Force sensors
First Claim
1. A force sensor comprising:
- a stationary member;
a member movable by an applied force;
a transmitting coil supported on either the stationary member or the movable member;
a receiving coil supported on either the stationary member or the movable member;
a flexure coupled between the stationary member and the movable member; and
a signal applied to the transmitting coil, the signal in the transmitting coil inducing a signal in the receiving coil wherein motion of the movable member results in a detectable change in the signal induced in the receiving coil to provide a measure of the force applied to the movable member.
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Abstract
A force sensor for measuring force and/or torque about a single axis or multiple axes is rugged, inexpensive and can be fabricated over a wide range of sizes. The force sensor includes first and second members that are coupled to each other by an elastomeric flexure that allows at least one member to be movable with respect to the other member when a force is applied. The force sensor includes a transmitting coil or printed circuit trace and a receiving coil or printed circuit trace. In one embodiment, the transmitting and receiving coils are formed on different ones of the first and second members. In another embodiment, the transmitting and receiving coils are formed on the same member and the other member is formed as a shading plate. A signal applied to the transmitting coil induces a signal in the receiving coil that represents the force applied.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A force sensor comprising:
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a stationary member;
a member movable by an applied force;
a transmitting coil supported on either the stationary member or the movable member;
a receiving coil supported on either the stationary member or the movable member;
a flexure coupled between the stationary member and the movable member; and
a signal applied to the transmitting coil, the signal in the transmitting coil inducing a signal in the receiving coil wherein motion of the movable member results in a detectable change in the signal induced in the receiving coil to provide a measure of the force applied to the movable member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A force sensor comprising:
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a first member;
a second member, at least one of the first and second members being movable with respect to the other member by a force applied thereto;
a first coil supported on either the first or second member;
a second coil supported on either the first or second member;
a flexure coupled between the first and second members; and
an AC signal applied to the first coil inducing in the second coil, a signal with an amplitude and phase representing the applied force. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A force sensor comprising:
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a first member;
a second member, at least one of the first and second members being movable with respect to the other member by a force applied thereto;
a first circuit trace formed on either the first or second member;
a second circuit trace formed on either the first or second member;
an elastomeric flexure coupled between the first and second members; and
a signal applied to the first trace inducing a signal in the second trace representing the applied force. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification