Electrode sheet for pressure detection and pressure detecting module including the same

• US 9,715,302 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Original Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Seyeob, Yoon, Sang Sic, Kim, Bonkee
• Primary Examiner(s): KHAN, IBRAHIM A
• Application Number:
  US14/926,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

An electrode sheet including an electrode layer and a support layer may be provided. The electrode layer includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrode sheet is used to detect a capacitance change between the first electrode and the second electrode, which is changed according to a relative distance change between the electrode layer and a reference potential layer disposed apart from the electrode sheet. The support layer is made of a material which is bent when a pressure is applied thereto and which is restored to its original state when the pressure is released therefrom.

Claims

1. An electrode sheet comprising a first insulation layer, a second insulation layer and an electrode layer disposed between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer,

wherein the electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,

wherein at least one of the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer includes a support layer,

wherein the electrode sheet is used to detect a capacitance change between the first electrode and the second electrode, which is changed according to a relative distance change between the electrode layer and a reference potential layer disposed apart from the electrode sheet,

wherein the support layer is made of a material which is bent when a pressure is applied thereto and which is restored to its original state when the pressure is released therefrom,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to a touch input device comprising a display module and a substrate located under the display module,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to one of the substrate and the display module,

wherein the reference potential layer is the other of the substrate and the display module,

wherein a spacer layer is disposed between the display module and the substrate,

wherein a distance between the display module and the substrate is maintained only by a support structure located only in an edge portion of the substrate,

wherein the spacer layer does not contribute to the maintaining the distance between the display module and the substrate,

wherein, when a pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent,

and wherein the distance between the electrode layer and the reference potential layer is changed when the display module is bent.

2. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein the support layer is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

3. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein the support layer is formed of polyimide (PI).

4. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the electrode sheet is 50 μ

m to 450 μ

m.

5. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein the electrode layer constitutes a plurality of channels.

6. The electrode sheet of claim 5, wherein the electrode sheet detects a pressure of each of multiple touches by using the plurality of channels.

7. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein the thickness of one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is closer to the reference potential layer than the other, is less than that of the other.

8. The electrode sheet of claim 7, wherein only one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is farther from the reference potential layer than the other, includes the support layer.

9. An electrode sheet comprising a first insulation layer, a second insulation layer and an electrode layer disposed between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer,

wherein at least one of the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer includes a support layer,

wherein the electrode sheet is used to detect a capacitance change between the electrode layer and a reference potential layer, which is changed according to a relative distance change between the electrode layer and the reference potential layer disposed apart from the electrode sheet,

wherein the support layer is made of a material which is bent when a pressure is applied thereto and which is restored to its original state when the pressure is released therefrom,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to a touch input device comprising a display module and a substrate located under the display module,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to one of the substrate and the display module,

wherein the reference potential layer is the other of the substrate and the display module,

wherein a spacer layer is disposed between the display module and the substrate,

wherein a distance between the display module and the substrate is maintained only by a support structure located only in an edge portion of the substrate,

wherein the spacer layer does not contribute to the maintain the distance between the display module and the substrate,

wherein, when a pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent,

and wherein the distance between the electrode layer and the reference potential layer is changed when the display module is bent.

10. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein the support layer is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

11. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein the support layer is formed of polyimide (PI).

12. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein a thickness of the electrode sheet is 50 μ

m to 450 μ

m.

13. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein the electrode layer constitutes a plurality of channels.

14. The electrode sheet of claim 13, wherein the electrode sheet detects a pressure of each of multiple touches by using the plurality of channels.

15. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein the thickness of one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is closer to the reference potential layer than the other, is less than that of the other.

16. The electrode sheet of claim 15, wherein only one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is farther from the reference potential layer than the other, includes the support layer.

17. A pressure detecting module comprising a first electrode member and a second electrode member,

wherein the first electrode member comprises a first electrode layer,

wherein the second electrode member comprises a first insulation layer, a second insulation layer and a second electrode layer disposed between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer,

wherein at least one of the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer includes a support layer,

wherein the second electrode member is attached to a touch input device comprising a substrate and a display module,

wherein the first electrode member is integrally formed with the display module,

wherein the pressure detecting module is used to detect a capacitance change between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, which is changed according to a relative distance change between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

and wherein the support layer is made of a material which is bent when a pressure is applied thereto and which is restored to its original state when the pressure is released therefrom,

wherein the second electrode member is attached to the substrate,

wherein a spacer layer is disposed between the display module and the substrate,

wherein a distance between the display module and the substrate is maintained only by a support structure located only in an edge portion of the substrate,

wherein the spacer layer does not contribute to the maintaining the distance between the display module and the substrate,

wherein, when a pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent,

and wherein the distance between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is changed when the display module is bent.

18. The pressure detecting module of claim 17, wherein the support layer is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

19. The pressure detecting module of claim 17, wherein the support layer is formed of polyimide (PI).

20. The pressure detecting module of claim 17, wherein a thickness of the second electrode member is 50 μ

m to 450 μ

m.

21. The pressure detecting module of claim 17, wherein the second electrode layer constitutes a plurality of channels.

22. The pressure detecting module of claim 21, wherein the pressure detecting module detects a pressure of each of multiple touches by using the plurality of channels.

23. The pressure detecting module of claim 17, wherein the thickness of one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is closer to the first electrode layer than the other, is less than that of the other.

24. The pressure detecting module of claim 23, wherein only one of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer, which is farther from the first electrode layer than the other, includes the support layer.