IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,298,231
Granted Patent B2
US 10,298,231 · App. 15/828,947 · Granted May 21, 2019

Input device

Inventors: Hiroshi Shigetaka (Miyagi, JP); Kunio Sato (Miyagi, JP); Hiroaki Takahashi (Miyagi, JP); Heishiro Fudo (Miyagi, JP); Jo Ri (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
H03K17/9618H03K17/962H03K17/964
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,298,231
App. No.
15/828,947
Granted
May 21, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input device includes a capacitive sensor and a piezoelectric sensor. The piezoelectric sensor is positioned on the front side of the capacitive sensor in a front-to-back direction from the front to the back of the input device, and is configured to change its output in response to a force applied to the piezoelectric sensor from its front side. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode and a second electrode positioned across the piezoelectric layer from each other in the front-to-back direction. The capacitive sensor includes a capacitive sensing area where the capacitive sensor is configured to perform a sensing operation. The first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric sensor do not overlap the capacitive sensing area when viewed in the front-to-back direction.

Claims (41)

1. An input device comprising:

a capacitive sensor; and

a piezoelectric sensor positioned on a front side of the capacitive sensor in a front-to-back direction from a front to a back of the input device, the piezoelectric sensor being configured to change an output thereof in response to a force applied to the piezoelectric sensor from a front side thereof,

wherein the piezoelectric sensor includes

a piezoelectric layer; and

a first electrode and a second electrode positioned across the piezoelectric layer from each other in the front-to-back direction,

wherein the capacitive sensor includes a capacitive sensing area where the capacitive sensor is configured to perform a sensing operation, and the first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric sensor do not overlap the capacitive sensing area when viewed in the front-to-back direction,

wherein the capacitive sensor includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes that cross each other with an insulating layer being interposed between the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of sense electrodes,

wherein the plurality of sense electrodes are positioned within the capacitive sensing area,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are placed along one of the plurality of drive electrodes on a front side of the plurality of drive electrodes,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode include respective wide portions where the first electrode and the second electrode increases in width, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are over the one of the plurality of drive electrodes in the respective wide portions.

2. The input device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of drive electrodes include respective electrode parts where the plurality of drive electrodes increase in width, and

the electrode parts are equal in size to the wide portions of the first electrode and the second electrode, or are sized to spread out of the wide portions when viewed in the front-to-back direction.

3. The input device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the capacitive sensor has a rigid structure configured to perform flexural deformation, and

the piezoelectric sensor has a sheet shape, and further includes a film substrate on which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked in layers.

4. An input device comprising:

a capacitive sensor; and

a piezoelectric sensor positioned on a front side of the capacitive sensor in a front-to-back direction from a front to a back of the input device, the piezoelectric sensor being configured to change an output thereof in response to a force applied to the piezoelectric sensor from a front side thereof,

wherein the piezoelectric sensor includes

a piezoelectric layer; and

a first electrode and a second electrode positioned across the piezoelectric layer from each other in the front-to-back direction,

wherein the capacitive sensor includes a capacitive sensing area where the capacitive sensor is configured to perform a sensing operation, and the first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric sensor do not overlap the capacitive sensing area when viewed in the front-to-back direction,

wherein the capacitive sensor includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes that cross each other with an insulating layer being interposed between the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of sense electrodes,

wherein the plurality of sense electrodes are positioned within the capacitive sensing area,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are placed along one of the plurality of drive electrodes on a front side of the plurality of drive electrodes,

wherein the plurality of drive electrodes are provided on a back side of the insulating layer and the plurality of sense electrodes are provided on a front side of the insulating layer in the front-to-back direction,

wherein the capacitive sensor further includes a conductive layer provided between adjacent sense electrodes among the plurality of sense electrodes on the front side of the insulating layer, the conductive layer being electrically disconnected from the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of sense electrodes, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on a front side of the conductive layer in the front-to-back direction.

5. The input device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of sense electrodes and the conductive layer are formed of a same conductive material, and

front surfaces of the plurality of sense electrodes that face in a back-to-front direction from the back to the front of the input device and a front surface of the conductive layer that faces in the back-to-front direction are positioned in a same plane.

6. The input device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the first electrode and the second electrode include respective wide portions where the first electrode and the second electrode increases in width, and

the first electrode and the second electrode are over the conductive layer in the respective wide portions.

7. The input device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the conductive layer is equal in size to the wide portions of the first electrode and the second electrode, or is sized to spread out of the wide portions when viewed in the front-to-back direction.

8. The input device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the capacitive sensor has a rigid structure configured to perform flexural deformation, and

the piezoelectric sensor has a sheet shape, and further includes a film substrate on which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked in layers.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 11, 2019
From: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048300/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2017
From: SHIGETAKA, HIROSHI; SATO, KUNIO; TAKAHASHI, HIROAKI; FUDO, HEISHIRO; RI, JO
To: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 044273/0982 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-255533 · Dec 28, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180183438A1 · Jun 28, 2018