Instant Response Pressure Sensor Gap Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure sensors require a continuous gap between piezoresistors to detect pressure, leading to delayed response and increased press journey before triggering, which is inadequate for sensing extremely small pressures.
Innovation Solution
The design eliminates the continuous gap between the piezoresistor and neighboring elements, allowing for immediate contact and detection of extremely small pressures by utilizing rugged surfaces for partial area contacts, resulting in an instant response pressure sensor with a trigger position between initial and full contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a continuous gap is maintained between piezoresistors, then the sensor structure is stable and easy to manufacture, but the response time is delayed and press journey is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the gap parameter from continuous (prior art) to discontinuous (invention). By introducing a discontinuous gap with specific width ranges (5-50μm in first embodiment, 1-10μm in second embodiment), the sensor achieves both structural stability and instant response. The gap is engineered to be large enough to maintain manufacturing tolerance and structural integrity, yet small enough to enable immediate electrical contact upon pressure application.
2Ease of manufacture
If a continuous gap is maintained between piezoresistors, then manufacturing is easier, but the sensor cannot detect extremely small pressures immediately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the gap width parameter to balance manufacturing ease with detection sensitivity. The discontinuous gap dimensions are specifically designed (5-50μm or 1-10μm) to be manufacturable while enabling detection of extremely small pressures. This parameter optimization allows the sensor to trigger at the onset of pressure application without requiring overly precise or difficult manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs rugged surfaces on the piezoresistors that create partial area contacts when pressure is applied. This surface topology copying enables reliable electrical contact even with the discontinuous gap structure, maintaining manufacturing feasibility while achieving high pressure detection sensitivity for extremely small pressures.
3Loss of time
If piezoresistors are in direct contact, then response is instant, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a discontinuous gap with controlled width parameters instead of direct contact. The gap width (5-50μm or 1-10μm) is engineered to be small enough to enable instant response when closed, yet large enough to provide manufacturing tolerance. This parameter optimization reduces the stringency of alignment precision requirements compared to direct contact designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The discontinuous gap acts as an intermediary structure between the piezoresistors. It provides a controlled transition state that mediates between the stable separated state (easy to manufacture) and the contact state (instant response). The gap structure with rugged surfaces enables reliable contact formation without requiring extremely precise manufacturing alignment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the pressure sensor to trigger at the onset of pressure application, even for extremely small pressures, with a significantly reduced press journey, making it suitable for applications like pressure-sensitive electronic pens and volume buttons.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoresistor 12T configured on a bottom side of the top electrode 11T
Data Source
AI summary
An instant response pressure sensor is disclosed. An embodiment shows no continuous gap is configured between a piezoresistor and neighboring element(s) in thickness direction. The instant response pressure sensor is able to respond immediately to an extremely small pressure applied thereupon in the early stage with an extremely small distance movement because the instant response pressure sensor without having an extra press journey to move before trigging.