Pressure sensor, touch module and electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a pressure sensor, a touch module and electronic equipment. The pressure sensor comprises an elastic substrate and a sensing piece. The elastic substrate comprises an elastic part and a plurality of connecting parts, at least two of the connecting parts are connected to the two opposite ends of the elastic part, and all the connecting parts are bent relative to the elastic part so that the elastic substrate can have a deformation space. The induction part is arranged on the elastic part and used for achieving pressure sensing. In the application, the at least two connecting parts are connected to the two opposite end parts of the elastic part, and the connecting parts are bent relative to the elastic part, so that when the elastic part elastically deforms under the action of pressure, the at least two connecting parts support the two opposite end parts of the elastic part, and the situation that the elastic part cannot be reset due to insufficient elastic force is avoided; therefore, the overall thickness and weight of the elastic substrate can be reduced, the thickness and weight of the pressure sensor are further reduced, the manufacturing cost of the pressure sensor is reduced, and the preparation process of the pressure sensor is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of touch device technology, and more particularly to a pressure sensor, touch module, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic devices such as tablets, laptops, and touchscreens typically incorporate pressure sensors. These sensors detect pressure applied to the device, enabling control via pressure. Traditional pressure sensors employ a cantilever beam design for the deformable portion, requiring reinforcement with steel plates. This increases the sensor's thickness and weight, leading to higher manufacturing costs and more complex fabrication processes. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a pressure sensor, a touch module, and an electronic device to solve the problems of large thickness and weight of pressure sensors.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a pressure sensor, which includes an elastic substrate and a sensing element. The elastic substrate includes an elastic portion and a plurality of connecting portions, at least two of which are correspondingly connected to two opposite ends of the elastic portion. All the connecting portions are bent relative to the elastic portion to provide deformation space for the elastic substrate. The sensing element is disposed on the elastic portion for pressure sensing.

[0005] In some embodiments, the connecting portion includes a bent portion and a fixing portion, the bent portion being connected between the elastic portion and the fixing portion, and the bent portion being bent relative to the elastic portion and the fixing portion respectively.

[0006] In some embodiments, the vertical distance between the surface of the connecting portion away from the elastic portion and the surface of the elastic portion near the connecting portion is 0.05mm-1mm.

[0007] In some embodiments, the connecting portion is provided with a groove, which is formed from one end of the connecting portion away from the elastic portion toward the direction closer to the elastic portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the grooves are provided in a plurality of spaces, and the plurality of grooves are spaced apart.

[0009] In some embodiments, the elastic portion is provided with a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface disposed opposite to the first mounting surface, the connecting portion is bent relative to the elastic portion in a direction from the first mounting surface toward the second mounting surface, and the sensing element is mounted on the first mounting surface, or the sensing element is mounted on the second mounting surface.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sensing element includes a sensing portion and an electrical connection portion, the sensing portion being located on the elastic portion, and the electrical connection portion being electrically connected to the sensing portion and extending outside the elastic portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressure sensor further includes an adhesive member bonded between the elastic portion and the sensing element, the elastic substrate being configured as a conductive substrate, and the adhesive member being electrically connected to the elastic substrate.

[0012] Secondly, this application provides a touch module, which includes a touch panel, a circuit board, and a pressure sensor as described in any of the above. The circuit board is disposed on one side of the touch panel, and the pressure sensor is disposed on the side of the circuit board opposite to the touch panel.

[0013] Thirdly, this application provides an electronic device, which includes a pressure sensor as described in any of the above claims, or the electronic device includes a touch module as described above.

[0014] In the pressure sensor, touch module, and electronic device provided in this application, at least two connecting parts are connected to the two opposite ends of the elastic part. The connecting parts are bent relative to the elastic part. When the elastic part undergoes elastic deformation under pressure, the at least two connecting parts support the two opposite ends of the elastic part, preventing the elastic part from failing to reset due to insufficient elastic force. This reduces the overall thickness and weight of the elastic substrate, thereby reducing the thickness and weight of the pressure sensor, lowering the manufacturing cost of the pressure sensor, and simplifying the fabrication process of the pressure sensor. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the touch module provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure sensor provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the pressure sensor provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a side view of a partial structure of the touch module provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a side view of a partial structure of a touch module provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0021] Key reference numerals: Touch module 100; Pressure sensor 10; Elastic substrate 11; Deformation space 110; First mounting surface 1101; Second mounting surface 1102; Vertical distance D1; Elastic part 111; Connecting part 112; Bending part 1121; Fixing part 1122; Groove 1123; Sensor 12; Sensor 121; Electrical connection part 122; Adhesive 13; Circuit board 21; Touch panel 22; Connecting layer 23; Vibration motor 31; Controller 32.

[0022] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this application. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] In this document, references to "embodiment" or "implementation" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or implementation may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0025] It should be noted that the terminology in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application is only for describing specific embodiments and is not intended to limit this application. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order.

[0026] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the touch module 100 provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure sensor 10 provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3This is an exploded view of the pressure sensor 10 provided in an embodiment of this application. This application provides a touch module 100. The touch module 100 includes a pressure sensor 10, a circuit board 21, and a touch panel 22. The circuit board 21 is disposed on one side of the touch panel 22. The pressure sensor 10 is disposed on the side of the circuit board 21 opposite to the touch panel 22. The pressure sensor 10 is used to sense the pressure acting on the touch panel 22. When a user applies pressure to the touch panel 22, the elastic substrate 11 in the pressure sensor 10 undergoes elastic deformation, causing a change in the relevant parameters of the sensing element 12 located on the elastic substrate 11. This causes the touch module 100 to generate a corresponding electrical signal, thereby responding to the user's touch action.

[0027] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The purpose of this illustration is merely to depict the structure of the touch module 100 and does not constitute a specific limitation on the touch module 100. In other embodiments of this application, the touch module 100 may include components that are larger than... Figure 1 The touch module 100 may include, but is not limited to, mounting structures, electrical connectors, etc., more or fewer mechanisms, or combinations of certain mechanisms, or different mechanisms.

[0028] The pressure sensor 10 includes an elastic substrate 11 and a sensing element 12. The elastic substrate 11 is fixedly connected to the circuit board 21. The elastic substrate 11 includes an elastic portion 111 and a plurality of connecting portions 112. At least two of the plurality of connecting portions 112 are connected to two opposite ends of the elastic portion 111. All connecting portions 112 are bent relative to the elastic portion 111 to give the elastic substrate 11 a deformation space 110. The sensing element 12 is disposed on the elastic portion 111. The sensing element 12 is used to realize pressure sensing. The sensing element 12 is used to sense the deformation of the elastic portion 111. Thus, in this embodiment, on the one hand, based on at least two connecting portions 112 connected to the two opposite ends of the elastic portion 111, and the connecting portions 112 being bent relative to the elastic portion 111, when the elastic portion 111 undergoes elastic deformation under pressure, the at least two connecting portions 112 support the two opposite ends of the elastic portion 111, preventing the elastic portion 111 from failing to reset due to insufficient elastic force, thereby reducing the overall thickness and weight of the elastic substrate 11, and further reducing the thickness and weight of the pressure sensor 10, lowering the manufacturing cost of the pressure sensor 10, and simplifying the fabrication process of the pressure sensor 10. On the other hand, based on the sensing element 12 detecting the deformation of the elastic portion 111, it is possible to detect whether the touch panel 22 is under pressure.

[0029] In this embodiment, the elastic substrate 11 is elongated. Two connecting portions 112 may be provided. Connecting portions 112 are respectively provided at two opposite ends of the elastic portion 111 along its length. The elongated shape of the elastic portion 111 is advantageous for improving its elastic deformation capability, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the pressure sensor 10. For example, the elastic portion 111 may be rectangular, elliptical, etc. In some embodiments, the elastic portion 111 may also be, but is not limited to, a square, triangle, hexagon, regular polygon, irregular polygon, circle, or irregular shape.

[0030] In some embodiments, there may be two or more connecting portions 112. The number of connecting portions 112 can be specifically set according to actual needs, and is not specifically limited in this application. For example, there may be three or four connecting portions 112. The multiple connecting portions 112 may be arranged at intervals.

[0031] In this embodiment, the elastic part 111 and the connecting part 112 can be integrally formed to simplify the manufacturing process of the elastic substrate 11, reduce manufacturing difficulty, and reduce manufacturing costs. In some embodiments, the elastic part 111 and the connecting part 112 can be separate parts, and are fixedly connected together by means of bonding, fusion, welding, etc.

[0032] The connecting portion 112 is used for fixed connection with the circuit board 21. Exemplarily, the connecting portion 112 and the circuit board 21 can be soldered together. The connecting portion 112 is provided with a groove 1123. The groove 1123 is formed from the end of the connecting portion 112 away from the elastic portion 111 towards the end closer to the elastic portion 111. In this way, the groove 1123 can divide the connection area between the connecting portion 112 and the circuit board 21 into multiple sections, reducing the area of ​​a single connection area, thereby preventing air bubbles from forming during soldering of the connecting portion 112 and the circuit board 21, avoiding soldering defects, improving the soldering quality between the connecting portion 112 and the circuit board 21, simplifying the soldering process, and increasing product yield.

[0033] The groove 1123 can be configured as a square groove, a triangular groove, an arc-shaped groove, etc. For example, the side of the groove 1123 near the elastic portion 111 is constructed as an arc to reduce stress concentration at the corner of the groove 1123, prevent deformation of the connecting portion 112, and help reduce the processing difficulty of the elastic substrate 11. The width of the groove 1123 along the width direction of the elastic substrate 11 and the length along the length direction of the elastic substrate 11 can be specifically set according to actual needs, and are not specifically limited in this application.

[0034] The groove 1123 can be multiple, and the multiple grooves 1123 are arranged at intervals. The number of grooves 1123 can be set according to actual needs and is not specifically limited in the design. For example, the number of grooves 1123 can be one, two, three, etc.

[0035] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a side view of a partial structure of the touch module 100 provided in this embodiment. The connecting portion 112 includes a bending portion 1121 and a fixing portion 1122. The bending portion 1121 connects the elastic portion 111 and the fixing portion 1122. The bending portion 1121 is bent relative to both the elastic portion 111 and the fixing portion 1122. The fixing portion 1122 is used to increase the contact area between the elastic substrate 11 and the circuit board 21, thereby improving the connection stability between the elastic substrate 11 and the circuit board 21 and reducing the difficulty of fixing the elastic substrate 11 and the circuit board 21. A groove 1123 is provided on the fixing portion 1122.

[0036] In this embodiment, the fixing portion 1122 is bent relative to the bending portion 1121 in a direction away from the elastic portion 111, and the fixing portion 1122 and the elastic portion 111 are offset from each other. The bending portion 1121 and the elastic portion 111 are set at an obtuse angle, and the fixing portion 1122 and the bending portion 1121 are also set at an obtuse angle. The surface of the fixing portion 1122 facing away from the elastic portion 111 and the surface of the elastic portion 111 near the fixing portion 1122 can be parallel. In some embodiments, the fixing portion 1122 can also be bent relative to the bending portion 1121 in a direction closer to the elastic portion 111, and the fixing portion 1122 and the elastic portion 111 can be set opposite each other, with the fixing portion 1122, the bending portion 1121, and the elastic portion 111 generally forming a C-shape.

[0037] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a side view of a partial structure of a touch module provided in some embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 112 may be configured as a bent portion 1121, and the connecting portion 112 does not include a fixing portion 1122. The bent portion 1121 bends relative to the elastic portion 111 toward the direction close to the circuit board 21. The bent portion 1121 is used for soldering and fixing to the circuit board 21. A groove 1123 may be formed on the bent portion 1121.

[0038] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4The connecting portion 112 bends relative to the elastic portion 111 towards the direction closer to the circuit board 21, and the elastic portion 111 and the circuit board 21 are spaced apart. A deformation space 110 is formed between the elastic portion 111 and at least two connecting portions 112. The deformation space 110 provides space for the elastic portion 111 to elastically deform when it is subjected to pressure, thus preventing the elastic portion 111 from contacting the circuit board 21. The vertical distance D1 between the surface of the connecting portion 112 facing away from the elastic portion 111 and the surface of the elastic portion 111 near the connecting portion 112 is 0.05mm-1mm. In this embodiment, the vertical distance D1 is the vertical distance between the surface of the fixing portion 1122 facing away from the elastic portion 111 and the surface of the elastic portion 111 near the fixing portion 1122. The size of the vertical distance D1 can be specifically set according to actual needs and is not specifically limited in this application. The vertical distance D1 can be, but is not limited to, 0.05mm, 0.1mm, 0.15mm, 0.2mm, 0.25mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.7mm, 0.8mm, 0.9mm, or 1mm.

[0039] The elastic portion 111 is provided with a first mounting surface 1101 and a second mounting surface 1102 disposed opposite to the first mounting surface 1101. The first mounting surface 1101 is located on the side of the second mounting surface 1102 facing away from the circuit board 21. The connecting portion 112 is bent relative to the elastic portion 111 along the direction from the first mounting surface 1101 toward the second mounting surface 1102. In this embodiment, the sensing element 12 is mounted on the first mounting surface 1101 to reduce the installation difficulty of the sensing element 12 and facilitate the maintenance and replacement of the sensing element 12.

[0040] In some embodiments, the sensor 12 may be mounted on the second mounting surface 1102, and the sensor 12 is located in the deformation space 110. In this way, the structural compactness of the pressure sensor 10 can be improved.

[0041] The sensing element 12 includes a sensing portion 121 and an electrical connection portion 122. The sensing portion 121 is located on the elastic portion 111. The electrical connection portion 122 is electrically connected to the sensing portion 121 and extends beyond the elastic portion 111. The sensing element 12 can be configured as a flexible circuit board. The sensing portion 121 is provided with a sensing structure electrically connected to the electrical connection portion 122. When the elastic portion 111 undergoes elastic deformation, the elastic portion 111 causes the sensing portion 121 to deform, and the relevant parameters of the sensing structure change during deformation. These relevant parameters can be the resistance value of the sensing structure. The sensing structure can be configured as sensing ink, resistance wire, etc.

[0042] The electrical connection portion 122 is used for electrical connection with the circuit board 21. The electrical connection portion 122 may be provided with gold fingers to reduce the difficulty of connecting the electrical connection portion 122 to the circuit board 21, and the manufacturing process of the electrical connection portion 122 is simple and highly versatile. For example, the electrical connection portion 122 may be connected to the side portion of the sensing portion 121 along the width direction of the elastic substrate 11.

[0043] In some embodiments, when the sensing element 12 is mounted on the second mounting surface 1102, the electrical connection portion 122 can be connected to the side portion of the sensing element 121 along the length direction of the elastic substrate 11. The electrical connection portion 122 can be located between the connection portion 112 and the circuit board 21 to improve the structural compactness of the pressure sensor 10.

[0044] The pressure sensor 10 also includes an adhesive member 13. The adhesive member 13 is bonded between the elastic portion 111 and the sensing element 12 to fix the sensing element 12 to the elastic portion 111 and to allow the sensing element 12 to deform with the deformation of the elastic portion 111. In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the adhesive member 13 on the elastic portion 111 overlaps the orthographic projection of the sensing structure of the sensing element 121 on the elastic portion 111.

[0045] In this embodiment, the elastic substrate 11 is configured as a conductive substrate. The adhesive 13 is electrically connected to the elastic substrate 11. The elastic substrate 11 is also electrically connected to the grounding connection terminal on the circuit board 21. Thus, by electrically connecting the adhesive 13 to the elastic substrate 11, the pressure sensor 10 can be grounded, preventing the accumulation of charge in the elastic substrate 11 and the sensing element 12, reducing the risk of static electricity generation, and improving the safety and reliability of the pressure sensor 10. The elastic substrate 11 can be configured as a metal substrate. The adhesive 13 can be configured as a conductive adhesive. In some embodiments, the elastic substrate 11 can also be configured as other conductive elastic substrates. The sensing structure in the sensing part 121 and the adhesive 13 can be insulated from each other.

[0046] Please see Figure 1 The touch module 100 also includes a connection layer 23. The connection layer 23 is connected between the circuit board 21 and the touch panel 22, and is used to fix the circuit board 21 and the touch panel 22 together.

[0047] Multiple pressure sensors 10 can be configured. For example, four pressure sensors 10 are configured, located at the four corners of the circuit board 21, to detect pressure at various locations on the touchpad 22 and improve pressure detection sensitivity. In some embodiments, two, three, five, six, etc., pressure sensors 10 can also be configured.

[0048] In this embodiment, the touch module 100 further includes a vibration motor 31 and a controller 32. The controller 32 is mounted on the circuit board 21 and electrically connected to the pressure sensor 10. The controller 32 detects the user's pressure on the touchpad and the pressure position based on changes in the resistance of the pressure sensor 10. The vibration motor 31 is mounted on the circuit board 21 and electrically connected to the controller 32. The controller 32 also controls the vibration motor 31 to vibrate based on the user's pressure, providing feedback on the user's press.

[0049] The vibration motor 31 can be positioned close to the bottom edge of the touch panel 22 to improve the vibration feedback intensity near the bottom edge of the touch panel 22 and to prevent the vibration motor 31 from interfering with other structures.

[0050] This application also provides an electronic device, which includes the pressure sensor 10 as described in any of the above embodiments, or the electronic device includes the touch module 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The electronic device can be configured as a tablet computer, laptop computer, touch display, or other electronic device with touch functionality.

[0051] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor, characterized by, The pressure sensor comprises: an elastic substrate, which comprises an elastic part and a plurality of connecting parts, at least two of the connecting parts correspond to two opposite ends of the elastic part, and all the connecting parts are respectively arranged to be bent relative to the elastic part, so that the elastic substrate has a deformation space; a sensing part arranged on the elastic part, which is used for realizing pressure sensing.

2. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The connecting part comprises a bending part and a fixed part, the bending part is connected between the elastic part and the fixed part, and the bending part is respectively arranged to be bent relative to the elastic part and the fixed part.

3. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The vertical distance between the surface of the connecting part away from the elastic part and the surface of the elastic part close to the connecting part is 0.05mm-1mm.

4. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The connecting part is provided with a groove, which is opened from one end of the connecting part away from the elastic part to the direction close to the elastic part.

5. The pressure sensor of claim 4, wherein, The groove is arranged in multiple, and the multiple grooves are arranged in intervals.

6. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The elastic part is provided with a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface arranged opposite to the first mounting surface, the connecting part is bent relative to the elastic part along the direction from the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface, the sensing part is mounted on the first mounting surface, or the sensing part is mounted on the second mounting surface.

7. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The sensing part comprises a sensing part and an electrical connecting part, the sensing part is located on the elastic part, and the electrical connecting part is electrically connected to the sensing part and extends out of the elastic part.

8. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein, The pressure sensor further comprises an adhesive part, which is adhered between the elastic part and the sensing part, the elastic substrate is configured as a conductive substrate, and the adhesive part is conductively connected with the elastic substrate.

9. A touch module, comprising: The touch module comprises a touchpad, a circuit board and the pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1-8, the circuit board is arranged on one side of the touchpad, and the pressure sensor is arranged on the side of the circuit board away from the touchpad.

10. An electronic device, comprising: The electronic device comprises the pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1-8, or the electronic device comprises the touch module according to claim 9.

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