Force sensor
US6530283B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 5, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 5, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2239/006
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An intermediate displacement board (120) composed of a metal plate is arranged on a printed circuit board (110) having electrode patterns (E1-E7) and then a strain generative body (130) composed of silicon rubber is arranged on top thereof. Then, the arrangement is fixed to the printed circuit board (110) with attachments (140). Depressing a displacement portion (133) causes a connecting portion (132) to be deflected and an electrode (F0) to be brought into contact with the electrodes (E1, E2) to make them conductive, thereby allowing the pushbutton switch to be turned ON. Depressing further the displacement portion (133) causes an elastic deformation portion (134) to be elastically deformed and crushed and the intermediate displacement board (120) to be pushed downward. The capacitance of capacitors (C3-C7), which are constituted by the electrodes (E3-E7) and the intermediate displacement board (120), are varied according to the depression of the intermediate displacement board (120). By detecting the variation in capacitance, it becomes possible to detect three-dimensional components of an applied force.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.