Touch Sensor Support With Groove And Projection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch sensor units face difficulties in securely supporting pressure-sensitive sensors due to issues with curved holes and improper positioning, leading to potential separation of support components and inaccurate obstacle detection.

Innovation Solution

A touch sensor unit design featuring a support with overlapping portions, where one surface has a groove and the other a projection, preventing separation and ensuring proper positioning and support of the pressure-sensitive sensor, even when pressed against the support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the pressure-sensitive sensor is enclosed by folding the support, then the sensor can be curved more easily, but the overlapping portions of the support may separate when force presses the sensor against them

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of curving sensorVSAvoidsupport stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure employs asymmetric overlapping portions where one portion has a groove and the other has a projection, creating an asymmetric fit that prevents separation while allowing the sensor to be curved during assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The pressure-sensitive sensor is nested within the folded support structure, with the sensor positioned between overlapping portions of the support that are joined together, creating a nested configuration that secures the sensor while allowing curvature

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a curved hole is formed for sensor insertion, then the sensor can be accommodated in a curved path, but it is difficult to form such a curved hole and insert the sensor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor path flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The support is pre-formed with overlapping portions that create a curved enclosure space before the sensor is inserted, eliminating the need to form curved holes in the support structure and simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of creating curvature in the planar support structure through curved holes, the invention uses the third dimension by folding the support to create a three-dimensional curved enclosure that accommodates the sensor along a curved path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10648216B2Touch sensor unit

Publication Date: 2020.05.12 AISIN SEIKI KK

AI summary

A touch sensor unit includes a pressure-sensitive sensor and a support that supports the pressure-sensitive sensor. The support includes a first portion that is folded and overlapped with a second portion of the support to at least partially enclosed and support the sensor. One of the first portion and the second portion includes a groove, and the other of the first portion and the second portion includes a projection that projects toward the groove. The projection is fitted into the groove.