PRESSURE SENSITIVE SIGNAL GENERATOR USING PIEZOELECTRIC COATING

摘要

The construction and method of operating a signal generator which provides an electrical output in response to an input mechanism such as a loading by finger are disclosed. The generator has the appearance of a plate and includes a sandwich structure comprising a conductive substrate, a coating of piezoelectric material and usually a plurality of discrete electrodes joined to the exposed surface thereof. The coating is deposited on the substrate as a slurry and is chemically bonded to the substrate. In order to produce an electrical output signal, prescribed locations on the plate are subjected to a force such as can be applied by the touch of a finger and a voltage is generated across the piezoelectric coating between the point of contact on the substrate and the adjacent electrode. The output signal is used either directly or after being amplified to drive various functionally responsive devices.