IP Library Granted Patent US 11,079,213
Granted Patent B2
US 11,079,213 · App. 16/311,119 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Sensor, sensor module, wearable terminal, and electronic device

Inventor: Hiroto Kawaguchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
G01B7/22
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,079,213
App. No.
16/311,119
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensor includes an elastic base material including a first surface and a second surface, a first sensor which detects a change in a capacitance caused by expansion/contraction of the first surface, and a second sensor which detects a change in a capacitance caused by expansion/contraction of the second surface. The first sensor faces the second sensor with the base material therebetween.

Claims (91)

1. A sensor, comprising:

an elastic base material comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a plurality of first sensors configured to detect a change in a first capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the first surface; and

a plurality of second sensors configured to detect a change in a second capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the second surface,

wherein

the plurality of first sensor faces the plurality of second sensors,

the elastic base material is between the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors,

the plurality of first sensors comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode comprises a first plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the second electrode comprises a second plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are extended in a first direction,

each of the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and each of the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are arranged alternatively at a specific interval in a second direction, and

the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of first sensors is on the first surface,

the first electrode and the second electrode have elasticity,

the plurality of second sensors is on the second surface, and

the plurality of second sensors includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode having elasticity.

3. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein

the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to form capacitive coupling, and

the third electrode and the fourth electrode are configured to form capacitive coupling.

4. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein

the third electrode and the fourth electrode include third electrode element portions and fourth electrode element portions respectively, and

each of the third electrode element portions and each of the fourth electrode element portions are arranged alternately at the specific interval from each other in the second direction.

5. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein

both the first electrode and the second electrode, have comb-teeth shapes and, are provided to mesh comb-teeth portions with each other, and

both the third electrode and the fourth electrode, have comb-teeth shapes and, are provided to mesh comb-teeth portions with each other.

6. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein

one of the first electrode or the second electrode is grounded, and

one of the third electrode or the fourth electrode is grounded.

7. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein

the first electrode is a common electrode shared by the plurality of first sensors,

the second electrode is a first individual electrode of the plurality of first sensors,

the third electrode is an electrode shared by the plurality of second sensors, and

the fourth electrode is a second individual electrode of the plurality of second sensors.

8. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors are one of one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged in an in-plane direction of the elastic base material.

9. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors face each other to form a sensing unit to:

measure bend, and

one of an expansion or a contraction of the sensor.

10. The sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrostatic capacitance type third sensor, on at least one of the first surface or the second surface, configured to detect position coordinates of a touch operation.

11. The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the electrostatic capacitance type third sensor includes a fifth electrode and a sixth electrode having elasticity.

12. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic base material includes a ground electrode in the elastic base material.

13. The sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first ground electrode on the plurality of first sensors; and

a second ground electrode on the plurality of second sensors.

14. A sensor module, comprising:

a sensor that comprises:

an elastic base material comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a plurality of first sensors configured to detect a change in a first capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the first surface; and

a plurality of second sensors configured to detect a change in a second capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the second surface,

wherein

the plurality of first sensors faces the plurality of second sensors,

the elastic base material is between the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors,

the plurality of first sensors comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode comprises a first plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the second electrode comprises a second plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are extended in a first direction,

each of the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and each of the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are arranged alternatively at a specific interval in a second direction, and

the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and

a control unit configured to measure one of a bend, an expansion, or a contraction of the sensor from capacitance of at least one first sensor of the plurality of first sensors and capacitance of at least one second sensor of the plurality of second sensors.

15. The sensor module according to claim 14 , wherein

the one of the bend, the expansion or the contraction of the sensor is measured based on one of a sum of or a difference between a change in the capacitance of the at least one first sensor of the plurality of first sensors and a change in the capacitance of the at least one second sensor of the plurality of second sensors.

16. A wearable terminal, comprising:

a sensor that comprises:

an elastic base material comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a plurality of first sensors configured to detect a change in a first capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the first surface; and

a plurality of second sensors configured to detect a change in a second capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the second surface,

wherein

the plurality of first sensors faces the plurality of second sensors,

the elastic base material is between the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors,

the plurality of first sensors comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode comprises a first plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the second electrode comprises a second plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are extended in a first direction,

each of the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and each of the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are arranged alternatively at a specific interval in a second direction, and

the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a sensor that comprises:

an elastic base material comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a plurality of first sensors configured to detect a change in a first capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the first surface; and

a plurality of second sensors configured to detect a change in a second capacitance based on one of an expansion or a contraction of the second surface,

wherein

the plurality of first sensors faces the plurality of second sensors,

the elastic base material is between the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors,

the plurality of first sensors comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode comprises a first plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the second electrode comprises a second plurality of linear electrode element portions,

the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are extended in a first direction,

each of the first plurality of linear electrode element portions and each of the second plurality of linear electrode element portions are arranged alternatively at a specific interval in a second direction, and

the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2018
From: KAWAGUCHI, HIROTO
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047952/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2016-131722 · Jul 1, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200309508A1 · Oct 1, 2020