Sensor Having a Mesh Layer with Protrusions, and Method

• US 20130275057A1
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York University, Tactonic Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: New York University, Tactonic Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Perlin, Kenneth, Hendee, Charles, Grau, Alex, Seidman, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/41
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/228 using tactile array force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A sensor having a set of grid of bars that are in contact from their bottom at the corners with a set of protrusions that are in contact from above with a plurality of intersections, each having a sensing element, of a grid of wires disposed on a base, and a top surface layer that is disposed atop the grid of bars, so that force imparted from above onto the top surface layer is transmitted to the grid of bars and thence to the protrusions, and thence to the intersections of the grid of wires which are thereby compressed between the base and protrusions; and that the protrusions above thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections. A sensor includes a computer in communication with the grid of wires which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid of wires and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid of wires. A method for sensing.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a grid of bars that are in contact from their bottom at bar crossings with a set of protrusions that are in contact from above with a plurality of intersections, each having a sensing element, of a grid of wires disposed on a base, and a top surface layer that is disposed atop the grid of bars, so that force imparted from above onto the top surface layer is transmitted to the grid of bars and thence to the protrusions, and thence to the intersections of the grid of wires which are thereby compressed between the base and protrusions; and

that the protrusions above thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid of wires which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid of wires and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid of wires.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each sensing element includes FSR.

3. The sensor of claim 2 wherein when force is imparted to the surface layer, each protrusion is aligned to be in contact with a corresponding sensing element.

4. The sensor of claim 3 including adhesive disposed between the surface layer and the grid of bars, and between the protrusions and the grid of wires, and between the grid of wires and the base.

5. The sensor of claim 4 wherein each protrusion is a rigid bump of plastic, metal, wood or glass and focuses force onto the corresponding sensing element, each protrusion having a shape whose contact with the corresponding sensing element lies exactly upon or inside of the corresponding sensing element.

6. A sensor comprising:

a grid of bars that are in contact from their top at bar crossings with a set of outer protrusions and are in contact from their bottom at bar crossings with a set of inner protrusions that are in contact from above with a plurality of intersections, each having a sensing element, of a grid of wires disposed on a base, and a top surface layer that is disposed atop the outer protrusions, so that force imparted from above onto the top surface layer is transmitted to the outer protrusions and thence to the grid of bars and thence to the inner protrusions, and thence to the intersections of the grid of wires which are thereby compressed between the base and inner protrusions; and

that the inner protrusions above thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid of wires which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid of wires and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid of wires.

7. The sensor of claim 6 wherein each sensing element includes FSR.

8. The sensor of claim 7 wherein when force is imparted to the surface layer, each inner protrusion is aligned to be in contact with a corresponding sensing element.

9. The sensor of claim 8 including adhesive disposed between the surface layer and the grid of bars, and between the inner protrusions and the grid of wires, and between the grid of wires and the base.

10. The sensor of claim 9 wherein each inner protrusion is a rigid bump of plastic, metal, wood or glass and focuses force onto the corresponding sensing element, each inner protrusion having a shape whose contact with the corresponding sensing element lies exactly upon or inside of the corresponding sensing element.

11. A method for sensing comprising the steps of:

imparting force from above onto a top surface layer that is transmitted to a set of grid of bars and thence to a set of protrusions, and thence to a plurality intersections of a grid of wires which are thereby compressed between the base and protrusions, where the set of grid of bars are in contact from their bottom at their bar crossings with the set of protrusions that are in contact from above with the plurality of intersections of the grid of wires disposed on the base; and

that the protrusions above thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections;

causing prompting signals by a computer in communication with the grid of wires to be sent to the grid of wires; and

reconstructing with the computer a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid of wires.

12. An apparatus for sensing comprising:

a computer; and

one or more individual sensing tiles in communication with the computer that form a sensor surface that detects force applied to the surface and provides a signal corresponding to the force to the computer which produces from the signal a time varying continuous image of force applied to the surface, where the surface is contiguous, and detected force can be sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on a surface, wherein each tile includes a grid of bars that are in contact from their bottom at the bar crossings with a set of protrusions that are in contact from above with a plurality of intersections of a grid of wires disposed on a base, and a top surface that is disposed atop the set of plates, so that force imparted from above onto the top surface layer is transmitted to the plates and thence to the protrusions, and thence to the intersections of the grid of wires which are thereby compressed between the base and protrusions; and

that the protrusions above thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections.