible membrane comprising an electrical insulation material, said flexible membrane comprising a protuberance and secured to the substrate so as to enable movement of the protuberance between a position in which it is at a distance from a liquid filling the first reservoir and at least one second position in which it exerts a pressure on the liquid, thus discharging it at least partially from the first reservoir toward the second reservoir with mechanical contact with the two electrodes, said mechanical contact of the liquid with the two electrodes establishing a resistance or capacitance between the two electrodes.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprising an electric insulation material has such a thickness that it is flexible.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said electric insulation material of said substrate comprises a plastic material.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said electric insulation material of said substrate is selected from polyethylenes.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the electric insulation substrate comprises polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is electrically conductive.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is electrically semiconductive.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is electrically insulating.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible membrane comprises a plastic material.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the flexible membrane comprises polyethylene (PE).

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is a metal sheet covered with an electric insulation film.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first reservoir has a shape substantially complementary to the protuberance except on a short distance, said short distance enabling the liquid to be discharged from the first reservoir toward the second reservoir when pressure is applied on the protuberance.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the protuberance has a parallelepiped shape.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir are joined, with the second reservoir being above the first reservoir.

15. A touch screen comprising:

a plurality of pressure sensor devices according to claim 1, said touch screen further comprising;

a single substrate and a single membrane, with the sensors being arranged uniformly over an entire surface according to a defined pitch, one of the two electrodes of each sensor being connected to one of the two electrodes of all of the others of the plurality of sensors by defining lines, the other of the two electrodes of each sensor being connected to the other of the two electrodes of all of the others of the plurality of sensors by defining columns, the lines being connected to an electric potential and the columns being connected to an electric potential different from that of the lines.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is polyethylenedioxythiophene (PDOT) polymer or polyaniline or an electrolyte.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) polymer.

18. A method for producing a device forming a pressure sensor comprising:

a) producing a substrate that comprises an electric insulation material, said substrate comprising a first reservoir and a portion of a second reservoir in communication with the first reservoir,

b) metallizing a base of the second reservoir to create a first electrode and a portion of an electrical connection line connected to the first electrode,

c) producing a flexible membrane comprising an electric insulation material, said flexible membrane comprising a protuberance,

d) metallizing a face of the membrane or a layer comprising an electric insulation material secured to the membrane on a side of the protuberance so as to create a second electrode and a portion of a second electrical connection line connected to the second electrode,

e) filling a portion of the first reservoir with a liquid,

f) securing the flexible membrane to the substrate so as to have the protuberance opposite the first reservoir and enable movement thereof between a position in which it is at a distance from the liquid and at least one second position in which it exerts a pressure on the liquid, thus discharging it at least partially from the first reservoir toward the second reservoir defined by the two electrodes, with mechanical contact with them, said mechanical contact of the liquid with the two electrodes establishing a variation in resistance or capacitance between the two electrodes.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a) comprises embossing or etching an electric insulation substrate.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein c) comprises molding, embossing or etching.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein, after e), a vacuum is created in a portion of the first reservoir not filled with the liquid and in the second reservoir.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein, f) comprises bonding the membrane onto the substrate with alignment.