SHEAR FORCE AND PRESSURE MEASUREMENT IN WEARABLE TEXTILES

• US 20100162832A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Brauers, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US12/528,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.626
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention refers to a sensor arrangement comprising at least one capacitance sensor for detecting a pressure and a shear force, wherein the capacitance sensor is integrated into a wearable textile, a method for measuring a shear force and a pressure by such a sensor arrangement, wherein the shear force and pressure is exerted on a skin of a person lying in a bed or sitting in a chair and to combinations and uses of the method. This described textile sensors allow for a simultaneous measurement of shear stress and pressure in anti decubitus textiles. This enhances risk assessment with regard to the development of bedsore ulcer.

Claims

1. Sensor arrangement comprising one or a plurality of capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4), the capacitance sensors being adapted for detecting a pressure and a shear force, wherein the capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) are integrated into a wearable textile (2).

2. Sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) comprise two capacitor electrodes (10, 20) isolated by a dielectric (30),

the dielectric (30) being compressibly elastic for allowing an alteration of a distance between the two electrodes (10, 20), and/or

the dielectric (30) being shearably elastic for allowing a displacement of at least one of the electrodes (10, 20) in a direction parallel to a plane (P) of the electrode.

3. Sensor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein at least a first capacitance sensor (3) comprises the compressibly elastic dielectric (30), the electrodes (10, 20) of the first capacitance sensor (3) being fixed to prevent the relative displacement of the electrodes (10, 20) in the direction parallel to the plane (P) of the electrode.

4. Sensor arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the electrodes (10, 20) are fixed by a non-conductive structure connecting the electrodes (10, 20), the structure (31) preferably comprising fibres, in particular textile fibres.

5. Sensor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein at least a second capacitance sensor (4) comprises the shearably elastic dielectric (30), the electrodes (10, 20) of the second capacitance sensor (4) being fixed to prevent the alteration of the distance between the two electrodes (10, 20).

6. Sensor arrangement according to claim 3, the plurality of capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) being arranged in an array (5), the array preferably comprising an alternating arrangement of the first capacitance sensors (3) and the second capacitance sensors (4).

7. Sensor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the electrodes (10) comprises a plurality of electrode stripes (11), the stripes being electrically isolated from another.

8. Sensor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein both electrodes (10, 20) comprise a plurality of electrode stripes (11), the stripes being electrically isolated from another.

9. Sensor arrangement according to claim 7, wherein each electrode stripe (11) comprises an electric contact (12).

10. Sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wearable textile (2) is one of a nightgown, socks, underwear, a pyjama, a bed sheet or diapers.

11. Method for measuring a shear force and a pressure by a sensor arrangement according to claim 1, the shear force and pressure being exerted on a skin of a person lying in a bed or sitting in a chair, wherein the person is wearing the wearable textile (2).

12. Method for measuring a shear force and a pressure by a sensor comprising one or a plurality of capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4), the capacitance sensors being adapted for detecting a pressure and a shear force, wherein the capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) are integrated into a wearable textile (2), the shear force and pressure being exerted on a skin of a person lying in a bed or sitting in a chair, wherein the person is wearing the wearable textile (2), the pressure being measured by a sensor arrangement according to claim 3.

13. Method for measuring a shear force and a pressure by a sensor comprising one or a plurality of capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4), the capacitance sensors being adapted for detecting a pressure and a shear force, wherein the capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) are integrated into a wearable textile (2), the shear force and pressure being exerted on a skin of a person lying in a bed or sitting in a chair, wherein the person is wearing the wearable textile (2), the shear force being measured by a sensor arrangement according to claim 5.

14. Method for measuring a shear force and a pressure by a sensor comprising one or a plurality of capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4), the capacitance sensors being adapted for detecting a pressure and a shear force, wherein the capacitance sensors (1, 3, 4) are integrated into a wearable textile (2), the shear force and pressure being exerted on a skin of a person lying in a bed or sitting in a chair, wherein the person is wearing the wearable textile (2), the shear force and the pressure being measured by a sensor arrangement according to claim 7.

15. Method according to claim 14, comprising a step of determining an effective electrode area (A) by detecting a capacitance of each electrode stripe (11).

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the pressure is measured with regard to the effective electrode area (A).

17. Combination of a method according to claim 11 with one or more of a electromyography by textile electromyography sensors, other vital body sign measurements and a humidity sensing.

18. Use of a method according to claim 11 for detecting a need of repositioning the person and/or for supervision of a repositioning of the person.

19. Use of a method according to claim 11 for surveillance of a person with spastic paraplegia.

20. Use of a method according to claim 11 for documentation of a repositioning of the person and/or for documentation of an adherence of the repositioning to a repositioning plan.