Fabric-based devices with force sensing
First Claim
1. Apparatus, comprising:
- fabric containing conductive strands of material that form signal paths;
control circuitry coupled to the signal paths; and
a force sensor coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the force sensor has a force sensor element and capacitive force sensor circuitry that is electrically coupled to the force sensor element through the signal paths and wherein the force sensor element includes a compressible substrate and first and second electrodes that are respectively located on first and second opposing surfaces of the compressible substrate.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fabric-based item such as a fabric glove may include force sensing circuitry. The force sensing circuitry may include force sensor elements formed from electrodes on a compressible substrate such as an elastomeric polymer substrate. The fabric may include intertwined strands of material including conductive strands. Signals from the force sensing circuitry may be conveyed to control circuitry in the item using the conductive strands. Wireless circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to convey force sensor information to external equipment. The compressible substrate may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. Electrodes for the force sensor elements may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces. Stiffeners may overlap the electrodes to help decouple adjacent force sensor elements from each other. Integrated circuits can be attached to respective force sensing elements using adhesive.
47 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus, comprising:
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fabric containing conductive strands of material that form signal paths; control circuitry coupled to the signal paths; and a force sensor coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the force sensor has a force sensor element and capacitive force sensor circuitry that is electrically coupled to the force sensor element through the signal paths and wherein the force sensor element includes a compressible substrate and first and second electrodes that are respectively located on first and second opposing surfaces of the compressible substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fabric force-sensing glove, comprising:
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glove fingers formed from fabric that has intertwined strands; control circuitry; and a force sensor coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the force sensor is formed from force sensor elements on an elongated strip-shaped polymer substrate that forms one of the intertwined strands. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A fabric-based item, comprising:
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fabric formed from intertwined strands of material including conductive strands; and force sensor circuitry in the fabric that is coupled to the conductive strands, wherein the force sensor circuitry includes integrated circuits containing capacitive force sensor circuitry and includes respective force sensor elements electrically coupled to the integrated circuits, wherein each force sensor element has capacitive force sensor electrodes on an elastomeric substrate that is attached to the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A fabric-based item, comprising:
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fabric formed from intertwined strands of material; control circuitry; and a force sensor coupled to the fabric and electrically coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the force sensor has a force sensor element and capacitive force sensor circuitry and wherein the force sensor element includes an elastomeric material, first and second electrodes separated by the elastomeric material, an electrical shield on the elastomeric material, and conductive traces on the elastomeric material that couple the first and second electrodes to the capacitive force sensor circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification