US20180252601A1 - Force sensor - Google Patents
Force sensor Download PDFInfo
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- US20180252601A1 US20180252601A1 US15/494,545 US201715494545A US2018252601A1 US 20180252601 A1 US20180252601 A1 US 20180252601A1 US 201715494545 A US201715494545 A US 201715494545A US 2018252601 A1 US2018252601 A1 US 2018252601A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- circuit board
- sensing
- force sensor
- sensing element
- gel
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L1/00—Measuring force or stress, in general
- G01L1/26—Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L1/00—Measuring force or stress, in general
- G01L1/005—Measuring force or stress, in general by electrical means and not provided for in G01L1/06 - G01L1/22
Definitions
- the invention relates to a sensor and more particularly relates to a force sensor.
- the micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology is a design based on a miniaturized electromechanical integration structure.
- the common MEMS technology is mainly used in three fields, i.e., micro sensors, micro actuators, and micro structures, among which the micro sensors are for converting a change of the external environment (e.g., force, pressure, sound, and speed) into an electrical signal (e.g., a voltage or current) to realize environmental sensing functions, such as force sensing, pressure sensing, sound sensing, acceleration sensing, and so on.
- the micro sensors can be manufactured by using the semiconductor manufacturing technology and be integrated with an integrated circuit, and thus are more competitive. Therefore, MEMS sensors and sensing devices using MEMS sensors are the main trend of development of MEMS.
- MEMS force sensor Take a MEMS force sensor for example, its sensing element is used to sense an applied pressing force, and if the sensing element is exposed to the pressing force directly, the sensing element may be damaged easily. To address such an issue, an additional cover may be disposed to cover the sensing element and bear the pressing force, but it would increase the overall thickness and production cost of the sensor. Hence, how to protect the sensing element of the force sensor and maintain the sensing performance thereof without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the sensor is an important issue in the field of MEMS force sensing.
- the invention provides a force sensor that is capable of protecting a sensing element of the force sensor as well as maintaining the sensing performance without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
- the force sensor of the invention includes a sensing element and a circuit board.
- the sensing element has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other and includes a sensing portion.
- the sensing portion is located at the top surface.
- the circuit board is disposed above the top surface and electrically connected to the sensing element.
- the sensing portion is adapted to generate a sensing signal through an external force transferred from the circuit board to the top surface.
- the circuit board includes a peripheral portion and a central portion.
- the central portion is surrounded by the peripheral portion and is aligned with the sensing portion.
- the sensing element supports the peripheral portion, and the sensing portion is adapted to generate the sensing signal through the external force transferred from the central portion to the top surface.
- the force sensor further includes a plurality of conductive bumps disposed between the top surface and the circuit board.
- the sensing element supports the circuit board through the conductive bumps and is electrically connected to the circuit board through the conductive bumps.
- the force sensor further includes a gel.
- the gel covers at least a portion of the sensing element.
- the gel is filled between the top surface and the circuit board, and the external force is transferred to the sensing portion through the gel.
- the gel includes a first gel material and a second gel material, and the first gel material is aligned with the sensing portion and the second gel material surrounds the first gel material.
- the gel includes a third gel material, and the third gel material extends from the circuit board to the bottom surface to cover the sensing element.
- the circuit board has an opening, and the opening is aligned with the sensing portion and at least a portion of the gel is located in the opening and adapted to receive the external force.
- the gel protrudes from the opening.
- the circuit board is adapted to receive the external force.
- the force sensor further includes a pressing element.
- the pressing element is disposed on the circuit board and aligned with the sensing portion, and the pressing element is adapted to receive the external force.
- the force sensor further includes a signal processor.
- the signal processor is disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board.
- the circuit board is a rigid circuit board or a flex circuit board.
- the existing circuit board is disposed above the top surface of the sensing element, such that the sensing portion of the sensing element is shielded by the circuit board.
- the circuit board further serves as a structure that covers the sensing element and bears the pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above the sensing element to protect the sensing element, and the sensing element of the force sensor is protected while the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a top view of the circuit board of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a top view of the sensing element and conductive bumps of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C illustrate a manufacturing process of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention.
- a force sensor 100 of this embodiment is a MEMS force sensor, for example, and includes a sensing element 110 and a circuit board 120 .
- the sensing element 110 has a top surface 110 a and a bottom surface 110 b opposite to each other and includes a sensing portion 112 .
- the sensing portion 112 is located at the top surface 110 a .
- the sensing element 110 may be a piezoresistive sensing element, a capacitive sensing element, or other suitable types of sensing elements. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- the circuit board 120 is disposed above the top surface 110 a of the sensing element 110 and electrically connected to the sensing element 110 .
- the sensing portion 112 of the sensing element 110 is adapted to generate a sensing signal through an external force F transferred from the circuit board 120 to the top surface 110 a of the sensing element 110 .
- the force sensor 100 is applicable to a device having a touch function, so as to determine the strength of the user's touch by a force sensing function of the force sensor 100 . Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- the force sensor 100 is also applicable to other types of devices.
- the circuit board 120 may be a rigid circuit board or a flex circuit board. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto, either.
- the existing circuit board 120 is disposed above the top surface 110 a of the sensing element 110 , such that the sensing portion 112 of the sensing element 110 is shielded by the circuit board 120 .
- the circuit board 120 further serves as a structure that covers the sensing element 110 and bears a pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above the sensing element 110 to protect the sensing element 110 . Consequently, the sensing element 110 of the force sensor 100 is protected and the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor 100 .
- FIG. 2 is a top view of the circuit board of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a top view of the sensing element and conductive bumps of FIG. 1 .
- the circuit board 120 of this embodiment includes a peripheral portion 122 and a central portion 124 .
- the central portion 124 is surrounded by the peripheral portion 122 and is aligned with the sensing portion 112 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 .
- the force sensor 100 further includes a plurality of conductive bumps 130 disposed between the top surface 110 a of the sensing element 110 and the circuit board 120 .
- the sensing element 110 supports the peripheral portion 122 of the circuit board 120 through the conductive bumps 130 , and is electrically connected to the circuit board 120 through the conductive bumps 130 , so as to transmit the sensing signal from the sensing element 110 to the circuit board 120 .
- the central portion 124 of the circuit board 120 is adapted to receive the external force F, and the sensing portion 112 of the sensing element 110 is adapted to generate the sensing signal through the external force F transferred from the central portion 124 of the circuit board 120 to the top surface 110 a of the sensing element 110 .
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 210 a top surface 210 a , a bottom surface 210 b , a sensing portion 212 , a circuit board 220 , and conductive bumps 230 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 110 , the top surface 110 a , the bottom surface 110 b , the sensing portion 112 , the circuit board 120 , and the conductive bumps 130 of FIG. 1 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter.
- the force sensor 200 further includes a gel 240 that covers a portion of the sensing element 210 . More specifically, the gel 240 is filled between the top surface 210 a of the sensing element 210 and the circuit board 220 , and an external force is adapted to be transferred to the sensing portion 212 of the sensing element 210 sequentially through the circuit board 220 and the gel 240 .
- the gel 240 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 310 a top surface 310 a , a bottom surface 310 b , a sensing portion 312 , a circuit board 320 , conductive bumps 330 , and a gel 340 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 210 , the top surface 210 a , the bottom surface 210 b , the sensing portion 212 , the circuit board 220 , the conductive bumps 230 , and the gel 240 of FIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter.
- the gel 340 further includes a first gel material 342 and a second gel material 344 , wherein the first gel material 342 is aligned with the sensing portion 312 of the sensing element 310 and the second gel material 344 surrounds the first gel material 342 .
- a hardness of the second gel material 344 is greater than a hardness of the first gel material 342 , for example, such that the first gel material 342 is softer and more elastically deformable to efficiently transfer an external force to the sensing portion 312 of the sensing element 310 .
- the second gel material 344 that has the greater hardness firmly covers the conductive bumps 330 .
- the hardness of the second gel material 344 may not be greater than the hardness of the first gel material 342 . Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- the first gel material 342 and the second gel material 344 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 410 a top surface 410 a , a bottom surface 410 b , a sensing portion 412 , a circuit board 420 , conductive bumps 430 , a gel 440 , a first gel material 442 , and a second gel material 444 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 310 , the top surface 310 a , the bottom surface 310 b , the sensing portion 312 , the circuit board 320 , the conductive bumps 330 , the gel 340 , the first gel material 342 , and the second gel material 344 of FIG.
- the gel 440 further includes a third gel material 446 that extends from the circuit board 420 to the bottom surface 410 b of the sensing element 410 to cover the sensing element 410 , so as to achieve protection of the sensing element 410 .
- the third gel material 446 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto.
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 510 a top surface 510 a , a bottom surface 510 b , a sensing portion 512 , a circuit board 520 , conductive bumps 530 , and a gel 540 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 210 , the top surface 210 a , the bottom surface 210 b , the sensing portion 212 , the circuit board 220 , the conductive bumps 230 , and the gel 240 of FIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter.
- the force sensor 500 further includes a pressing element 550 that is disposed on the circuit board 520 and aligned with the sensing portion 512 of the sensing element 510 .
- the pressing element 550 is adapted to receive an external force and transfer the external force to the sensing portion 512 of the sensing element 510 through the circuit board 520 and the gel 540 .
- FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 610 a top surface 610 a , a bottom surface 610 b , a sensing portion 612 , a circuit board 620 , conductive bumps 630 , and a gel 640 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 210 , the top surface 210 a , the bottom surface 210 b , the sensing portion 212 , the circuit board 220 , the conductive bumps 230 , and the gel 240 of FIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter.
- a difference between the force sensor 600 and the force sensor 200 is that the circuit board 620 has an opening 620 a that is aligned with the sensing portion 612 of the sensing element 610 .
- a portion of the gel 640 is located in the opening 620 a of the circuit board 620 and protrudes from the opening 620 a .
- the gel 640 that protrudes from the opening 620 a is adapted to receive an external force, so as to transfer the external force from the opening 620 a of the circuit board 620 to the top surface 610 a of the sensing element 610 to reach the sensing portion 612 .
- FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 710 a top surface 710 a , a bottom surface 710 b , a sensing portion 712 , a circuit board 720 , conductive bumps 730 , a gel 740 , a first gel material 742 , and a second gel material 744 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 310 , the top surface 310 a , the bottom surface 310 b , the sensing portion 312 , the circuit board 320 , the conductive bumps 330 , the gel 340 , the first gel material 342 , and the second gel material 344 of FIG.
- a difference between the force sensor 700 and the force sensor 300 is that the circuit board 720 has an opening 720 a that is aligned with the sensing portion 712 of the sensing element 710 .
- a portion of the gel 740 (a portion of the first gel material 742 is depicted) is located in the opening 720 a of the circuit board 720 and protrudes from the opening 720 a .
- the gel 740 that protrudes from the opening 720 a is adapted to receive an external force, so as to transfer the external force from the opening 720 a of the circuit board 720 to the top surface 710 a of the sensing element 710 to reach the sensing portion 712 .
- FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention.
- a sensing element 810 a top surface 810 a , a bottom surface 810 b , a sensing portion 812 , a circuit board 820 , conductive bumps 830 , and a gel 840 have configurations and functions similar to those of the sensing element 210 , the top surface 210 a , the bottom surface 210 b , the sensing portion 212 , the circuit board 220 , the conductive bumps 230 , and the gel 240 of FIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter.
- the force sensor 800 further includes a signal processor 860 that is disposed on the circuit board 820 and electrically connected to the circuit board 820 .
- a portion of the conductive bumps 830 are disposed between the circuit board 820 and the signal processor 860 , such that the signal processor 860 is electrically connected to the circuit board 820 , and a portion of the gel 840 is disposed between the circuit board 820 and the signal processor 860 to cover the conductive bumps 830 .
- a sensing signal from the sensing portion 812 of the sensing element 810 may be transmitted to the signal processor 860 through the circuit board 820 to be processed (e.g., conversion or noise filtering) in the signal processor 860 .
- FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C illustrate the manufacturing process of the force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention.
- the circuit board 720 having the opening 720 a is provided, and the conductive bumps 730 are formed on a lower side of the circuit board 720 .
- the sensing element 710 including the sensing portion 712 is connected to the conductive bumps 730 .
- the gel 740 including the first gel material 742 and the second gel material 744 is formed between the circuit board 720 and the sensing element 710 , so as to form the force sensor 700 as shown in FIG. 9 .
- the third gel material 746 may be formed to cover the sensing element 710 .
- the existing circuit board is disposed above the top surface of the sensing element, such that the sensing portion of the sensing element is shielded by the circuit board.
- the circuit board further serves as a structure that covers the sensing element and bears the pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above the sensing element to protect the sensing element, and the sensing element of the force sensor is protected while the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 106106952, filed on Mar. 3, 2017. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
- The invention relates to a sensor and more particularly relates to a force sensor.
- The micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology is a design based on a miniaturized electromechanical integration structure. At present, the common MEMS technology is mainly used in three fields, i.e., micro sensors, micro actuators, and micro structures, among which the micro sensors are for converting a change of the external environment (e.g., force, pressure, sound, and speed) into an electrical signal (e.g., a voltage or current) to realize environmental sensing functions, such as force sensing, pressure sensing, sound sensing, acceleration sensing, and so on. The micro sensors can be manufactured by using the semiconductor manufacturing technology and be integrated with an integrated circuit, and thus are more competitive. Therefore, MEMS sensors and sensing devices using MEMS sensors are the main trend of development of MEMS.
- Take a MEMS force sensor for example, its sensing element is used to sense an applied pressing force, and if the sensing element is exposed to the pressing force directly, the sensing element may be damaged easily. To address such an issue, an additional cover may be disposed to cover the sensing element and bear the pressing force, but it would increase the overall thickness and production cost of the sensor. Hence, how to protect the sensing element of the force sensor and maintain the sensing performance thereof without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the sensor is an important issue in the field of MEMS force sensing.
- The invention provides a force sensor that is capable of protecting a sensing element of the force sensor as well as maintaining the sensing performance without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
- The force sensor of the invention includes a sensing element and a circuit board. The sensing element has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other and includes a sensing portion. The sensing portion is located at the top surface. The circuit board is disposed above the top surface and electrically connected to the sensing element. The sensing portion is adapted to generate a sensing signal through an external force transferred from the circuit board to the top surface.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the circuit board includes a peripheral portion and a central portion. The central portion is surrounded by the peripheral portion and is aligned with the sensing portion. The sensing element supports the peripheral portion, and the sensing portion is adapted to generate the sensing signal through the external force transferred from the central portion to the top surface.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the force sensor further includes a plurality of conductive bumps disposed between the top surface and the circuit board. The sensing element supports the circuit board through the conductive bumps and is electrically connected to the circuit board through the conductive bumps.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the force sensor further includes a gel. The gel covers at least a portion of the sensing element.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the gel is filled between the top surface and the circuit board, and the external force is transferred to the sensing portion through the gel.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the gel includes a first gel material and a second gel material, and the first gel material is aligned with the sensing portion and the second gel material surrounds the first gel material.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the gel includes a third gel material, and the third gel material extends from the circuit board to the bottom surface to cover the sensing element.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the circuit board has an opening, and the opening is aligned with the sensing portion and at least a portion of the gel is located in the opening and adapted to receive the external force.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the gel protrudes from the opening.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the circuit board is adapted to receive the external force.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the force sensor further includes a pressing element. The pressing element is disposed on the circuit board and aligned with the sensing portion, and the pressing element is adapted to receive the external force.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the force sensor further includes a signal processor. The signal processor is disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board.
- In an embodiment of the invention, the circuit board is a rigid circuit board or a flex circuit board.
- Based on the above, in the force sensor of the invention, the existing circuit board is disposed above the top surface of the sensing element, such that the sensing portion of the sensing element is shielded by the circuit board. Thus, in addition to performing the electrical function, the circuit board further serves as a structure that covers the sensing element and bears the pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above the sensing element to protect the sensing element, and the sensing element of the force sensor is protected while the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
- To make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail as follows.
- The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
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FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 2 is a top view of the circuit board ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a top view of the sensing element and conductive bumps ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 11A toFIG. 11C illustrate a manufacturing process of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 1 , aforce sensor 100 of this embodiment is a MEMS force sensor, for example, and includes asensing element 110 and acircuit board 120. Thesensing element 110 has atop surface 110 a and abottom surface 110 b opposite to each other and includes asensing portion 112. Thesensing portion 112 is located at thetop surface 110 a. Thesensing element 110 may be a piezoresistive sensing element, a capacitive sensing element, or other suitable types of sensing elements. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. Thecircuit board 120 is disposed above thetop surface 110 a of thesensing element 110 and electrically connected to thesensing element 110. Thesensing portion 112 of thesensing element 110 is adapted to generate a sensing signal through an external force F transferred from thecircuit board 120 to thetop surface 110 a of thesensing element 110. Theforce sensor 100 is applicable to a device having a touch function, so as to determine the strength of the user's touch by a force sensing function of theforce sensor 100. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. Theforce sensor 100 is also applicable to other types of devices. In addition, thecircuit board 120 may be a rigid circuit board or a flex circuit board. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto, either. - According to the configuration described above, in the
force sensor 100, the existingcircuit board 120 is disposed above thetop surface 110 a of thesensing element 110, such that thesensing portion 112 of thesensing element 110 is shielded by thecircuit board 120. Thus, in addition to performing an electrical function, thecircuit board 120 further serves as a structure that covers thesensing element 110 and bears a pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above thesensing element 110 to protect thesensing element 110. Consequently, thesensing element 110 of theforce sensor 100 is protected and the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of theforce sensor 100. - A specific structure of the
force sensor 100 according to this embodiment is described in detail hereinafter.FIG. 2 is a top view of the circuit board ofFIG. 1 .FIG. 3 is a top view of the sensing element and conductive bumps ofFIG. 1 . Thecircuit board 120 of this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 , includes aperipheral portion 122 and acentral portion 124. Thecentral portion 124 is surrounded by theperipheral portion 122 and is aligned with thesensing portion 112 as shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 3 . Theforce sensor 100 further includes a plurality ofconductive bumps 130 disposed between thetop surface 110 a of thesensing element 110 and thecircuit board 120. Thesensing element 110 supports theperipheral portion 122 of thecircuit board 120 through theconductive bumps 130, and is electrically connected to thecircuit board 120 through theconductive bumps 130, so as to transmit the sensing signal from thesensing element 110 to thecircuit board 120. Thecentral portion 124 of thecircuit board 120 is adapted to receive the external force F, and thesensing portion 112 of thesensing element 110 is adapted to generate the sensing signal through the external force F transferred from thecentral portion 124 of thecircuit board 120 to thetop surface 110 a of thesensing element 110. -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 200 shown inFIG. 4 , asensing element 210, atop surface 210 a, abottom surface 210 b, asensing portion 212, acircuit board 220, andconductive bumps 230 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 110, thetop surface 110 a, thebottom surface 110 b, thesensing portion 112, thecircuit board 120, and theconductive bumps 130 ofFIG. 1 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 200 and theforce sensor 100 is that theforce sensor 200 further includes agel 240 that covers a portion of thesensing element 210. More specifically, thegel 240 is filled between thetop surface 210 a of thesensing element 210 and thecircuit board 220, and an external force is adapted to be transferred to thesensing portion 212 of thesensing element 210 sequentially through thecircuit board 220 and thegel 240. Thegel 240 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 300 shown inFIG. 5 , asensing element 310, atop surface 310 a, abottom surface 310 b, asensing portion 312, acircuit board 320,conductive bumps 330, and agel 340 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 210, thetop surface 210 a, thebottom surface 210 b, thesensing portion 212, thecircuit board 220, theconductive bumps 230, and thegel 240 ofFIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 300 and theforce sensor 200 is that thegel 340 further includes afirst gel material 342 and asecond gel material 344, wherein thefirst gel material 342 is aligned with thesensing portion 312 of thesensing element 310 and thesecond gel material 344 surrounds thefirst gel material 342. A hardness of thesecond gel material 344 is greater than a hardness of thefirst gel material 342, for example, such that thefirst gel material 342 is softer and more elastically deformable to efficiently transfer an external force to thesensing portion 312 of thesensing element 310. Moreover, thesecond gel material 344 that has the greater hardness firmly covers theconductive bumps 330. In other embodiments, the hardness of thesecond gel material 344 may not be greater than the hardness of thefirst gel material 342. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. Thefirst gel material 342 and thesecond gel material 344 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 400 shown inFIG. 6 , asensing element 410, atop surface 410 a, abottom surface 410 b, asensing portion 412, a circuit board 420,conductive bumps 430, agel 440, afirst gel material 442, and asecond gel material 444 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 310, thetop surface 310 a, thebottom surface 310 b, thesensing portion 312, thecircuit board 320, theconductive bumps 330, thegel 340, thefirst gel material 342, and thesecond gel material 344 ofFIG. 5 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 400 and theforce sensor 300 is that thegel 440 further includes athird gel material 446 that extends from the circuit board 420 to thebottom surface 410 b of thesensing element 410 to cover thesensing element 410, so as to achieve protection of thesensing element 410. Thethird gel material 446 may be formed by curing a heat curing adhesive, a light curing adhesive, or other suitable types of adhesive materials. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited thereto. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 500 shown inFIG. 7 , asensing element 510, atop surface 510 a, abottom surface 510 b, asensing portion 512, acircuit board 520,conductive bumps 530, and agel 540 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 210, thetop surface 210 a, thebottom surface 210 b, thesensing portion 212, thecircuit board 220, theconductive bumps 230, and thegel 240 ofFIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 500 and theforce sensor 200 is that theforce sensor 500 further includes apressing element 550 that is disposed on thecircuit board 520 and aligned with thesensing portion 512 of thesensing element 510. Thepressing element 550 is adapted to receive an external force and transfer the external force to thesensing portion 512 of thesensing element 510 through thecircuit board 520 and thegel 540. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 600 shown inFIG. 8 , asensing element 610, atop surface 610 a, abottom surface 610 b, asensing portion 612, acircuit board 620,conductive bumps 630, and agel 640 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 210, thetop surface 210 a, thebottom surface 210 b, thesensing portion 212, thecircuit board 220, theconductive bumps 230, and thegel 240 ofFIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 600 and theforce sensor 200 is that thecircuit board 620 has anopening 620 a that is aligned with thesensing portion 612 of thesensing element 610. A portion of thegel 640 is located in theopening 620 a of thecircuit board 620 and protrudes from the opening 620 a. Thegel 640 that protrudes from the opening 620 a is adapted to receive an external force, so as to transfer the external force from the opening 620 a of thecircuit board 620 to thetop surface 610 a of thesensing element 610 to reach thesensing portion 612. -
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 700 shown inFIG. 9 , asensing element 710, atop surface 710 a, abottom surface 710 b, asensing portion 712, acircuit board 720,conductive bumps 730, agel 740, afirst gel material 742, and asecond gel material 744 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 310, thetop surface 310 a, thebottom surface 310 b, thesensing portion 312, thecircuit board 320, theconductive bumps 330, thegel 340, thefirst gel material 342, and thesecond gel material 344 ofFIG. 5 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 700 and theforce sensor 300 is that thecircuit board 720 has anopening 720 a that is aligned with thesensing portion 712 of thesensing element 710. A portion of the gel 740 (a portion of thefirst gel material 742 is depicted) is located in theopening 720 a of thecircuit board 720 and protrudes from the opening 720 a. Thegel 740 that protrudes from the opening 720 a is adapted to receive an external force, so as to transfer the external force from the opening 720 a of thecircuit board 720 to thetop surface 710 a of thesensing element 710 to reach thesensing portion 712. -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a force sensor according to another embodiment of the invention. In aforce sensor 800 shown inFIG. 10 , asensing element 810, atop surface 810 a, abottom surface 810 b, asensing portion 812, acircuit board 820,conductive bumps 830, and agel 840 have configurations and functions similar to those of thesensing element 210, thetop surface 210 a, thebottom surface 210 b, thesensing portion 212, thecircuit board 220, theconductive bumps 230, and thegel 240 ofFIG. 4 , and thus details thereof are not repeated hereinafter. A difference between theforce sensor 800 and theforce sensor 200 is that theforce sensor 800 further includes asignal processor 860 that is disposed on thecircuit board 820 and electrically connected to thecircuit board 820. A portion of theconductive bumps 830 are disposed between thecircuit board 820 and thesignal processor 860, such that thesignal processor 860 is electrically connected to thecircuit board 820, and a portion of thegel 840 is disposed between thecircuit board 820 and thesignal processor 860 to cover theconductive bumps 830. A sensing signal from thesensing portion 812 of thesensing element 810 may be transmitted to thesignal processor 860 through thecircuit board 820 to be processed (e.g., conversion or noise filtering) in thesignal processor 860. - Hereinafter, the
force sensor 700 ofFIG. 9 is described as an example to illustrate a manufacturing process of the force sensor of the invention.FIG. 11A toFIG. 11C illustrate the manufacturing process of the force sensor according to an embodiment of the invention. First, as shown inFIG. 11A , thecircuit board 720 having the opening 720 a is provided, and theconductive bumps 730 are formed on a lower side of thecircuit board 720. Then, as shown inFIG. 11B , thesensing element 710 including thesensing portion 712 is connected to theconductive bumps 730. Next, thegel 740 including thefirst gel material 742 and thesecond gel material 744 is formed between thecircuit board 720 and thesensing element 710, so as to form theforce sensor 700 as shown inFIG. 9 . In addition, as shown inFIG. 11C , thethird gel material 746 may be formed to cover thesensing element 710. - To conclude above, in the force sensor of the invention, the existing circuit board is disposed above the top surface of the sensing element, such that the sensing portion of the sensing element is shielded by the circuit board. Thus, in addition to performing the electrical function, the circuit board further serves as a structure that covers the sensing element and bears the pressing force. Accordingly, it is not required to additionally dispose a cover above the sensing element to protect the sensing element, and the sensing element of the force sensor is protected while the sensing performance thereof is maintained without increasing the overall thickness and production cost of the force sensor.
- It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention covers modifications and variations provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
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US11255737B2 (en) | 2017-02-09 | 2022-02-22 | Nextinput, Inc. | Integrated digital force sensors and related methods of manufacture |
US11243125B2 (en) | 2017-02-09 | 2022-02-08 | Nextinput, Inc. | Integrated piezoresistive and piezoelectric fusion force sensor |
US11243126B2 (en) | 2017-07-27 | 2022-02-08 | Nextinput, Inc. | Wafer bonded piezoresistive and piezoelectric force sensor and related methods of manufacture |
US11579028B2 (en) | 2017-10-17 | 2023-02-14 | Nextinput, Inc. | Temperature coefficient of offset compensation for force sensor and strain gauge |
WO2019099821A1 (en) * | 2017-11-16 | 2019-05-23 | Nextinput, Inc. | Force attenuator for force sensor |
TWI691881B (en) | 2019-01-24 | 2020-04-21 | 中光電智能感測股份有限公司 | Force sensor |
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US6788291B2 (en) * | 2001-11-06 | 2004-09-07 | Cts Corporation | Integrated surface-mount pointing device |
US7343814B2 (en) * | 2006-04-03 | 2008-03-18 | Loadstar Sensors, Inc. | Multi-zone capacitive force sensing device and methods |
US7991165B2 (en) * | 2006-10-04 | 2011-08-02 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Noise rejecting electronic stethoscope |
TWI380413B (en) * | 2008-06-19 | 2012-12-21 | Unimicron Technology Corp | Pressure sensing device package and manufacturing method thereof |
US20100095435A1 (en) * | 2008-10-21 | 2010-04-22 | Jung-Chou Yang | Decorative Object Connectable to a Connected Object |
US8297127B2 (en) * | 2011-01-07 | 2012-10-30 | Honeywell International Inc. | Pressure sensor with low cost packaging |
US9032818B2 (en) | 2012-07-05 | 2015-05-19 | Nextinput, Inc. | Microelectromechanical load sensor and methods of manufacturing the same |
US20140275873A1 (en) * | 2013-03-14 | 2014-09-18 | Covidien Lp | Sensor connector |
CN205785644U (en) * | 2016-06-23 | 2016-12-07 | 龙微科技无锡有限公司 | MEMS minute-pressure pressure transducer |
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