ELASTICALLY STRETCHABLE FABRIC FORCE SENSOR ARRAYS AND METHODS OF MAKING
First Claim
1. A force sensing transducer for measuring force exerted thereon, said transducer comprising;
- a. an elongated, elastically stretchable, electrically conductive row thread,b. an elongated, elastically stretchable electrically conductive column thread, andc. a piezoresistive material located between and in electrically conductive contact with said row and column threads.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Force or pressure transducer arrays have elastically stretchable electrically conductive polymer threads disposed in parallel rows and columns that contact at intersections thereof a piezoresistive material which has an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure or force exerted thereon to form a matrix array of force or pressure sensor elements. The threads are fixed to a single one or pair of flexible elastically stretchable substrate sheets made of thin sheets of an insulating polymer such as PVC, or for greater elasticity and conformability to irregularly-shaped objects such as human body parts, an elastically stretchable fabric such as LYCRA or SPANDEX. Elastic stretchability of the sensor arrays is optionally enhanced by disposing either or both row and column conductive threads in sinuously curved, serpentine paths rather than straight lines.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A force sensing transducer for measuring force exerted thereon, said transducer comprising;
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a. an elongated, elastically stretchable, electrically conductive row thread, b. an elongated, elastically stretchable electrically conductive column thread, and c. a piezoresistive material located between and in electrically conductive contact with said row and column threads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification