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

• US 10,162,445 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• 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:
  US15/486,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20170220174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 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 which is disposed on a touch input device comprising a display module and a substrate located under the display module and is used to detect a pressure applied to a touch surface of the touch input device, the 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 first insulation layer comprises a support layer,

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

wherein an electrical characteristic detected from the electrode layer is changed according to the bending of the display module,

wherein a magnitude of the pressure applied to the touch surface is detected based cm the change amount of the electrical characteristics,

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

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

wherein a supporting structure for providing support between the display module and the substrate is only located on at least one of borders of the substrate,

wherein the spacer layer does not contribute to the providing support between the display module and the substrate.

2. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first insulation layer is greater than a thickness of the second insulation layer.

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

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

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

m to 450 μ

m.

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

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

8. The electrode sheet of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic is capacitance and the electrode sheet is attached on the substrate.

19. The electrode sheet of claim 8, wherein the capacitance is changed based on a distance between the electrode layer and another electrode layer included within the display module.

20. The electrode sheet of claim 19, wherein the distance between the electrode layer and the another electrode layer included within the display module is changed when the display module is bent.

21. The electrode sheet of claim 8, wherein the capacitance is mutual capacitance between the electrode layer and another electrode layer located spaced apart from the electrode sheet.

9. An electrode sheet which is disposed on a touch input device comprising a display module and a substrate located under the display module and is used to detect a pressure applied to a touch surface of the touch input device, the electrode sheet comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a first insulation layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the first insulation layer comprises a support layer,

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

wherein an electrical characteristic detected from one of the first electrode and the second electrode is changed according to the bending of the display module,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are formed not to be overlapped with each other,

wherein a magnitude of the pressure applied to the touch surface is detected based on the change amount of the electrical characteristics,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to the display module,

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

wherein a supporting structure for providing support between the display module and the substrate is only located on at least one of borders of the substrate,

wherein the spacer layer does not contribute to providing support between the display module and the substrate.

10. The electrode sheet of claim 9, further comprising a second insulation layer disposed on a side not attached to the display module.

11. The electrode sheet of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the first insulation layer is greater than a thickness of the second insulation layer.

12. The electrode sheet of claim 10, further comprising a third insulation layer disposed on a side attached to the display module.

13. The electrode sheet of claim 12, wherein a thickness of the first insulation layer is greater than a thickness of the third insulation layer.

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

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

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

m to 450 μ

m.

17. The electrode sheet of claim 9, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode constitute a plurality of channels.

18. The electrode sheet of claim 17, wherein the electrode sheet detects a pressure of each of multiple touches by using the plurality of channels.