Sensor device including elastic cover including portions with varying heights and a gap between portions
A sensor device includes a force sensor on a substrate, a light emitter to emit light from over the substrate, a light receiver to receive light on the substrate and detect proximity of an object, and an elastic member made of an elastic material and including a first portion covering the force sensor, a second portion extending around the light emitter and the light receiver, through at least spaces between the light emitter, the light receiver, and the force sensor, and a third portion coupling the first portion and the second portion to each other. The third portion in the elastic member has a lower height from the substrate than the first and second portions.
1 . A sensor device, comprising:
a substrate;
a force sensor on the substrate;
a light emitter to emit light from over the substrate;
a light receiver to receive light on the substrate, and detect proximity of an object; and
an elastic cover made of an elastic material; wherein
the elastic cover includes:
a first portion covering the force sensor;
a second portion extending around the light emitter and the light receiver, through at least spaces between the light emitter, the light receiver, and the force sensor; and
a third portion coupling the first portion and the second portion to each other;
the third portion in the elastic cover has a lower height from the substrate than the first and second portions; and
the elastic cover includes a gap between the first portion and the second portion.
2 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion in the elastic cover has a lower height than the first portion.
3 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion in the elastic cover has a higher height than the light emitter and the light receiver.
4 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion in the elastic cover defines a first open area surrounding the light emitter and a second open area surrounding the light receiver.
5 . The sensor device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first open area has a lowest height at a portion around the light emitter opposite from the first portion; and
the second open area has a lowest height at a portion around the light receiver opposite from the first portion.
6 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion in the elastic cover extends around the light emitter and the light receiver except for portions opposite from the first portion.
7 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first portion in the elastic cover has a taper shape in which an outside diameter decreases as a height from the substrate increases; and
the second portion has a taper shape in which an outside diameter increases as a height from the substrate increases.
8 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has flexibility at at least a portion between the first portion and the second portion in the elastic cover.
9 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light emitter includes:
a light emitting portion; and
a first optical portion to direct light emitted from the light emitting portion to a direction away from the first portion; and
the light receiver includes:
a light receiving portion; and
a second optical portion to direct light incident on the light receiving portion to a direction away from the first portion.
10 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein
the force sensor includes:
a light emitting portion separate from the light emitter; and
a light receiving portion separate from the light receiver; and
the sensor device further comprising:
a light emission control circuit to control the light emitter and the light emitting portion of the force sensor; and
a light reception control circuit to control the light receiver and the light receiving portion of the force sensor.
11 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is rigid.
12 . The sensor device according to claim 9 , wherein the light emitter includes a light emitting diode.
13 . The sensor device according to claim 10 , wherein the light emitter includes a light emitting diode.
14 . The sensor device according to claim 9 , wherein the light receiver includes a sealant sealing the light receiving portion.
15 . The sensor device according to claim 14 , wherein the sealant is a resin having transparency to light.
16 . The sensor device according to claim 9 , wherein the light receiving portion includes at least one photodiode.
17 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic material is a silicone resin.
18 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic cover has a Shore A hardness of higher than or equal to about 20 and lower than or equal to about 80.