Force sensing touch system including a strain amplifying structure and computing device with a force sensing touch system

• US 10,386,952 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen New Degree Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen New Degree Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hermann, Kirk W
• Application Number:
  US15/579,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20180164940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/04142 the force sensing means being located peripherally, e.g. disposed at the corners or at the side of a touch sensing plate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447

Abstract

A computing device configured to take action based on user touch position and force comprises a touch system and a strain amplifying force sensing structure attached to an underside of the touch system. The strain amplifying force sensing structure comprises a force sensing layer and a support plate with a strain amplifying structure.

Claims

1. A computing device for detecting a touched position and a touching force, comprising:

a touch system; and

a strain amplifying and force sensing structure attached to a surface of the touch system;

wherein the strain amplifying and force sensing structure comprises a force sensing layer and a support plate comprising a strain amplifying structure including a patterned strain amplifying region, the force sensing layer measuring the touching force at the patterned strain amplifying region,

wherein the support plate further comprises a non-patterned region that does not amplify the touching force, and the patterned strain amplifying region has an opening extending through the support plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support plate.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to communicate with the touch system and the strain amplifying and force sensing structure.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to perform an action based on the touched position and/or the touching force, the touched position and the touching force being determined based on a signal from one or more force sensors included in the force sensing layer.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the touch system comprises at least one of a touch screen, a touch pad and a touch control.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the touch system comprises at least a touch sensing panel and at least one of a display, a substrate, a protective cover, a support frame, and a printed circuit board.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the strain amplifying and force sensing structure comprises plural force sensors in close proximity, one of the plural force sensors being aligned with the patterned strain amplifying region of the support plate and another one of the plural force sensors being aligned with another region of the support plate in proximity to an edge of the patterned strain amplifying region.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the support plate is adhered to the surface of the touch system and the force sensing layer is adhered to the support plate.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the support plate is attached to the touch system by applying an adhesive only over the strain amplifying structure and the force sensing layer is adhered to the support plate.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the force sensing layer is printed on a substrate and includes at least one of an active force sensing material, an insulating layer, a layer with conductive metal traces, and a passivation layer.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the force sensing layer includes at least one force sensor.

11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the strain amplifying structure is structured to take small deflections in the touch system and to amplify a strain, the amplified strain being imparted to the force sensing layer.

12. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the force sensing layer comprises plural force sensors in close proximity, one of the plural force sensors being aligned with a central part of the patterned strain amplifying region of the support plate, and another one of the plural force sensors being aligned with a region of the support plate in proximity to an edge of the patterned strain amplifying region.

13. A method for performing an action based on a touched position and/or an amount of touching force, the method comprising:

amplifying a strain applied to a strain amplifying and force sensing structure on a support plate, the strain amplifying and force sensing structure including a patterned strain amplifying region, a non-patterned region that does not amplify the strain, and a force sensing layer, wherein the patterned strain amplifying region has an opening extending through the support plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support plate,

the force sensing layer measuring amplified strain at the patterned strain amplifying region and producing a signal,

determining the touched position based on the signal from the force sensing layer,

determining the amount of touching force based on the signal from the force sensing layer, and

performing the action based on the determined touched position and/or the determined amount of touching force.

14. A force sensing touch system comprising:

a touch system,

a supporting plate comprising a strain amplifying structure including a patterned strain amplifying region, the supporting plate being attached to a surface of the touch system using a first adhesive layer, and

a force sensing layer attached to the supporting plate and aligned with the patterned strain amplifying region using a second adhesive layer,

the force sensing layer measuring a force amplified by the patterned strain amplifying region of the strain amplifying structure,

wherein the supporting plate with the strain amplifying structure further comprises a non-patterned region that does not amplify the force, the patterned strain amplifying region defining an opening that extends through the supporting plate in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the supporting plate, the force sensing layer being disposed across the opening.

15. The force sensing touch system of claim 14, wherein the force sensing layer is printed on a substrate and includes an active force sensing material, an insulating layer, a layer with conductive metal traces, and/or a passivation layer.

16. The force sensing touch system of claim 14, wherein the supporting plate is attached to the surface of the touch system by applying the first adhesive layer solely over the strain amplifying structure on the supporting plate.

17. The force sensing touch system of claim 14, wherein the first adhesive layer that attaches the supporting plate to the touch system comprises a double sided tape, and the second adhesive layer that attaches the force sensing layer to the supporting plate comprises epoxy.

18. The force sensing touch system of claim 14, wherein the touch system comprises at least one of a touch screen, a touch pad, and a touch control.

19. The force sensing touch system of claim 14, wherein the force sensing layer comprises at least one force sensor.