Transparent strain sensors in an electronic device

• US 9,874,965 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pedder, James E., Kang, Sunggu, Meyer, David J., Zhong, John Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US14/851,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20170075465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/18 using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An electronic device includes one or more transparent strain sensors configured to detect strain based on an amount of force applied to the electronic device, a component in the electronic device, and/or an input surface of the electronic device. The one or more transparent strain sensors may be included in or positioned below an input surface that is configured to receive touch inputs from a user. The area below the input surface can be visible to a user when the user is viewing the input surface. The one or more transparent strain sensors are formed with a nanostructure, including a nanomesh or nanowires.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an input surface configured to receive touch inputs;

a strain sensitive structure positioned below the input surface, the strain sensitive structure comprising;

an insulating substrate, parallel to the input surface;

a first strain sensor formed with a metal nanostructure and positioned on a first surface of the insulating substrate; and

a second strain sensor formed with a metal nanostructure and positioned on a second surface of the insulating substrate; and

a processing device operably connected to the first strain sensor and the second strain sensor and configured to determine an amount of force applied to the input surface based on signals received from the first strain sensor and the second strain sensor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second strain sensors are aligned perpendicular to the input surface to produce a strain sensing element.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processing device is configured to determine an amount of force applied to the input surface based on signals received from the strain sensing element.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising sense circuitry operably connected between the strain sensing element and the processing device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first strain sensor is included in a first film layer comprising a first set of strain sensors.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the metal nanostructure is formed with nickel.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nanomesh.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nanowire.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input surface comprises a touch sensitive display.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a display stack for a display, comprising;

a cover glass; and

a strain sensitive structure positioned below the cover glass, the strain sensitive structure comprising;

a first strain sensor positioned on a first surface of a substrate, the substrate parallel to the cover glass; and

a second strain sensor positioned on a second surface of the substrate, the first and second strain sensors positioned in an area that is visible when viewing the display and the first strain sensor and second strain sensor aligned perpendicular to the display stack to produce a strain sensing element,

wherein each of the first and second strain sensors is formed with a metal nanostructure.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nickel nanostructure.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nanomesh.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nanowire.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising sense circuitry operably connected to the strain sensing element.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising a processing device operably connected to the sense circuitry and configured to determine an amount of force applied to the cover glass based on signals received from the strain sensing element.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a display layer positioned between the cover glass and the strain sensitive structure.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a back light unit positioned below the strain sensitive structure.

18. A method of producing a strain sensitive structure in an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a set of strain gauges on first and second opposing surfaces of a substrate, wherein each strain gauge in the set is formed with a metal nanostructure, and a first strain gauge on the first surface is aligned with a second strain gauge on the second surface; and

positioning the strain sensitive structure below an input surface of the electronic device, with the substrate parallel to the input surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the metal nanostructure comprises a nickel nanostructure.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the input surface comprises a cover glass disposed over a display layer, wherein the strain sensitive structure is positioned below the display layer.