Pressure Sensor and Data Input Apparatus

A pressure sensor comprising:

• a grounded, planar, first movable electrode;
• a planar, second movable electrode having one surface opposed, via a first flexible spacer, to said first movable electrode, the first and second movable electrodes together constituting a first capacitance section;
• and
• a grounded shielding conductor opposed, via a second flexible spacer, to another surface of said second movable electrode, said second movable electrode and said shielding conductor together constituting a second capacitance element,
• wherein, as a pressure is applied to said first movable electrode, only the first movable electrode or both of the first and second movable electrodes are displaced to change capacitance of only the first capacitance element or both of the first and second capacitance elements, and a signal corresponding to the pressure applied to said first movable electrode is output from said second movable electrode on the basis of the capacitance of the first capacitance element and the second capacitance element.

A pressure sensor comprising:

• a grounded, planar, first movable electrode;
• a second movable electrode provided on a surface of a planar, flexible insulating member and opposed to said first movable electrode via a first flexible spacer, the first movable electrode and the second movable electrode together constituting a first capacitance element;
• a third movable electrode provided on an underside surface of the insulating member;
• and
• a grounded shielding conductor opposed, via a second flexible spacer, to said third movable electrode, said third movable electrode and said shielding conductor together constituting a second capacitance element,
• wherein, as a pressure is applied to said first movable electrode, only the first movable electrode or all of the first, second and third movable electrodes are displaced to change capacitance of only the first capacitance element or both of the first and second capacitance elements, and a first signal is output from said second movable electrode on the basis of the capacitance of the first capacitance element while a second signal is output from said third movable electrode on the basis of the capacitance of the second capacitance element, the first and second signals being added together so that a sum of the first and second signals is output.

A pressure sensor comprising:

• a planar movable electrode;
• and
• a planar fixed electrode opposed to said movable electrode with a predetermined space interposed therebetween and having a plurality of divided electrodes, said movable electrode and each of said plurality of divided electrodes together constituting a capacitance element,
• wherein, as a pressure is applied to said movable electrode to displace said movable electrode, signals output from said plurality of divided electrodes on the basis of capacitance of the capacitance element are added together so that a sum of the signals is output as a sensor output signal indicative of intensity of the pressure, and position information indicative of a position of a particular one of the divided electrodes which has output a signal of a maximum level among the signals output from said plurality of divided electrodes is output as pressure-applied-position information indicating a position of said movable electrode to which the pressure has been applied.

A pressure sensor comprising:

• a planar first movable electrode;
• a planar second movable electrode having one surface opposed to said first movable electrode via a first flexible spacer and having a plurality of patch electrodes, said first movable electrode and each of said plurality of patch electrodes together constituting a first capacitance element;
• and
• a conductor opposed, via a second flexible spacer, to another surface of said second movable electrode and connected with said first movable electrode, said each of said plurality of patch electrodes of said second movable electrode and said conductor together constituting a second capacitance element,
• wherein, as a pressure is applied to said first movable electrode, only the first movable electrode or both of the first and second movable electrodes are displaced to change capacitance of only the first capacitance element or both of the first and second capacitance elements, and,
• signals output from said plurality of patch electrodes corresponding to the capacitance of the first and second capacitance elements are added together so that a sum of the signals is output as a sensor output signal, and position information indicative of a position of a particular one of the patch electrodes which has output a signal of a maximum level among the signals output from said plurality of patch electrodes is output as pressure-applied-position information indicating a position of said first movable electrode to which the pressure has been applied.