EP1050057A1 - Switching element produced in the form of a film - Google Patents

Switching element produced in the form of a film

Info

Publication number
EP1050057A1
EP1050057A1 EP99906147A EP99906147A EP1050057A1 EP 1050057 A1 EP1050057 A1 EP 1050057A1 EP 99906147 A EP99906147 A EP 99906147A EP 99906147 A EP99906147 A EP 99906147A EP 1050057 A1 EP1050057 A1 EP 1050057A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
switching element
layer
resistance
resistance material
point
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP99906147A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1050057B1 (en
Inventor
Karl Billen
Laurent Federspiel
Edgard Theiss
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
IEE International Electronics and Engineering SA
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IEE International Electronics and Engineering SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
Application filed by IEE International Electronics and Engineering SA filed Critical IEE International Electronics and Engineering SA
Publication of EP1050057A1 publication Critical patent/EP1050057A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1050057B1 publication Critical patent/EP1050057B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01C—RESISTORS
    • H01C10/00—Adjustable resistors
    • H01C10/10—Adjustable resistors adjustable by mechanical pressure or force
    • H01C10/12—Adjustable resistors adjustable by mechanical pressure or force by changing surface pressure between resistive masses or resistive and conductive masses, e.g. pile type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/702—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2239/00—Miscellaneous
    • H01H2239/078—Variable resistance by variable contact area or point

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a switching element in film construction which, when triggered, generates a signal which depends on the size of the triggered area.
  • Such a switching element in film construction comprises a first carrier film on which a release layer made of a first resistance material, e.g. Graphite, and a second carrier film on which a sensor layer made of a second resistance material, e.g. a semiconductor material is applied.
  • the first resistance material and the second resistance material are matched to one another in such a way that when the triggering layer and the sensor layer are contacted, the resistance of the boundary layer between the triggering layer and the sensor layer is essentially determined by the extent of the contact area.
  • the first carrier film and the second carrier film are arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers in such a way that the release layer and the sensor layer face each other and are not in contact with one another when the switching element is not actuated.
  • the switching element is triggered or actuated, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are moved towards one another against the restoring force of the carrier films and contacted.
  • the two layers are contacted with one another in a first point of their area, this contact area increases with increasing pressure on the switching element.
  • Such pressure sensors are inexpensive to manufacture and have proven to be extremely robust and reliable in practice.
  • the trigger behavior or the dynamics of such pressure sensors is not suitable for certain applications. While in the case of the generally round sensors the radial extent of the triggered surface depends essentially linearly on the force exerted on the switching element, there is an essentially quadratic dependency for the contact surface. The resistance behavior of the sensor as a function of the triggering force consequently shows a course determined by this quadratic dependence, which makes the sensors unsuitable for certain applications.
  • a switching element in film construction with a first carrier film on which a triggering layer made of a first resistance material is applied, the triggering layer having a first electrical connection, and a second carrier film on which a sensor layer made of a second resistance material is applied is, wherein the sensor layer has a second electrical connection.
  • the first carrier film and the second carrier film are arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers such that the triggering layer and the sensor layer face each other and are not in contact with one another when the switching element is not actuated, while when the switching element is triggered, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are initially in one be contacted with each other at the first point of their surface and the contact surface increases with increasing pressure on the switching element.
  • the first resistance material and the second resistance material are in such a way 3
  • the resistance of the boundary layer between the trigger layer and the sensor layer is essentially determined by the size of the contact area.
  • the sensor layer is designed in such a way that its specific electrical resistance, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point in such a way that a predetermined triggering behavior of the switching element results as a function of the pressure force acting on the switching element .
  • the triggering behavior of such a switching element is also determined by the resistance in the sensor layer between the triggering point and the second electrical connection.
  • An electrical signal introduced into the sensor layer at a trigger point via the boundary layer e.g. an electrical voltage must in fact flow through the resistance path between the trigger point and the second connection.
  • the voltage drop in the resistance path can consequently be influenced as a function of the trigger point by a specific variation of the specific resistance over this resistance path, so that the triggering behavior of the switching element can be linearized, for example.
  • Such a switching element can consequently, with regard to its tripping behavior, i.e. its dynamics can be optimized for any application.
  • the varying specific resistance is generated by deliberately introducing a third resistance material into the second resistance material, the specific resistance of the third resistance material and the specific resistance of the second resistance material being different from one another, and the concentration of the third resistance material with the distance from the first point varies.
  • the specific resistance can be varied, for example, by introducing a low-resistance material, for example silver, into a high-resistance semiconductor material, the specific resistance 4
  • the sensor layer gets smaller with increasing amount of the introduced material.
  • the variation can also be carried out by introducing a high-resistance material in a layer of low-resistance material.
  • the third resistance material is preferably introduced into the second resistance material in the form of local enclosures. This type of introduction enables simple production of the sensor layer while at the same time controlling the concentration of the third resistance material in the sensor layer well.
  • the dependence of the concentration of the third resistance material can take place, for example, by a certain spatial arrangement of enclosures of the same extent or by a regular spatial arrangement of enclosures with a different extent or by a combination of the two.
  • the second resistance material preferably has a semiconductor material and the third resistance material has a substantially lower resistance than the second resistance material.
  • the semiconductor material can comprise, for example, a semiconductor ink used in the production of film pressure sensors, with which the required surface effect at the boundary layer with a release layer made of graphite can advantageously be brought about, while the third resistance material comprises silver.
  • the specific resistance of the sensor layer starting from the first point, for example the center of a round switching element, can increase proportionally in the radial direction with the distance to the first point.
  • the selected distance dimensions result from the desired sensor dynamics.
  • the enclosures are advantageously electrically isolated from the second electrical connection.
  • the enclosures are also preferably completely covered by the second resistance material on the side facing the release layer. 5 covers.
  • the cover layer made of second resistance material on the one hand prevents the release layer from directly switching through to the enclosures, on the other hand it serves as a protective layer against possible mechanical damage.
  • the trigger layer of the switching element can comprise a resistance material with a uniform resistivity. This is, for example, a graphite layer that can be easily produced in a screen printing process.
  • the triggering layer can be constructed similarly to the sensor layer, ie the triggering layer has a specific resistance which, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point.
  • the course of the specific resistance in the triggering layer can correspond to the course of the specific resistance in the sensor layer or can have a completely different course.
  • FIG. 1 shows a section through a first embodiment of a switching element in FIG
  • Fig.3 a view of a further distribution of inclusions in the
  • Sensor layer of the switching element Figure 4 a section through a second embodiment, in which the trigger layer also has a varying specific resistance
  • Figure 5 a switching element with an alternative triggering method.
  • the trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 each have an electrical connection 16, 18 at their edge.
  • the resistance material of the trigger layer 12 and the resistance material of the sensor layer are matched to one another such that when the trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 are contacted, the resistance of the boundary layer between the trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 is essentially determined by the extent of the contact area.
  • the switching element When the switching element is triggered, the two carrier foils 10 are pressed together against their respective restoring force until the triggering layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 are contacted.
  • the contacting of the two layers will initially take place in the middle of the two layers, the contact surface expanding radially outward with increasing force on the switching element. Since the linear expansion of the contact area increases essentially linearly with the force exerted, the size of the contact area increases correspondingly quadratically with the force. In the case of a conventional switching element, this results in a tripping behavior in which the electrical resistance drops approximately quadratically with the force.
  • the switching element shown has enclosures 20 of a third resistance material, the third resistance material, for example silver, having a significantly lower specific resistance than the second resistance material.
  • the specific resistance of the sensor layer 14 can be changed with the distance from the center of the switching element such that the non-linear trigger described above 7 is balanced.
  • the enclosures 20 are arranged, for example, in rings around the center of the switching element, the distance between two adjacent rings increasing towards the outside.
  • the resistance of this resistance path is strongly dependent on the extent of the contact area, so that the triggering behavior mentioned above can be largely linearized. It should be noted here that, as an alternative to a linear tripping behavior, in which the electrical resistance of the switching element is proportional to the force exerted on the switching element, any suitable dependency is made possible in principle by a suitable arrangement of the enclosures 20.
  • FIG. 2 and 3 show various distributions of the enclosures 20, which likewise lead to a linearization of the triggering behavior of the switching element.
  • the enclosures 20 are arranged essentially in a radial manner, the radial distance between two adjacent enclosures being essentially constant, while the enclosures 20 of the embodiment in FIG. 3 are arranged on spiral tracks. It is common to all distributions that the amount of material introduced in a circular ring around the center decreases with the distance from the center.
  • Trigger layer 12 similar to the sensor layer 14 inclusions 20.
  • the inclusions 20 are arranged in the release layer 12 at different locations with respect to the center of the switching element than the inclusions 8th
  • FIG. 5 A distribution of the enclosures 20 is shown in FIG. 5, in which the enclosures are evenly distributed over the surface of the sensor layer 14. Such a distribution of the enclosure leads to a tripping behavior that is very similar to that of conventional switching elements.
  • the low-resistance material into the sensor layer, the influence of resistance fluctuations in the high-resistance second resistance material on the specific resistance of the respective layer is greatly reduced. As a result, quality differences between different switching elements in series production can be largely avoided.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Pressure Sensors (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Force Measurement Appropriate To Specific Purposes (AREA)
  • Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)
  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a switching element produced in the form of a film having a tripping layer which is made of a first resistance material and which is deposited on a first support film. The switching element also has a sensor layer which is made of a second resistance material and which is deposited on a second support film. Both support films are arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers such that the tripping layer and the sensor layer are opposite and do not contact one another when the switching element is not actuated. When the switching element is tripped, the tripping layer and the sensor layer first contact one another at a first point of the surfaces thereof, and the contact surface is enlarged when pressure on the switching element is increased. The first and second resistance materials are matched to one another such that the resistance of the limiting layer is essentially set between the tripping layer and the sensor layer during contact of the tripping layer and of the sensor layer by expanding the contact surface. According to the invention, the sensor layer is formed such that the specific electrical resistance, starting from the first point, varies in a direction of the increasing contact surface with the distance from the first point so that a predetermined tripping behavior of the switching element results according to the pressure force acting on the switching element.

Description

Schaltelement in Folienbauweise Switching element in foil construction
Einleitungintroduction
Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft ein Schaltelement in Folienbauweise, das beim Auslösen ein Signal generiert, das von der Größe der ausgelösten Fläche abhängt.The present invention relates to a switching element in film construction which, when triggered, generates a signal which depends on the size of the triggered area.
Ein solches Schaltelement in Folienbauweise umfaßt eine erste Trägerfolie, auf der eine Auslöseschicht aus einem ersten Widerstandsmaterial, z.B. Graphit, aufgebracht ist, und einer zweiten Trägerfolie, auf der eine Sensorschicht aus einem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial, z.B. einem Halbleitermaterial, aufgebracht ist. Das erste Widerstandsmaterial und das zweite Widerstandsmaterial sind dabei derart aufeinander abgestimmt, daß bei der Kontaktierung der Auslöse- Schicht und der Sensorschicht der Widerstand der Grenzschicht zwischen der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht im wesentlichen durch die Ausdehnung der Kontaktfläche bestimmt wird.Such a switching element in film construction comprises a first carrier film on which a release layer made of a first resistance material, e.g. Graphite, and a second carrier film on which a sensor layer made of a second resistance material, e.g. a semiconductor material is applied. The first resistance material and the second resistance material are matched to one another in such a way that when the triggering layer and the sensor layer are contacted, the resistance of the boundary layer between the triggering layer and the sensor layer is essentially determined by the extent of the contact area.
Die erste Trägerfolie und die zweite Trägerfolie sind durch Abstandhalter derart in einem gewissen Abstand zueinander angeordnet, daß sich die Auslöse- schicht und die Sensorschicht gegenüberstehen und bei nicht betätigtem Schaltelement nicht miteinander kontaktiert sind. Bei der Auslösung oder Betätigung des Schaltelements werden die Auslöseschicht und die Sensorschicht gegen die Rückstellkraft der Trägerfolien aufeinander zubewegt und miteinander kontaktiert. Bei kleinen Auslösekräften werden die beiden Schich- ten in einem ersten Punkt ihrer Fläche miteinander kontaktiert, diese Kontaktfläche vergrößert sich bei zunehmendem Druck auf das Schaltelement.The first carrier film and the second carrier film are arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers in such a way that the release layer and the sensor layer face each other and are not in contact with one another when the switching element is not actuated. When the switching element is triggered or actuated, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are moved towards one another against the restoring force of the carrier films and contacted. In the case of small triggering forces, the two layers are contacted with one another in a first point of their area, this contact area increases with increasing pressure on the switching element.
Mißt man den elektrischen Widerstand des Schaltelementes, so erhält man eine Kenngröße, die direkt von der miteinander kontaktierten Fläche abhängt, und die, unter Einbeziehung der Rückstellkraft der Trägerfolien, Rückschlüsse auf die auf das Schaltelement wirkenden Auslösekräfte erlaubt. Aus diesem Grund können derartige Schaltelemente beispielsweise als Drucksensoren eingesetzt werden. 2If the electrical resistance of the switching element is measured, a parameter is obtained which depends directly on the surface in contact with one another and which, taking into account the restoring force of the carrier foils, allows conclusions to be drawn about the triggering forces acting on the switching element. For this reason, such switching elements can be used, for example, as pressure sensors. 2
Derartige Drucksensoren sind kostengünstig herstellbar und haben sich in der Praxis als äußerst robust und zuverlässig erwiesen. Allerdings ist das Auslöseverhalten bzw. die Dynamik solcher Drucksensoren für bestimmte Anwendungen nicht geeignet. Während bei den im allgemeinen runden Sensoren die radiale Ausdehnung der ausgelösten Fläche im wesentlichen linear von der auf das Schaltelement ausgeübten Kraft abhängt, ergibt sich für die Kontaktfläche eine im wesentlichen quadratische Abhängigkeit. Das Widerstandsverhalten des Sensors in Abhängigkeit der Auslösekraft weist folglich einen von dieser quadratischen Abhängigkeit bestimmten Verlauf aus, was die Sensoren für bestimmte Anwendungen ungeeignet macht.Such pressure sensors are inexpensive to manufacture and have proven to be extremely robust and reliable in practice. However, the trigger behavior or the dynamics of such pressure sensors is not suitable for certain applications. While in the case of the generally round sensors the radial extent of the triggered surface depends essentially linearly on the force exerted on the switching element, there is an essentially quadratic dependency for the contact surface. The resistance behavior of the sensor as a function of the triggering force consequently shows a course determined by this quadratic dependence, which makes the sensors unsuitable for certain applications.
Aufgabe der ErfindungObject of the invention
Aufgabe der vorliegenden Erfindung ist es folglich, ein derartiges Schaltelement in Folienbauweise vorzuschlagen, das eine Anpassung des Auslöseverhaltens an den jeweiligen Einsatzzweck ermöglicht.It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose such a switching element in a film construction which enables the triggering behavior to be adapted to the particular application.
Allgemeine Beschreibung der ErfindungGeneral description of the invention
Diese Aufgabe wird erfindungsgemäß gelöst durch ein Schaltelement in Folienbauweise, mit einer ersten Trägerfolie, auf der eine Auslöseschicht aus einem ersten Widerstandsmaterial aufgebracht ist, wobei die Auslöseschicht einen ersten elektrischen Anschluß aufweist, und einer zweiten Trägerfolie, auf der eine Sensorschicht aus einem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial aufgebracht ist, wobei die Sensorschicht einen zweiten elektrischen Anschluß aufweist. Die erste Trägerfolie und die zweite Trägerfolie sind durch Abstandhalter derart in einem gewissen Abstand zueinander angeordnet, daß sich die Auslöseschicht und die Sensorschicht gegenüberstehen und bei nicht betätigtem Schaltelement nicht miteinander kontaktiert sind, während bei der Auslösung des Schaltelements die Auslöseschicht und die Sensorschicht zunächst in einem ersten Punkt ihrer Fläche miteinander kontaktiert werden und sich die Kontaktfläche bei zunehmendem Druck auf das Schaltelement vergrößert. Das erste Widerstandsmaterial und das zweite Widerstandsmaterial sind derart aufeinan- 3This object is achieved according to the invention by a switching element in film construction, with a first carrier film on which a triggering layer made of a first resistance material is applied, the triggering layer having a first electrical connection, and a second carrier film on which a sensor layer made of a second resistance material is applied is, wherein the sensor layer has a second electrical connection. The first carrier film and the second carrier film are arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers such that the triggering layer and the sensor layer face each other and are not in contact with one another when the switching element is not actuated, while when the switching element is triggered, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are initially in one be contacted with each other at the first point of their surface and the contact surface increases with increasing pressure on the switching element. The first resistance material and the second resistance material are in such a way 3
der abgestimmt, daß bei der Kontaktierung der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht der Widerstand der Grenzschicht zwischen der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht im wesentlichen durch die Größe der Kontaktfläche bestimmt wird. Erfindungsgemäß ist die Sensorschicht derart ausgestaltet, daß ihr spezifischer elektrischer Widerstand, ausgehend von dem ersten Punkt, in Richtung der zunehmenden Kontaktfläche derart mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert, daß sich ein vorbestimmtes Auslöseverhalten des Schaltelements in Abhängigkeit der auf das Schaltelement wirkenden Druckkraft ergibt. Das Auslöseverhalten eines solchen Schaltelementes wird, neben dem Widerstand der Grenzschicht zwischen der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht, auch durch den Widerstand in der Sensorschicht zwischen der Auslösestelle und dem zweiten elektrischen Anschluß bestimmt. Ein an einer Auslösestelle über die Grenzschicht in die Sensorschicht eingebrachtes elektrisches Signal, z.B. eine elektrische Spannung, muß in der Tat über die Widerstandsstrecke zwischen der Auslösestelle und dem zweiten Anschluß abfließen.who agreed that when contacting the trigger layer and the sensor layer, the resistance of the boundary layer between the trigger layer and the sensor layer is essentially determined by the size of the contact area. According to the invention, the sensor layer is designed in such a way that its specific electrical resistance, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point in such a way that a predetermined triggering behavior of the switching element results as a function of the pressure force acting on the switching element . In addition to the resistance of the boundary layer between the triggering layer and the sensor layer, the triggering behavior of such a switching element is also determined by the resistance in the sensor layer between the triggering point and the second electrical connection. An electrical signal introduced into the sensor layer at a trigger point via the boundary layer, e.g. an electrical voltage must in fact flow through the resistance path between the trigger point and the second connection.
Durch eine gezielte Variation des spezifischen Widerstandes über diese Widerstandsstrecke kann folglich der Spannungsabfall in der Widerstandsstrecke abhängig von der Auslösestelle beeinflußt werden, so daß das Auslö- severhalten des Schaltelementes beispielsweise linearisiert werden kann. Ein solches Schaltelement kann folglich, bezüglich seines Auslöseverhaltens, d.h. seiner Dynamik für jeden beliebigen Einsatzzweck, optimiert werden.The voltage drop in the resistance path can consequently be influenced as a function of the trigger point by a specific variation of the specific resistance over this resistance path, so that the triggering behavior of the switching element can be linearized, for example. Such a switching element can consequently, with regard to its tripping behavior, i.e. its dynamics can be optimized for any application.
In einer bevorzugten Ausgestaltung des Schaltelementes wird der variierende spezifische Widerstand durch gezieltes Einbringen eines dritten Widerstands- materials in das zweite Widerstandsmaterial erzeugt, wobei der spezifische Widerstand des dritten Widerstandsmaterials und der spezifische Widerstand des zweiten Widerstandsmaterials voneinander verschieden sind, und wobei Konzentration des dritten Widerstandsmaterials mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert. Die Variation des spezifischen Widerstandes kann beispielsweise durch Einbringen eines niederohmigen Materials, z.B. Silber, in ein hochohmiges Halbleitermaterial erfolgen, wobei der spezifische Widerstand 4In a preferred embodiment of the switching element, the varying specific resistance is generated by deliberately introducing a third resistance material into the second resistance material, the specific resistance of the third resistance material and the specific resistance of the second resistance material being different from one another, and the concentration of the third resistance material with the distance from the first point varies. The specific resistance can be varied, for example, by introducing a low-resistance material, for example silver, into a high-resistance semiconductor material, the specific resistance 4
der Sensorschicht mit steigender Menge des eingebrachten Materials kleiner wird. Umgekehrt kann die Variation auch durch Einbringen eines hochohmigen Materials in Schicht aus niederohmigen Material erfolgen.the sensor layer gets smaller with increasing amount of the introduced material. Conversely, the variation can also be carried out by introducing a high-resistance material in a layer of low-resistance material.
Das dritte Widerstandsmaterial ist vorzugsweise in Form von lokalen Einschlie- ßungen in das zweite Widerstandsmaterial eingebracht. Diese Einbringungsart ermöglicht eine einfache Herstellung der Sensorschicht bei gleichzeitig guter Kontrolle der Konzentration des dritten Widerstandsmaterials in der Sensorschicht. Die Abhängigkeit der Konzentration des dritten Widerstandsmaterials kann dabei beispielsweise durch eine bestimmte räumliche Anordnung von Einschließungen gleicher Ausdehnung oder durch eine regelmäßige räumliche Anordnung von Einschließungen mit unterschiedlicher Ausdehnung oder durch eine Kombination der beiden erfolgen.The third resistance material is preferably introduced into the second resistance material in the form of local enclosures. This type of introduction enables simple production of the sensor layer while at the same time controlling the concentration of the third resistance material in the sensor layer well. The dependence of the concentration of the third resistance material can take place, for example, by a certain spatial arrangement of enclosures of the same extent or by a regular spatial arrangement of enclosures with a different extent or by a combination of the two.
Das zweite Widerstandsmaterial weist vorzugsweise ein Halbleitermaterial auf und das dritte Widerstandsmaterial weist einen wesentlich geringeren Wider- stand auf als das zweite Widerstandsmaterial. Das Halbleitermaterial kann beispielsweise eine bei der Herstellung von Foliendrucksensoren verwendete Halbleitertinte umfassen, mit der der erforderliche Flächeneffekt an der Grenzschicht zu einer Auslöseschicht aus Graphit vorteilhaft bewirkt werden kann, während das dritte Widerstandsmaterial Silber umfaßt. Auf die oben beschriebene Weise kann der spezifische Widerstand der Sensorschicht ausgehend von dem ersten Punkt, beispielsweise den Zentrum eines runden Schaltelementes, in radialer Richtung proportional mit dem Abstand zum ersten Punkt ansteigen. Die gewählten Abstandsmaße resultieren aus der gewünschten Sensordynamik. Die Einschließungen sind vorteilhaft elektrisch von dem zweiten elektrischen Anschluß isoliert. Hierdurch wird verhindert, daß das Schaltelement aufgrund von Einschließungen, die sich bis in die Grenzschicht zwischen Auslöseschicht und Sensorschicht hineinerstrecken, vollständig durchschaltet und eine Druk- kerkennung unmöglich wird. Die Einschließungen sind zudem auf der der Auslöseschicht zugewandten Seite vorzugsweise vollständig von dem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial über- 5 deckt. Die Deckschicht aus zweitem Widerstandsmaterial verhindert einerseits ein direktes Durchschalten der Auslöseschicht auf die Einschließungen, andererseits dient sie als Schutzschicht gegen eventuelle mechanische Beschädigung. Die Auslöseschicht des Schaltelementes kann ein Widerstandsmaterial mit einem gleichförmigen spezifischen Widerstand umfassen. Es handelt sich hierbei beispielsweise um eine Graphitschicht, die sich in einem Siebdruckverfahren leicht herstellen läßt. In einer alternativen Ausgestaltung kann die Auslöseschicht ähnlich wie die Sensorschicht aufgebaut sein, d.h. die Auslöse- schicht weist einen spezifischen Widerstand auf, der, ausgehend von dem ersten Punkt, in Richtung der zunehmenden Kontaktfläche mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert. Der Verlauf des spezifischen Widerstands in der Auslöseschicht kann dabei dem Verlauf des spezifischen Widerstands in der Sensorschicht entsprechen oder einen völlig anderen Verlauf aufweisen.The second resistance material preferably has a semiconductor material and the third resistance material has a substantially lower resistance than the second resistance material. The semiconductor material can comprise, for example, a semiconductor ink used in the production of film pressure sensors, with which the required surface effect at the boundary layer with a release layer made of graphite can advantageously be brought about, while the third resistance material comprises silver. In the manner described above, the specific resistance of the sensor layer, starting from the first point, for example the center of a round switching element, can increase proportionally in the radial direction with the distance to the first point. The selected distance dimensions result from the desired sensor dynamics. The enclosures are advantageously electrically isolated from the second electrical connection. This prevents the switching element from being completely switched on due to inclusions that extend into the boundary layer between the triggering layer and the sensor layer, and that pressure detection is impossible. The enclosures are also preferably completely covered by the second resistance material on the side facing the release layer. 5 covers. The cover layer made of second resistance material on the one hand prevents the release layer from directly switching through to the enclosures, on the other hand it serves as a protective layer against possible mechanical damage. The trigger layer of the switching element can comprise a resistance material with a uniform resistivity. This is, for example, a graphite layer that can be easily produced in a screen printing process. In an alternative embodiment, the triggering layer can be constructed similarly to the sensor layer, ie the triggering layer has a specific resistance which, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point. The course of the specific resistance in the triggering layer can correspond to the course of the specific resistance in the sensor layer or can have a completely different course.
Beschreibung anhand der FigurenDescription based on the figures
Im folgenden werden vorteilhafte Ausgestaltungen der Erfindung anhand der beiliegenden Figuren beschrieben. Es zeigen:Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:
Fig.1 : einen Schnitt durch eine erste Ausgestaltung eines Schaltelements in1 shows a section through a first embodiment of a switching element in FIG
Folienbauweise Fig.2: eine Ansicht einer alternativen Verteilung von Einschließungen in der Sensorschicht des Schaltelementes2: a view of an alternative distribution of inclusions in the sensor layer of the switching element
Fig.3: eine Ansicht einer weiteren Verteilung von Einschließungen in derFig.3: a view of a further distribution of inclusions in the
Sensorschicht des Schaltelementes Fig.4: einen Schnitt durch eine zweite Ausgestaltung, in das auch die Auslöseschicht einen variierenden spezifischen Widerstand aufweist Fig.5: ein Schaltelement mit einem alternativen Auslöseverfahren.Sensor layer of the switching element Figure 4: a section through a second embodiment, in which the trigger layer also has a varying specific resistance Figure 5: a switching element with an alternative triggering method.
In Fig. 1 ist ein Schnitt durch ein rundes Schaltelement in Folienbauweise dargestellt, das beim Auslösen ein Signal generiert, das von der Größe der ausgelösten Fläche abhängt. 61 shows a section through a round switching element in film construction, which generates a signal when triggered, which depends on the size of the triggered area. 6
Es umfaßt im wesentlichen zwei Trägerfolien 10, die mittels eines Abstandhalters 1 1 in einem gewissen Abstand zueinander angeordnet sind. Auf einer Trägerfolie ist eine Auslöseschicht 12 aus einem ersten Widerstandsmaterial, z.B. Graphit aufgebracht, während auf der anderen Trägerfolie eine Sensor- schicht 14 aus einem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial, z.B. einer Halbleitertinte, wie sie bei der Herstellung von Foliendrucksensoren verwendet wird, aufgebracht, die der Auslöseschicht 12 gegenübersteht. Die Auslöseschicht 12 und die Sensorschicht 14 weisen jeweils an ihrem Rand einen elektrischen Anschluß 16, 18 auf. Das Widerstandsmaterial der Auslöseschicht 12 und das Widerstandsmaterial der Sensorschicht sind derart aufeinander abgestimmt, daß bei der Kontaktierung der Auslöseschicht 12 und der Sensorschicht 14 der Widerstand der Grenzschicht zwischen der Auslöseschicht 12 und der Sensorschicht 14 im wesentlichen durch die Ausdehnung der Kontaktfläche bestimmt wird. Beim Auslösen des Schaltelementes werden die beiden Trägerfolien 10 gegen ihre jeweilige Rückstellkraft soweit zusammengedrückt, bis die Kontaktierung der Auslöseschicht 12 und der Sensorschicht 14 erfolgt. Die Kontaktierung der beiden Schichten wird dabei zunächst in der Mitte der beiden Schichten erfolgen, wobei sich die Kontaktfläche mit zunehmender Kraft auf das Schalte- lement radial nach außen ausdehnt. Da die lineare Ausdehnung der Kontaktfläche im wesentlichen linear mit der ausgeübten Kraft anwächst, wächst die Größe der Kontaktfläche entsprechend quadratisch mit der Kraft an. Hierdurch ergibt sich bei einem herkömmlichen Schaltelement ein Auslöseverhalten, bei dem der elektrische Widerstand etwa quadratisch mit der Kraft abfällt. Zur Linearisierung dieses Auslöseverhaltens weist das dargestellte Schaltelement Einschließungen 20 eines dritten Widerstandsmaterials auf, wobei das dritte Widerstandsmaterial, z.B. Silber, einen wesentlich geringeren spezifischen Widerstand aufweist als das zweite Widerstandsmaterial. Durch eine geeignete Verteilung der Einschließungen 20 kann der spezifische Widerstand der Sensorschicht 14 derart mit dem Abstand von dem Mittelpunkt des Schaltelements verändert werden, daß das oben beschriebene nicht-lineare Auslö- 7 severhalten ausgeglichen wird. In der dargestellten Ausführung sind die Einschließungen 20 z.B. in Ringen um das Zentrum des Schaltelementes angeordnet, wobei der Abstand zwischen zwei benachbarten Ringen nach außen hin zunimmt. Beim Auslösen des Schaltelementes wird eine elektrische Spannung, die an dem Anschluß 16 der Auslöseschicht 12 anliegt, über die Grenzschicht auf die Sensorschicht 14 übertragen. Diese Spannung liegt dann im wesentlichen zwischen, dem Rand der Kontaktfläche und dem Anschluß 18 der Sensorschicht 14 an, das Signal muß folglich in der Sensorschicht 14 die Wider- Standsstrecke zwischen diesen Punkten durchlaufen. Durch Variation des spezifischen Widerstandes der Sensorschicht 14 ist der Widerstand dieser Widerstandsstrecke stark abhängig von der Ausdehnung der Kontaktfläche, so daß das oben angesprochene Auslöseverhalten weitgehend linearisiert werden kann. Es ist hierbei anzumerken, daß alternativ zu einem linearen Auslöseverhalten, bei dem der elektrische Widerstand des Schaltelementes proportional zu der auf das Schaltelement ausgeübten Kraft ist, durch eine geeignete Anordnung der Einschließungen 20 im Prinzip jede beliebige Abhängigkeit ermöglicht wird.It essentially comprises two carrier foils 10 which are arranged at a certain distance from one another by means of a spacer 11. A trigger layer 12 made of a first resistance material, for example graphite, is applied to a carrier film, while a sensor layer 14 made of a second resistance material, for example a semiconductor ink, such as is used in the production of film pressure sensors, is applied to the other carrier foil, which the trigger layer 12 faces. The trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 each have an electrical connection 16, 18 at their edge. The resistance material of the trigger layer 12 and the resistance material of the sensor layer are matched to one another such that when the trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 are contacted, the resistance of the boundary layer between the trigger layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 is essentially determined by the extent of the contact area. When the switching element is triggered, the two carrier foils 10 are pressed together against their respective restoring force until the triggering layer 12 and the sensor layer 14 are contacted. The contacting of the two layers will initially take place in the middle of the two layers, the contact surface expanding radially outward with increasing force on the switching element. Since the linear expansion of the contact area increases essentially linearly with the force exerted, the size of the contact area increases correspondingly quadratically with the force. In the case of a conventional switching element, this results in a tripping behavior in which the electrical resistance drops approximately quadratically with the force. To linearize this tripping behavior, the switching element shown has enclosures 20 of a third resistance material, the third resistance material, for example silver, having a significantly lower specific resistance than the second resistance material. By a suitable distribution of the enclosures 20, the specific resistance of the sensor layer 14 can be changed with the distance from the center of the switching element such that the non-linear trigger described above 7 is balanced. In the embodiment shown, the enclosures 20 are arranged, for example, in rings around the center of the switching element, the distance between two adjacent rings increasing towards the outside. When the switching element is triggered, an electrical voltage which is present at the connection 16 of the triggering layer 12 is transmitted to the sensor layer 14 via the boundary layer. This voltage is then essentially between the edge of the contact surface and the connection 18 of the sensor layer 14, the signal must consequently pass through the resistance path between these points in the sensor layer 14. By varying the specific resistance of the sensor layer 14, the resistance of this resistance path is strongly dependent on the extent of the contact area, so that the triggering behavior mentioned above can be largely linearized. It should be noted here that, as an alternative to a linear tripping behavior, in which the electrical resistance of the switching element is proportional to the force exerted on the switching element, any suitable dependency is made possible in principle by a suitable arrangement of the enclosures 20.
In Fig.2 und Fig.3 sind verschiedene Verteilungen der Einschließungen 20 dargestellt, die ebenfalls zu einer Linearisierung des Auslöseverhaltens des Schaltelementes führen. In Fig.2 sind die Einschließungen 20 im wesentlichen strahlenförmig angeordnet, wobei der radiale Abstand zwischen zwei benachbarten Einschließungen im wesentlichen gleichbleibend ist, während die Einschließungen 20 der Ausgestaltung der Fig.3 auf Spiralbahnen angeordnet sind. Allen Verteilungen gemeinsam ist, daß die Menge des jeweils in einem Kreisring um das Zentrum eingebrachten Materials mit dem Abstand vom Zentrum abnimmt.2 and 3 show various distributions of the enclosures 20, which likewise lead to a linearization of the triggering behavior of the switching element. In FIG. 2, the enclosures 20 are arranged essentially in a radial manner, the radial distance between two adjacent enclosures being essentially constant, while the enclosures 20 of the embodiment in FIG. 3 are arranged on spiral tracks. It is common to all distributions that the amount of material introduced in a circular ring around the center decreases with the distance from the center.
Bei der in Fig.4 dargestellten Ausgestaltung des Schaltelementes weist dieIn the embodiment of the switching element shown in FIG
Auslöseschicht 12 ähnlich wie die Sensorschicht 14 Einschließungen 20 auf. Dabei sind die Einschließungen 20 in der Auslöseschicht 12 an anderen Stellen bezüglich des Zentrums des Schaltelementes angeordnet als die Einschließun- 8Trigger layer 12 similar to the sensor layer 14 inclusions 20. The inclusions 20 are arranged in the release layer 12 at different locations with respect to the center of the switching element than the inclusions 8th
gen in der Sensorschicht 14. Auf diese Weise kann eine noch komplexere Anpassung des Auslöseverhaltens an eine gegebene Aufgabe erfolgen.conditions in the sensor layer 14. In this way, an even more complex adaptation of the triggering behavior to a given task can take place.
In Fig.5 ist eine Verteilung der Einschließungen 20 dargestellt, bei der die Einschließungen gleichmäßig über die Fläche der Sensorschicht 14 verteilt sind. Eine solche Verteilung der Einschließung führt zu einem Auslöseverhalten, das dem konventioneller Schaltelemente sehr ähnlich ist. Allerdings wird durch das Einbringen des niederohmigen Materials in die Sensorschicht der Einfluß von Widerstandsschwankungen in dem hochohmigen zweiten Widerstandsmaterial auf den spezifischen Widerstand der jeweiligen Schicht stark verringert. Hierdurch können Qualitätsunterschiede zwischen verschiedenen Schaltelementen bei der Serienherstellung weitestgehend vermieden werden. A distribution of the enclosures 20 is shown in FIG. 5, in which the enclosures are evenly distributed over the surface of the sensor layer 14. Such a distribution of the enclosure leads to a tripping behavior that is very similar to that of conventional switching elements. However, by introducing the low-resistance material into the sensor layer, the influence of resistance fluctuations in the high-resistance second resistance material on the specific resistance of the respective layer is greatly reduced. As a result, quality differences between different switching elements in series production can be largely avoided.

Claims

Patentansprüche claims
1. Schaltelement in Folienbauweise, mit einer ersten Trägerfolie, auf der eine Auslöseschicht aus einem ersten Widerstandsmaterial aufgebracht ist, wobei die Auslöseschicht einen ersten elektrischen Anschluß aufweist, . einer zweiten Trägerfolie, auf der eine Sensorschicht aus einem zweiten1. Switching element of foil construction is applied having a first carrier film on which a release layer of a first resistive material, wherein the triggering layer comprises first electrical terminal. a second carrier film on which a sensor layer from a second
Widerstandsmaterial aufgebracht ist, wobei die Sensorschicht einen zweiten elektrischen Anschluß aufweist, wobei die erste Trägerfolie und die zweite Trägerfolie durch Abstandhalter derart in einem gewissen Abstand zueinander angeordnet sind, daß sich die Auslöseschicht und die Sensorschicht gegenüberstehen und bei nicht betätigtem Schaltelement nicht miteinander kontaktiert sind, wobei das erste Widerstandsmaterial und das zweite Widerstandsmaterial derart aufeinander abgestimmt sind, daß bei der Kontaktierung der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht der Widerstand der Grenzschicht zwi- sehen der Auslöseschicht und der Sensorschicht im wesentlichen durch dieResistor material is applied, the sensor layer having a second electrical connection, the first carrier film and the second carrier film being arranged at a certain distance from one another by spacers such that the triggering layer and the sensor layer face each other and are not in contact with one another when the switching element is not actuated, the first resistance material and the second resistance material being matched to one another in such a way that when the triggering layer and the sensor layer are contacted, the resistance of the boundary layer between the triggering layer and the sensor layer is essentially determined by the
Größe der Kontaktfläche bestimmt wird, und wobei bei der Auslösung des Schaltelements, die Auslöseschicht und die Sensorschicht zunächst in einem ersten Punkt ihrer Fläche miteinander kontaktiert werden und sich die Kontaktfläche bei zunehmendem Druck auf das Schaltelement vergrößert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Sensorschicht derart ausgestaltet ist, daß ihr spezifischer elektrischer Widerstand, ausgehend von dem ersten Punkt, in Richtung der zunehmenden Kontaktfläche derart mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert, daß sich ein vorbestimmtes Auslöseverhalten des Schaltelements in Abhängigkeit der auf das Schaltelement wirkenden Druckkraft ergibt.Size of the contact area is determined, and wherein when the switching element is triggered, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are first contacted with each other in a first point of their area and the contact area increases with increasing pressure on the switching element, characterized in that the sensor layer is designed in this way that their specific electrical resistance, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point such that a predetermined triggering behavior of the switching element results as a function of the pressure force acting on the switching element.
2. Schaltelement nach Anspruch 1 , dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der variierende spezifische Widerstand durch gezieltes Einbringen eines dritten Widerstandsmaterials in das zweite Widerstandsmaterial erzeugt wird, wobei der spezifische Widerstand des dritten Widerstandsmaterials und der spe- 10 zifische Widerstand des zweiten Widerstandsmaterials voneinander verschieden sind und, wobei Konzentration des dritten Widerstandsmaterials mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert.2. Switching element according to claim 1, characterized in that the varying specific resistance is generated by targeted introduction of a third resistance material in the second resistance material, the specific resistance of the third resistance material and the spe- 10 specific resistance of the second resistance material are different from one another, the concentration of the third resistance material varying with the distance from the first point.
3. Schaltelement nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das dritte Widerstandsmaterial in Form von lokalen Einschließungen in das zweite3. Switching element according to claim 2, characterized in that the third resistance material in the form of local enclosures in the second
Widerstandsmaterial eingebracht ist.Resistance material is introduced.
4. Schaltelement nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Verteilung der lokalen Einschließungen in dem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert. 4. Switching element according to claim 3, characterized in that the distribution of the local enclosures in the second resistance material varies with the distance from the first point.
5. Schaltelement nach Anspruch 3 oder 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Ausdehnung der lokalen Einschließungen mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert.5. Switching element according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the extent of the local enclosures varies with the distance from the first point.
6. Schaltelement nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das zweite Widerstandsmaterial ein Halbleitermaterial aufweist und daß das dritte Widerstandsmaterial einen wesentlich geringeren Widerstand aufweist als das zweite Widerstandsmaterial.6. Switching element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second resistance material comprises a semiconductor material and that the third resistance material has a substantially lower resistance than the second resistance material.
7. Schaltelement nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der spezifische Widerstand der Sensorschicht in radialer Richtung mit dem Abstand zum ersten Punkt ansteigt. 7. Switching element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the specific resistance of the sensor layer increases in the radial direction with the distance from the first point.
8. Schaltelement nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Einschließungen elektrisch von dem zweiten elektrischen Anschluß isoliert sind.8. Switching element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the enclosures are electrically isolated from the second electrical connection.
9. Schaltelement nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Einschließungen auf der der Auslöseschicht zu- gewandten Seite vollständig von dem zweiten Widerstandsmaterial überdeckt sind.9. Switching element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the enclosures on the side facing the release layer are completely covered by the second resistance material.
10. Schaltelement nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Auslöseschicht einen spezifischen Widerstand aufweist, der, ausgehend von dem ersten Punkt, in Richtung der zuneh- menden Kontaktfläche mit dem Abstand von dem ersten Punkt variiert. 10. Switching element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the release layer has a specific resistance which, starting from the first point, varies in the direction of the increasing contact area with the distance from the first point.
EP99906147A 1998-01-21 1999-01-18 Switching element produced in the form of a film Expired - Lifetime EP1050057B1 (en)

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LU90200A LU90200B1 (en) 1998-01-21 1998-01-21 Switching element in foil construction
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PCT/EP1999/000260 WO1999038179A1 (en) 1998-01-21 1999-01-18 Switching element produced in the form of a film

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DE59900979D1 (en) 2002-04-18
WO1999038179A1 (en) 1999-07-29
JP2002502082A (en) 2002-01-22
LU90200B1 (en) 1999-07-22

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