SENSOR DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MONITORING OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT USING CAPACITIVE FABRIC SENSORS
First Claim
1. A sensor device adapted to be operably engaged with an expanding and/or contracting structure for assessing the real-time movement thereof, the sensor device comprising a first fabric substrate comprising a first compliant portion configured to stretch only in a selected direction and a first non-compliant portion;
- a second fabric substrate, disposed substantially parallel to the first fabric substrate, the second fabric substrate comprising a second compliant portion configured to stretch only in the selected direction and a second non-compliant portion;
a first electrode material disposed on the first non-compliant portion; and
a second electrode material disposed on the second non-compliant portion such that the first electrode material and the second electrode material are configured to cooperate to form a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to a relative motion of the first fabric substrate and the second fabric substrate as the structure expands and/or contracts.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive sensor device, including electrode materials carried by fabric substrates, is provided for monitoring relative movement of an expanding and/or contracting structure, such as the mammalian chest and/or torso, corresponding to a performance parameter related, for example, to respiratory function. Some embodiments include non-woven fabric substrates comprising compliant portions configured to stretch only in a selected direction and non-compliant portions upon which electrode materials are disposed. In some embodiments, layers of fabric substrates, carrying corresponding first and second electrode materials, are configured to cooperate to form a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to a relative motion of the fabric substrates.
51 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A sensor device adapted to be operably engaged with an expanding and/or contracting structure for assessing the real-time movement thereof, the sensor device comprising
a first fabric substrate comprising a first compliant portion configured to stretch only in a selected direction and a first non-compliant portion; -
a second fabric substrate, disposed substantially parallel to the first fabric substrate, the second fabric substrate comprising a second compliant portion configured to stretch only in the selected direction and a second non-compliant portion;
a first electrode material disposed on the first non-compliant portion; and
a second electrode material disposed on the second non-compliant portion such that the first electrode material and the second electrode material are configured to cooperate to form a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to a relative motion of the first fabric substrate and the second fabric substrate as the structure expands and/or contracts. - 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, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for measuring a respiratory function, the method comprising
engaging a pair of electrodes with an overlapping pair of fabric substrates to form a sensor device comprising a parallel plate capacitor, each of the fabric substrates comprising a compliant portion configured for stretching only in a selected direction; -
wrapping the sensor device substantially about an anatomical structure;
sensing a change in capacitance in the parallel plate capacitor corresponding to stretching of the compliant portions due at least in part to an expansion and/or contraction of the anatomical structure; and
converting the sensed change in capacitance to a signal indicative of the respiratory function, using a processing element in communication with the sensor device.
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Specification