Touch-sensitive interface module

摘要

A touch-sensitive interface module that is able to provide 3-dimensional information about a touch by a user is disclosed. The touch-sensitive interface can detect the x-y position and the amount of the force applied on the interface. It comprises of a flexible display panel, an array of MEMS capacitive force sensors, each of which is electrically addressable and/or a circuit board of electrical connections. The force sensors comprise of a piston-tube electrode configuration that allows for easy to detect capacitive changes even when a small force is applied.

主权项

1. A touch-sensitive interface module, comprising:
a. a flexible display panel to receive an input from a user; b. an array of MEMS piston-tube capacitive force sensors that is located beneath said flexible display panel; c. each said MEMS piston-tube capacitive force sensors comprising of:
i. a fixed-electrode having an x- and y-axis defining an x-y plane, and a z-direction being perpendicular to the x-y plane, said fixed-electrode having a top surface parallel to the x-y plane, and a thickness along the z-direction, a stator-electrode-support-frame surrounding the fixed-electrode; an array of spaced apart piston electrodes extending from the top surface along said z-direction of the fixed-electrode, said pistons having vertical piston-walls and a piston-height; said pistons being electrically connected to each other and electrically addressable;ii. an moving-electrode having a non-moving rotor-support-frame surrounding the moving-electrode; an array of spaced apart tubes or apertures fabricated in the moving electrode, each said aperture having a vertical aperture-wall and a aperture-height, wherein said apertures being aligned with said pistons, and wherein each said aperture having an aperture opening sized and shaped to receive and interdigitate with each said piston without the piston-walls touching the aperture-walls, said apertures being electrically connected to each other but electrically isolated from the pistons;iii. a plurality of springs connecting said array of apertures to said non-moving rotor-support-frame;iv. an electrical insulation layer sandwiched between set said stator-support-frame and said rotor-support-frame to provide electrical separation between all said fixed-electrodes and said moving-electrodes; whereby each MEMS piston-tube capacitive force sensor is able to detect the x-y position and the amount of an external force along the out-of-plane axis (z-axis) applied to said flexible display panel, by means of capacitance change detection that is formed between the stator and the rotor electrodes of the individual force sensor.