Sensing device with whisker elements

• US 20100324838A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northwestern University
• Original Assignee: Northwestern University
• Inventors: Solomon, Joseph H., Hartmann, Mitra J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/207 using a plurality of fixed, simultaneously operating transducers G01B5/213 - G01B5/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/28 by drag-force, e.g. vane type or impact flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/32 using swirl flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/1627 of strain gauges using piezoresistors G01L5/162
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/169 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/13 Wire and strain gauges

Abstract

A sensing device includes an elongated whisker element having a flexible cantilever region and a base region where a change in moment or curvature is generated by bending of the cantilever region when it contacts an object. One or more sensor elements cooperatively associated with the whisker element provide one or more output signals that is/are representative of two orthogonal components of change in moment or curvature at the whisker base region to permit determination of object distance, fluid velocity profile, or object contour (shape) with accounting for lateral slip of the whisker element and frictional characteristics of the object. Multiple sensing devices can be arranged in arrays in a manner to sense object contour without or with adjustment for lateral slip.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of sensing devices, each said sensing device comprising an elongated whisker element having a deflectable cantilever region and a base region where a change in moment or curvature is generated by deflection of the cantilever region, and one or more sensor elements cooperatively associated with the whisker element to provide one or more outputs that is/are representative of change in moment or curvature exerted at the base region, a fluid flow source to direct fluid toward the sensing devices, and a computer device to determine a fluid velocity profile using the one or more outputs of the one or more sensing devices.

22. The sensing apparatus of claim 21 wherein the sensing devices are arranged in an array to determine fluid velocity profile along a dimension or axis.

23. The sensing apparatus of claim 22 wherein each sensing device comprises whisker elements of different lengths arranged in a bundle.