The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 28, 2023

Filed:

Sep. 21, 2021
Applicant:

Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);

Inventors:

Daniel J. Bechstein, Mountain View, CA (US);

Nahid Harjee, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Travis N. Owens, Lakeway, TX (US);

Assignee:

Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/044 (2006.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/0445 (2019.05); G06F 3/0412 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04103 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04105 (2013.01);
Abstract

A capacitive gap force sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a first layer of dielectric material positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second layer of conductive material positioned between the first layer and the second electrode. The first layer has a first compression resistance less than a second compression resistance of the second layer. An effective capacitive sensing gap is defined between the first electrode and the second layer. The first layer is configured to compress or deform and alter the effective capacitive sensing gap when a force is received at the first electrode or the second electrode.


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