IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,061,522
Granted Patent B2
US 11,061,522 · App. 16/083,939 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

Input device, operation device, and electronic apparatus

Inventors: Yoshiteru Taka (Kanagawa, JP); Tomoki Kawabata (Kanagawa, JP); Takeshi Koizumi (Miyagi, JP); Takuya Goto (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: Sony Corporation
G06F3/0447G01L1/144G06F3/0485G06F3/0488
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,061,522
App. No.
16/083,939
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input device includes a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit, and a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation. A bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit.

Claims (63)

1. An input device comprising: a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation, wherein a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit, wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is an electrostatic capacitance type pressure-sensitive sensor, wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit include a pulse electrode and a sense electrode, and wherein one of the pulse electrode and the sense electrode is shared by the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit, and the other of the pulse electrode and the sense electrode is in a split configuration between the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing unit has a protruding portion protruding toward the second sensing unit.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit for discriminating a first pressing operation on the basis of an output signal from the first sensing unit and discriminating a second pressing operation on the basis of an output signal from the second sensing unit.

4. An operation device comprising the input device according to claim 1 .

5. An electronic apparatus comprising the input device according to claim 1 .

6. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an operation device including the input device according to claim 1 ; and

a host apparatus that operates on the basis of an output signal from the operation device, wherein

the input device includes:

a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and

a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation,

a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and

a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the host apparatus includes:

a display device; and

a control unit for controlling screen display on the display device on the basis of an output signal from the operation device.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein control of the screen display is control of a screen scrolling operation.

9. An input device comprising:

a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and

a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation, wherein

a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and

a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit, wherein

the pressure-sensitive sensor includes:

a conductor layer deformed by pressing of the pressing unit;

a sensor layer including the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit; and

a structure disposed between the conductor layer and the sensor layer, and wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is an electrostatic capacitance type pressure-sensitive sensor.

10. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein

the pressing unit has a protruding portion that presses the pressure-sensitive sensor during buckling deformation, and

the structure supports any position within a region from an inner periphery of a bottom of the pressing unit to an outer periphery of a pressing region of the protruding portion.

11. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein the structure supports a bottom of the pressing unit.

12. An operation device comprising the input device according to claim 9 .

13. An electronic apparatus comprising the input device according to claim 9 .

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an operation device including the input device according to claim 9 ; and

a host apparatus that operates on the basis of an output signal from the operation device, wherein

the input device includes:

a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and

a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation,

a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and

a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit.

15. An input device comprising:

a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and

a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation, wherein

a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and

a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit, wherein

the pressure-sensitive sensor includes:

a first conductor layer;

a second conductor layer deformed by pressing of the pressing unit;

a sensor layer disposed between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer and including the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit;

a first structure disposed between the first conductor layer and the sensor layer; and

a second structure disposed between the second conductor layer and the sensor layer, and

wherein the pressure-sensitive sensor is an electrostatic capacitance type pressure-sensitive sensor.

16. An operation device comprising the input device according to claim 15 .

17. An electronic apparatus comprising the input device according to claim 15 .

18. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an operation device including the input device according to claim 15 ; and

a host apparatus that operates on the basis of an output signal from the operation device, wherein

the input device includes:

a pressure-sensitive sensor including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit; and

a pressing unit that is disposed on the pressure-sensitive sensor and undergoes buckling deformation,

a bottom of the pressing unit is disposed on the first sensing unit, and

a top of the pressing unit is disposed on the second sensing unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2018
From: TAKA, YOSHITERU; KAWABATA, TOMOKI; KOIZUMI, TAKESHI; GOTO, TAKUYA
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047822/0924 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2016-060757 · Mar 24, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200293151A1 · Sep 17, 2020