Compliant Material for Protecting Capacitive Force Sensors and Increasing Capacitive Sensitivity

An electronic device, comprising:

• a cover;
• a force sensor that is operable to measure a force exerted on the cover that changes a capacitive gap of the force sensor, the force sensor including a display component coupled to the cover and a sensor assembly coupled to a substrate across an air gap;
• and
• a compliant material positioned in the air gap that:
• includes a conductive portion;
• decreases an effective electrical distance of the capacitive gap;
• and
• prevents damage to the force sensor by absorbing at least a portion of the force.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive electrode that is operable to deform when a force is exerted;
• a sense electrode that is operable to detect a change in capacitance when the drive electrode deforms, the sense electrode separated from the drive electrode by a gap;
• and
• a conductive compliant material positioned in the gap and electrically connected to the sense electrode, the conductive compliant material separated from the drive electrode in an absence of the force and contacted by the drive electrode when the force is exerted.