Force sensor with strain relief

• US 10,591,368 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pedder, James E., Smith, John Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US15/612,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20170268942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• 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: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position

Abstract

A transparent force sensor for detecting an applied force on a surface of a device. The transparent force sensor includes a transparent force-sensitive film having an array of strain-relief features oriented along a first direction. The transparent force-sensitive film is formed from a transparent piezoelectric material that exhibits a substantially reduced net charge when strained along a primary direction. The force sensor also includes a display element disposed on one side of the transparent force-sensitive film.

Claims

1. A force sensor for detecting a force of a touch on a display surface of a device, the force sensor comprising:

a first force-sensitive film and a second force-sensitive film, separated by at least one adhesive layer, each force-sensitive film having;

polymer chains substantially aligned in a primary direction in a plane of the respective force-sensitive film such that a strain in the primary direction results in a substantially reduced net charge; and

an array of slit features formed into the respective force-sensitive film and oriented in a first direction that is approximately 45 degrees to the primary direction;

wherein;

the array of slit features relieve strain in the respective force-sensitive film allowing the respective force-sensitive film to deflect in a second direction approximately 90 degrees to the first direction;

wherein;

the primary direction of the first force-sensitive film is different from the primary direction of the second force-sensitive film; and

the first and second force-sensitive films are transparent.

2. The force sensor of claim 1, further comprising a display element disposed below the first and second force-sensitive films.

3. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein each force-sensitive film is formed from a piezoelectric material that exhibits a strain-direction dependent charge polarity.

4. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein each force-sensitive film is formed from a piezoelectric material that exhibits a positive charge when bent upward in a first strain direction and exhibits a negative charge when bent upward in a second strain direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first strain direction.

5. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein each force-sensitive film is formed from a piezoelectric material that comprises one or more of:

a poly-L-lactide (PLLA) or a poly-D-lactide (PDLA) polymer film material.

6. The force sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electrode disposed above the first force-sensitive film;

a second electrode disposed below the first force-sensitive film; and

sense circuitry electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes, wherein the sense circuitry is configured to detect a change in an electrical property of the first force-sensitive film due to the force on the device.

7. The force sensor of claim 6, wherein the electrical property is an electrical charge.

8. A force sensor for detecting a force applied to a display surface of a device, the force sensor comprising:

a cover forming a portion of an exterior surface of the device;

a first transparent force-sensitive film and a second transparent force-sensitive film with anisotropic strain properties disposed in a stack below the cover and each transparent force-sensitive film having;

a primary direction oriented in a plane of the respective transparent force-sensitive film for which a strain in the primary direction results in a substantially reduced net charge;

an array of strain-relief features formed into the respective transparent force-sensitive film and oriented in a first direction that is transverse to the primary direction thereby allowing the respective transparent force-sensitive film to deflect in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction; and

a display element disposed below the stack of transparent force-sensitive films;

wherein;

the primary direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film is different from the primary direction of the second transparent force-sensitive film.

9. The force sensor of claim 8, wherein the strain-relief features of the first transparent force-sensitive film are slit features oriented in the first direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film.

10. The force sensor of claim 8, wherein the strain-relief features of the first transparent force-sensitive film are recessed channel features oriented in the first direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film.

11. The force sensor of claim 8, wherein the strain-relief features of the first transparent force-sensitive film are perforated features that are arranged in the first direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film.

12. The force sensor of claim 8, wherein the first direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film is approximately 45 degrees from the primary direction of the first transparent force-sensitive film.

13. The force sensor of claim 8, wherein each transparent force-sensitive film comprises polymer chains substantially aligned in the primary direction in a plane of the force-sensitive film.

14. A force sensor for detecting a force of a touch on a display of a device, the force sensor comprising:

a first transparent force-sensitive film having;

polymer chains oriented in a first primary direction in a plane of the first transparent force-sensitive film, such that a strain in the first primary direction results in a substantially reduced net charge;

an array of strain-relief features formed into the first transparent force-sensitive film and oriented in a first direction that is transverse to the first primary direction; and

a second transparent force-sensitive film, separated from the first transparent force-sensitive film by an adhesive layer and having;

polymer chains oriented in a second primary direction in a plane of the second transparent force-sensitive film, such that a strain in the second primary direction results in a substantially reduced net charge; and

an array of strain-relief features formed into the second transparent force-sensitive film oriented in a second direction that is transverse to the second primary direction;

wherein

each of the first and the second transparent force-sensitive films are formed from a material that exhibits a strain-direction dependent charge polarity;

the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction; and

the first primary direction is different from the second primary direction.

15. The force sensor of claim 14, wherein the array of strain-relief features formed into the first transparent force-sensitive film allow the first transparent force-sensitive film to deflect in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction.

16. The force sensor of claim 14, wherein the first primary direction is substantially perpendicular to the second primary direction.

17. The force sensor of claim 14, wherein the first direction is approximately 45 degrees from the first primary direction and the second direction is approximately 45 degrees from the second primary direction.

18. The force sensor of claim 14, further comprising:

a cover disposed above the first transparent force-sensitive film; and

a display element disposed below the second transparent force-sensitive film, wherein the second transparent force-sensitive film is disposed below the first force-sensitive film.

19. The force sensor of claim 14, further comprising:

a top electrode disposed above the first transparent force-sensitive film;

a middle electrode disposed below the first transparent force-sensitive film;

a bottom electrode disposed below the second transparent force-sensitive film; and

sense circuitry electrically coupled to the top, middle, and bottom electrodes, wherein the sense circuitry is configured to detect a change in an electrical property of the first and second transparent force-sensitive films due to the force on the device.

20. The force sensor of claim 19, wherein the first transparent force-sensitive film is configured to produce a charge when strained perpendicular to the first direction, and the second transparent force-sensitive film is configured to produce a charge when strained perpendicular to the second direction.