Apparatus for deformation and/or movement detection

• US 20030036858A1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Friendly Sensors AG
• Original Assignee: Friendly Sensors AG
• Inventors: Kletzin, Ulf, Friedrichs, Arnd
• Application Number:
  US10/157,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20030036858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1072 measuring distances on the body, e.g. measuring length, height or thickness A61B5/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes

Abstract

The invention concerns an apparatus for deformation and/or movement detection, comprising a pair of preferably piezoelectrically acting sensor units co-operating on an ultrasound basis, and an electronic measuring unit which is connected downstream of the pair of sensor units and which is adapted to produce a deformation or movement signal on the basis of electronically evaluatable signals of the sensor units, corresponding to a change in spacing between the pair of sensor units, wherein associated with the pair of sensor units is a fixing unit for releasably fixing the sensor units to an object to be measured, in particular to a part of the body of a person, and the pair of sensor units is ultrasound-conductingly connected by a holding device which has an elastic and/or deformable spacing medium and which is so adapted that deformation of the spacing medium to produce the deformation or movement signal is detectable by the measuring unit.

Claims

1. Apparatus for deformation and/or movement detection, comprising

a pair of preferably piezoelectrically acting sensor units co-operating on an ultrasound basis, and

an electronic measuring unit which is connected downstream of the pair of sensor units and which is adapted to produce a deformation or movement signal on the basis of electronically evaluatable signals of the sensor units, corresponding to a change in spacing between the pair of sensor units,

characterized in that

associated with the pair of sensor units is a fixing unit for releasably fixing the sensor units to an object to be measured, in particular to a part of the body of a person, and the pair of sensor units is ultrasound-conductingly connected by a holding device which has an elastic and/or deformable spacing medium and which is so adapted that deformation of the spacing medium to produce the deformation or movement signal is detectable by the measuring unit.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the spacing medium has a non-biological, in particular non-human or non-animal material, and is selected in particular from the group consisting of rubber, silicone rubber, gel or mixtures of those.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the holding device having the spacing medium is adapted for releasably or non-releasably accommodating the pair of sensor units and/or comprises the spacing medium itself.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the holding device having the spacing medium is of a strip-shaped configuration and holds the pair of sensor units in the region of respective narrow sides of the strip.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the holding device has a preferably releasable adhesive and/or bonding region as a fixing unit, with which the apparatus is preferably removably fixable on the object to be measured.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that one of the pair of sensor units is in the form of an ultrasound sensor and/or ultrasound receiver acting on a piezoelectric basis.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that one of the pair of sensor units is in the form of a passively acting reflector for a signal, conducted through the spacing medium, of the other of the pair of sensor units.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the holding device and the sensor units are adapted for coupling a radial oscillation of a sensor unit which in particular is in the form of a piezoelectric sensor, into the spacing medium.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized by a damping and/or reflection layer between the sensor unit and the object to be measured, said layer being associated with at least one of the pair of sensor units.

10. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 as a switch, regulating or control member reacting to preferably manual actuation of an operator in the region of the holding device.

11. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 for flexural, tensile, shearing strain and/or torsional detection on vehicles, furniture or parts of buildings.

12. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 for detecting movement and other body parameters of a person or an animal.

13. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 at or under a seating or lying surface for detecting occupancy of a corresponding seat or a couch and/or for detecting movement of a person on the seating or lying surface.

14. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 on an article of clothing or as part of an article of clothing for the detection of a movement or a body parameter expressed as movement of a person wearing the article of clothing.

15. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 with a wristwatch or a bracelet, wherein the holding device acts as the bracelet and is connected in force-locking and/or positively locking relationship to a body region of a wearer and is adapted for the detection of heartbeat-governed deformations or movements of the spacing medium in the holding device.

16. Use of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 as part of a head frame in contact with a head region, in particular a spectacles frame, wherein the holding device can be brought into contact with the head in such a way that a movement of a blood vessel can be detected from the head surface by the holding device and can be evaluated in particular as a heartbeat signal by the measuring unit.