Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with reduced contact resistance deviation

• US 6,626,046 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nishio, Eiichi, Ishiyama, Ichiro, Taguchi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLINGTON, ALANDRA
• Application Number:
  US09/962,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20020050173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 737/54, 737/27, 737/06, 737/21, 738/620-1-8, 338/42
• US Class Current: 73/753
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements

Abstract

It is the objective of this invention to reduce deviation in contact resistance variation between electrodes among pressure-sensitive resistor sensors. The sensor is composed of a pair of films. One film has a plurality of electrode portions extending in a certain direction and the other film has at least one electrode portion that is arranged in a transverse relation with a plural of the electrode portions on the other film. Contact points generated by applied pressure are limited to crossing points between the electrode portions of the pair of films. As a result, variation in contact resistance due to applied pressure shift becomes more constant. Thus, it is possible to reduce deviation of contact resistance between the electrodes among sensors.

Claims

1. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer; and

a second film having a second electrode layer, the second electrode layer being spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer, wherein

the first electrode layer is formed with a plurality of first electrode portions including a plurality of positive side electrode portions arranged in parallel with each other in a comb-shaped configuration and a plurality of negative side electrode portions arranged in parallel with each other in a comb-shaped configuration, the positive side electrode portions and the negative side electrode portions being interleaved with one another with a predetermined clearance defined therebetween;

the second electrode layer being formed with a plurality of concentrically arranged second electrode portions;

each of the positive side electrode portions and each of the negative side electrode portions respectively cross over any one of the plurality of second electrode portions to form a plurality of crossing points; and

the second electrode portions are arranged to electrically contact the positive side electrode portions and the negative side electrode portions upon application of pressure thereto to short the positive side electrode portions and negative side electrode portions.

2. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a single-peak electrode portion.

16. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 2, wherein the single-peak electrode portion is formed by screen-printing such that a cross-sectional shape of the single-peak electrode portion has a single peak.

3. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer; and

a second film having a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is formed with first electrode portions each arranged in a first direction, and

the second electrode layer is formed with second electrode portions arranged in a second direction transverse to the first direction of the first electrode portions,

the first electrode portions each including a positive side base, a negative side base, a positive side electrode portion connected to the positive side base and a negative side electrode portion connected to the negative side base; and

the second electrode portions being arranged to electrically contact the positive side electrode portion and the negative side electrode portion of the first electrode portions upon application of pressure thereto to short the positive side base and the negative side base.

4. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein:

the second electrode portions of the second electrode layer each include a base and a resistive part formed on the base.

5. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein:

the second electrode portion is of the second electrode layer each include a resistive part without a base.

6. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein:

one of the first electrode portions includes a base and a resistive part located on the base, wherein the base extends from the positive side base and the negative side base.

7. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein:

each of the first electrode portions of the first electrode layer includes a resistive part without a base.

8. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein at least the first electrode portions comprise double-peak electrode portions.

9. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein at least the first electrode portions comprise single-peak electrode portions.

10. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 3, wherein at least the first electrode portions comprise multiple-peak electrode portions.

11. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer formed with first electrode portions extending in a first direction;

a second film having a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is formed with a plurality of first electrode portions;

the first electrode portions include a plurality of positive side electrode portions arranged in parallel with each other in a comb-shaped configuration and a plurality of negative side electrode portions arranged in parallel with each other in a comb-shaped configuration;

the positive side electrode portions and the negative side electrode portions interleave with each other with a predetermined clearance therebetween;

the second electrode layer is formed with a plurality of second electrode portions arranged in a second direction transverse to the first direction;

each of the positive side electrode portions and each of the negative side electrode portions cross over any one of the second electrode portions at to form a plurality of crossing points; and

the second electrode portions are arranged to electrically contact the positive side electrode portions and the negative side electrode portions upon application of pressure thereto to short the positive side electrode portions and negative side electrode portions.

12. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 11, wherein each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a double-peak electrode portion.

13. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 11, wherein each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a single-peak electrode portion.

14. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 11, wherein each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a multiple-peak electrode portion.

17. The pressure-sensitive resistor sensor as in claim 13, wherein the single-peak electrode portion is formed by screen-printing such that a cross-sectional shape of the single-peak electrode portion has a single peak.

15. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer; and

a second film having a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is formed with first electrode portions each arranged in a direction,

the second electrode layer is formed with a plurality of concentrically arranged electrode portions,

each of the first electrode portions includes a positive side base, a negative side base, a positive side electrode portion connected to the positive side base, and a negative side electrode portion connected to the negative side base, and

the second electrode portions are arranged to electrically contact the positive side electrode portion and the negative side electrode portion of the first electrode portions upon application of pressure thereto to short the positive side base and the negative side base.

18. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer formed with first electrode portions extending in a first direction;

a second film having a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer,

wherein the second electrode layer is formed with second electrode portions arranged in a comb-shaped configuration in a second direction transverse to the first direction,

each of the first electrode portions cross over each of the second electrode portions at a plurality of respective crossing points, and

each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a double-peak electrode portion.

19. A pressure-sensitive resistor sensor comprising:

a first film having a first electrode layer formed with first electrode portions extending in a first direction;

a second film having a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer by a predetermined distance and facing the first electrode layer,

wherein the second electrode layer is formed with second electrode portions arranged in a comb-shaped configuration in a second direction transverse to the first direction,

each of the first electrode portions cross over each of the second electrode portions at a plurality of respective crossing points, and

each of the first and second electrode portions comprises a multiple-peak electrode portion.