Integrated Touch Sensor Electrodes with Strain Gauge Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensors struggle to simultaneously detect touch pressure and position with reduced thickness, as they often require separate components for capacitance and resistance measurements, leading to increased thickness and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor design incorporating electrodes with integrated resistance elements, such as spirally wound or zigzag patterns, that function as strain gauges to detect pressure changes and capacitance changes for position detection, allowing for self-capacitance sensing and mutual-capacitance sensing in a single layer, reducing thickness and component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate components are used for capacitance and resistance measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines capacitance sensing electrodes and resistance sensing electrodes into a single integrated electrode structure. The electrode includes both a conductive layer for capacitance detection and a resistance layer with strain gauge patterns for pressure detection, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining dual functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated electrode serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a capacitance sensor for position detection and a resistance sensor for pressure detection. The single electrode structure with its dual-layer design enables it to perform both sensing functions without requiring additional dedicated components, thus reducing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If separate components are used for capacitance and resistance measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resistance layer is nested within or integrated with the conductive layer of the electrode structure. The strain gauge patterns are formed within the same electrode assembly, allowing one sensing component to be contained within or combined with the other, thereby minimizing the overall thickness while maintaining both sensing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the capacitance sensing function and resistance sensing function into a single integrated electrode, the patent eliminates the need for separate component stacks that would increase thickness. The dual-layer electrode design allows both sensing mechanisms to coexist in a compact, thin structure.
3Device complexity
If integrated resistance elements are used in electrodes, then device complexity is reduced and thickness is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs strain gauge patterns with specific geometric configurations (such as zigzag or grid patterns) that are designed to be sensitive to pressure-induced deformation. By carefully selecting and optimizing the pattern geometry, the resistance change response to pressure is enhanced, allowing for accurate pressure detection even with standard manufacturing tolerances.
4Device complexity
If integrated resistance elements are used in electrodes, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The strain gauge patterns are designed with specific geometric parameters (pattern size, spacing, orientation) that optimize the resistance change response to pressure. By adjusting these parameters, the patent achieves high sensitivity to pressure-induced deformation while maintaining compatibility with standard manufacturing processes, thus managing the balance between device simplicity and manufacturing precision requirements.
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 design enables efficient detection of touch pressure and position with reduced sensor thickness by utilizing integrated resistance elements within the electrodes, simplifying the sensor structure and enhancing sensitivity while minimizing the need for additional pressure sensors.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the electrodes includes a resistance element which has a shape that is at least partially bent in a unit electrode region and has a resistance value that is changed to correspond to a pressure of a touch
Implementation Method 2
a position of the touch may be detected from the capacitance change of the electrodes corresponding to the touch
Data Source
AI summary
A touch sensor includes: a plurality of electrodes; and a plurality of sensing wires connected with the respective electrodes, and formed by extending in a first direction, wherein at least one of the electrodes includes a resistance element which has a shape that is at least partially bent in a unit electrode region and has a resistance value that is changed to correspond to a pressure of a touch. A touch location and pressure can be sensed with the same elements, so that the touch sensor may have increased function yet remain thin.