Force detector
First Claim
1. A force detector having a function for detecting a strength of an applied external force, comprising:
- a substrate;
an elastic deformable body which is disposed at a position opposed to the substrate, at least a portion of said elastic deformable body being made of material having elastic deformability, and said elastic deformable body displacing with respect to the substrate due to an elastic deformation caused by the applied external force;
a force detecting element disposed between said substrate and said elastic deformable body and changes in a predetermined electrical characteristic due to a displacement of said elastic deformable body;
a switching element including a pair of contacting electrodes and carrying out a switching function so that an electrical insulated condition is normally maintained between said pair of contacting electrodes, and when an external force with more than a predetermined strength is applied to said elastic deformable body, an electrical conductive condition is obtained between said pair of contacting electrodes in response to a deformation of said elastic deformable body; and
a detection circuit for detecting a change in said electrical characteristic of said force detecting element as an electric signal;
wherein said detection circuit selectively operates in two modes of a detection mode and a standby mode, said detection circuit performing a detecting function for outputting a change in said electrical characteristic as an electric signal when said detection circuit operates in said detection mode, said detection circuit maintaining a standby condition waiting for a transition to said detection mode without performing the detecting function when said detection circuit operates in said standby mode, a power consumption in said standby mode being less than a power consumption in said detection mode; and
wherein said standby mode is selected when an electrical condition between said pair of contacting electrodes is an insulated condition, and said detection mode is selected when an electrical condition between said pair of contacting electrodes is a conductive condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a force detector in which power consumption is suppressed. Four electrodes E11 through E14 are formed on a substrate, and an elastic deformable body formed of a rubber film is disposed thereon. A conductive coating is applied on the lower surface of the elastic deformable body to provide a displacing conductive layer 26. Four capacitance elements C11 through C14 are comprised by the electrodes E11 through E14 and the displacing conductive layer 26 opposed to the electrodes. The capacitance values thereof are converted into voltage values V11 through V14 by C/V converter circuit 50, and based on operation by signal processing circuit 60, an external force applied to the elastic deformable body is detected. A pair of contacting electrodes E15 and E16 are formed on the substrate, and when an external force with a predetermined strength or more is applied, the elastic deformable body deforms, and the displacing conductive layer 26 comes into contact with both electrodes E15 and E16, simultaneously. The potential of the electrode E16 is taken-in from the terminal T5, and when said potential is Vcc, the C/V converter circuit 50 is operated in a standby mode with less power consumption, and when said potential is GND, the circuit is operated in a normal mode.
31 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A force detector having a function for detecting a strength of an applied external force, comprising:
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a substrate;
an elastic deformable body which is disposed at a position opposed to the substrate, at least a portion of said elastic deformable body being made of material having elastic deformability, and said elastic deformable body displacing with respect to the substrate due to an elastic deformation caused by the applied external force;
a force detecting element disposed between said substrate and said elastic deformable body and changes in a predetermined electrical characteristic due to a displacement of said elastic deformable body;
a switching element including a pair of contacting electrodes and carrying out a switching function so that an electrical insulated condition is normally maintained between said pair of contacting electrodes, and when an external force with more than a predetermined strength is applied to said elastic deformable body, an electrical conductive condition is obtained between said pair of contacting electrodes in response to a deformation of said elastic deformable body; and
a detection circuit for detecting a change in said electrical characteristic of said force detecting element as an electric signal;
wherein said detection circuit selectively operates in two modes of a detection mode and a standby mode, said detection circuit performing a detecting function for outputting a change in said electrical characteristic as an electric signal when said detection circuit operates in said detection mode, said detection circuit maintaining a standby condition waiting for a transition to said detection mode without performing the detecting function when said detection circuit operates in said standby mode, a power consumption in said standby mode being less than a power consumption in said detection mode; and
wherein said standby mode is selected when an electrical condition between said pair of contacting electrodes is an insulated condition, and said detection mode is selected when an electrical condition between said pair of contacting electrodes is a conductive condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification