Sensor device, input device, and electronic apparatus

• US 9,811,226 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Itaya, Takashi, Shinkai, Shogo, Kawaguchi, Hiroto, Iida, Fumihiko, Hasegawa, Hayato, Tsukamoto, Kei, Tanaka, Takayuki, Katsuhara, Tomoko, Suzuki, Tomoaki, Nishimura, Taizo, Mizuno, Hiroshi, Abe, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US14/914,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

There is provided a sensor device that includes a flexible first conductor layer and an electrode substrate. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrode wires, a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at capacitively coupled portions of the first and second electrode wires, and a flexible substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires. The sensor device also includes a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a sheet-like first conductor layer;

an electrode substrate including

a plurality of first electrode wires,

a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at paired portions of the first and second electrode wires, and

a sheet substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires; and

a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate;

wherein the sheet substrate includes;

a main body that supports the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, and

a projecting portion, having a first surface and a second surface, that is integrally formed with and provided on an edge portion of the main body, that projects outward from the edge portion, and that supports a plurality of first lead wires on the first surface and a plurality of second lead wires on the second surface, the plurality of first lead wires and the plurality of second lead wires being connected to the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, respectively.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second electrode wires are disposed to face the plurality of first electrode wires, and the capacity sensors are formed between the first and second electrode wires in a thickness direction of the sensor device.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the main body includes a first main surface that supports the plurality of first electrode wires, and a second main surface that supports the plurality of second electrode wires, and

wherein the projecting portion includes a first surface that supports the plurality of first lead wires, and a second surface that supports the plurality of second lead wires.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of second lead wires include:

a plurality of first wiring portions formed on the second surface,

a plurality of second wiring portions formed on the first surface, and

a plurality of via portions that connect the plurality of first wiring portions and the plurality of second wiring portions and pass through the projecting portion.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires are formed on the same main surface of the main body.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the electrode substrate further includes a connector component mounted on the projecting portion, and

wherein the connector component is electrically connected to the plurality of first lead wires and the plurality of second lead wires.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second conductor layer disposed to face the first conductor layer with the electrode substrate disposed therebetween; and

a second supporting body including a plurality of second structures that connect the second conductor layer and the electrode substrate.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting layer that is fixed to the electrode substrate.

9. The sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the supporting layer includes an insulating material.

10. The sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the capacity sensors detect an input position and a pressing force of an object to be detected based on a change in distance between the sheet-like first metal layer and the capacity sensors.

11. The sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the supporting layer is fixed to a first side of the electrode substrate, and the first supporting body is fixed to a second side of the electrode substrate that is opposite to the first side of the electrode substrate.

12. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation member having an input operation surface, wherein the operation member is fixed to a first side of the electrode substrate and the first supporting body is fixed to a second side of the electrode substrate that is opposed to the first side of the electrode substrate.

13. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrode wires are formed on a same surface of the sheet substrate of the electrode substrate.

14. The sensor device according to claim 13, wherein the first electrode wires include a plurality of first unit electrode bodies and the second electrode wires include a plurality of second unit electrode bodies, pairs of the first and second unit electrode bodies forming the respective capacity sensors.

15. An input device, comprising:

an operating member having an input operation surface;

a sheet-like first conductor layer that supports the operating member;

an electrode substrate including

a plurality of first electrode wires,

a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at paired portions of the first and second electrode wires, and

a sheet substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires; and

a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate;

wherein the sheet substrate includes;

a main body that supports the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, and

a projecting portion, having a first surface and a second surface, that is integrally formed with and provided on an edge portion of the main body, that projects outward from the edge portion, and that supports a plurality of first lead wires on the first surface and a plurality of second lead wires on the second surface, the plurality of first lead wires and the plurality of second lead wires being connected to the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, respectively.

16. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display element having an input operation surface;

a sheet-like first conductor layer that supports the display element;

an electrode substrate including

a plurality of first electrode wires,

a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at paired portions of the first and second electrode wires, and

a sheet substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires; and

a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate;

wherein the sheet substrate includes;

a main body that supports the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, and

a projecting portion, having a first surface and a second surface, that is integrally formed with and provided on an edge portion of the main body, that projects outward from the edge portion, and that supports a plurality of first lead wires on the first surface and a plurality of second lead wires on the second surface, the plurality of first lead wires and the plurality of second lead wires being connected to the plurality of first electrode wires and the plurality of second electrode wires, respectively.