TACTILE SENSOR

• US 20140150572A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIM, Soo Chul, PARK, Joon Ah, JEON, Sang Hun, PARK, Jong Jin, IM, Jung Kyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.626
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element

Abstract

A tactile sensor includes a first substrate including a plurality of first electrodes, a second substrate including a plurality of second electrodes corresponding to the plurality of first electrodes, and a dielectric substance disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein a second electrode corresponding to any one of the first electrodes is offset in one direction with respect to the any one of the first electrodes while a second electrode corresponding to another first electrode neighboring the any one of the first electrodes is offset in another direction.

Claims

1. A tactile sensor comprising:

a first substrate including a plurality of first electrodes;

a second substrate including a plurality of second electrodes corresponding to the plurality of first electrodes; and

a dielectric substance disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein a second electrode corresponding to any one of the first electrodes is offset from the any one of the first electrodes in one direction while a second electrode corresponding to another first electrode neighboring the any one of the first electrodes is offset from the another first electrode in a different direction.

2. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein the any one of the first electrodes and the second electrode corresponding to the any one first electrode are line symmetrical to the another first electrode and the second electrode corresponding to the another first electrode.

3. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes corresponding to each other only partially overlap.

4. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein

a capacitance between at least part of the first electrodes and second electrodes corresponding to the at least part of the first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in a first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least part of the first electrodes and the corresponding second electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in an opposite direction to the first direction.

5. The tactile sensor of claim 4, wherein

a capacitance between at least another part of the first electrodes, other than the at least part of the first electrodes, and second electrodes corresponding to the at least another part of the first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least another part of the first electrodes and the corresponding second electrodes increases or decreases when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the opposite direction to the first direction.

6. The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein

the first substrate is moved horizontally and vertically with respect to the second substrate when a force is applied to the first substrate, and

magnitude and direction of the shearing force applied to the first substrate are measured using a change in an overlapping area between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, and magnitude of a vertical force applied to the first substrate is measured using a change in a distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

7. The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein

at least four of the first electrodes and at least four of the second electrodes corresponding to the at least four first electrodes form one unit set,

the at least four first electrodes and the at least four second electrodes included in the unit set are separated by predetermined intervals, and

the at least four first electrodes included in the unit set are separated a greater distance from each other than the at least four second electrodes included in the unit set so that an inner edge of the at least four first electrodes overlap with an outer edge of the at least four second electrodes.

8. The tactile sensor of claim 7, wherein

the one unit set comprises four first electrodes and four second electrodes corresponding to the four first electrodes, the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes arranged to respectively form vertices of an imaginary rectangle, and

the four first electrodes are disposed at a longer distance than the four second electrodes from a center of the imaginary rectangle.

9. The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein a capacitance between at least part of the first electrodes and second electrodes corresponding to the at least part of the first electrodes increases when a vertical force is applied to the first substrate or the second substrate.

10. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance is extensible and compressible.

11. The tactile sensor of claim 10, wherein the dielectric substance is a compound comprising silicone or polymer.

12. The tactile sensor of claim 10, wherein a portion of the dielectric substance that does not overlap with the first electrodes or the second electrodes, is formed as a cavity.

13. The tactile sensor of claim 10, wherein the dielectric substance comprises an air path depressed to allow flow of air.

14. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are made of graphene.

15. A tactile sensor comprising:

a first substrate including a plurality of first electrodes;

a second substrate including a plurality of second electrodes corresponding to the plurality of first electrodes; and

a dielectric substance disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are alternately arranged to partially overlap each other, and

wherein a capacitance between at least some of the first electrodes and second electrodes corresponding to the at least some of the first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in a first direction, and

wherein the capacitance between the at least some of the first electrodes and the second electrodes corresponding to the at least some of the first electrodes is changed in a manner opposite to when the shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in a direction opposite to the first direction.

16. The tactile sensor of claim 15, wherein

a capacitance between at least another part of the first electrodes, other than the at least part of the first electrodes, and second electrodes corresponding to the at least another part of the first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least another part of the first electrodes and the corresponding second electrodes changes in the opposite manner with respect to when the shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the opposite direction to the first direction.

17. The tactile sensor of claim 15, wherein

at least four of the first electrodes and at least four of the second electrodes corresponding to the at least four first electrodes form one unit set,

the at least four first electrodes and the at least four second electrodes included in the unit set are separated by predetermined intervals, and

the at least four first electrodes included in the unit set are separated a greater distance from each other than the at least four second electrodes included in the unit set so that an inner side of the at least four first electrodes overlap with an outer side of the at least four second electrodes.

18. The tactile sensor of claim 17, wherein

the one unit set comprises four first electrodes and four second electrodes corresponding to the four first electrodes, the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes arranged to respectively form vertices of an imaginary rectangle, and

the four first electrodes are disposed at a longer distance than the four second electrodes from a center of the imaginary rectangle.

19. The tactile sensor of claim 15, wherein

the capacitance between at least part of the first electrodes and second electrodes corresponding to the at least part of the first electrodes increases when a vertical force is applied to the first substrate or the second substrate.

20. The tactile sensor of claim 15, wherein the dielectric substance is extensible and compressible.

21. The tactile sensor of claim 20, wherein the dielectric substance is a compound comprising silicone or polymer.

22. The tactile sensor of claim 20, wherein a portion of the dielectric substance that does not overlap with the first electrodes or the second electrodes is formed as a cavity.

23. The tactile sensor of claim 15, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are made of graphene.

24. A sensor comprising:

a first substrate including four first electrodes; and

a second substrate including four second electrodes, which each partially overlap with each of the four first electrodes in a different way, and wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are located in different regions, the second substrate being separated from the first substrate.

25. The sensor of claim 24, wherein

a second electrode only partially overlapping with any one of the four first electrodes is separated from the any one first electrode in one direction while a second electrode only partially overlapping with another first electrode neighboring the any one first electrode is separated from the another first electrode in another direction.

26. The sensor of claim 24, wherein

the second electrode overlapping wholly or partially with any one of the four first electrodes is line symmetrical to the second electrode overlapping wholly or partially with the another first electrode neighboring the any one first electrode.

27. The sensor of claim 24, wherein

a capacitance between at least part of the four first electrodes and second electrodes only partially overlapping with the at least part of the four first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least part of the four first electrodes and the second electrodes only partially overlapping with the at least part of the four first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in an opposite direction to the first direction.

28. The sensor of claim 27, wherein

the capacitance between the at least another part of the first electrodes, other than the at least part of the first electrodes, and second electrodes corresponding to the at least another part of the first electrodes changes when the shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least another part of the first electrodes and the corresponding second electrodes changes when the shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the opposite direction to the first direction.

29. The sensor of claim 24, wherein

the first substrate is moved horizontally and vertically with respect to the second substrate when a force is applied to the first substrate, and

magnitude and direction of the shearing force applied to the first substrate are measured using a change in an overlapping area between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, and magnitude of a vertical force applied to the first substrate is measured using a change in a distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

30. The sensor of claim 24, wherein

the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes are separated by predetermined intervals, and

the four first electrodes are separated a greater distance from each other than the four second electrodes so that an inner side of the four first electrodes overlap with an outer side of the four second electrodes.

31. The sensor of claim 30, wherein

the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes are arranged to form four vertices of an imaginary rectangle, respectively, and

the four first electrodes are disposed at a longer distance than the four second electrodes from a center of the imaginary rectangle.

32. The sensor of claim 24, wherein a capacitance between at least part of the four first electrodes and second electrodes corresponding to the at least part of the four first electrodes increases when a vertical force is applied to the first substrate or the second substrate.

33. The sensor of claim 24, wherein a dielectric substance is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and the dielectric substance is extensible and compressible.

34. The sensor of claim 33, wherein the dielectric substance is a compound comprising silicone or polymer.

35. The sensor of claim 33, wherein a portion of the dielectric substance that does not overlap with the four first electrodes or the four second electrodes is formed as a cavity.

36. The sensor of claim 33, wherein the dielectric substance comprises an air path depressed to allow flow of air.

37. The sensor of claim 24, wherein the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes are made of graphene.

38. A sensor comprising:

a first substrate including four first electrodes; and

a second substrate separated from the first substrate, wherein the second substrate comprises four second electrodes that partially overlap with the four first electrodes and that are separated a greater distance from each other than the four first electrodes are separated from each other.

39. The sensor of claim 38, wherein a second electrode only partially overlapping with any one of the four first electrodes is separated from the any one first electrode in one direction while a second electrode only partially overlapping with another first electrode neighboring the any one of the first electrodes is separated from the another first electrode in another direction.

40. The sensor of claim 38, wherein

any one of the four first electrodes and a second electrode only partially overlapping with the any one first electrode are line symmetrical to another first electrode neighboring the any one first electrode and a second electrode only partially overlapping with the another first electrode.

41. The sensor of claim 38, wherein

a capacitance between at least part of the four first electrodes and second electrodes only partially overlapping with the at least part of the four first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least part of the four first electrodes and the second electrodes only partially overlapping with the at least part of the four first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in an opposite direction to the first direction.

42. The sensor of claim 41, wherein

the capacitance between at least another part of the first electrodes, other than the at least part of the first electrodes, and second electrodes corresponding to the at least another part of the first electrodes changes when a shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the first direction, and

the capacitance between the at least another part of the first electrodes and the corresponding second electrodes changes when the shearing force is applied to the first substrate in the opposite direction to the first direction.

43. The sensor of claim 38, wherein

the first substrate is moved horizontally and vertically with respect to the second substrate when a force is applied to the first substrate,

magnitude and direction of the shearing force applied to the first substrate are measured using a change in an overlapping area between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, and magnitude of a vertical force applied to the first substrate is measured using a change in a distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

44. The sensor of claim 38, wherein an outer side of the four first electrodes and an inner side of the four second electrodes overlap with each other.

45. The sensor of claim 44, wherein

the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes are arranged to form four vertices of an imaginary rectangle, respectively, and

the four first electrodes are disposed at a longer distance than the four second electrodes from a center of the imaginary rectangle.

46. The sensor of claim 38, wherein a capacitance between at least part of the four first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes increases when a vertical force is applied to the first substrate or the second substrate.

47. The sensor of claim 38, wherein a dielectric substance is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and the dielectric substance is extensible and compressible.

48. The sensor of claim 47, wherein the dielectric substance is a compound comprising silicone or polymer.

49. The sensor of claim 47, wherein a portion of the dielectric substance that does not overlap with the first electrodes or the second electrodes is formed as a cavity.

50. The sensor of claim 47, wherein the dielectric substance comprises an air path depressed to allow flow of air.

51. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the four first electrodes and the four second electrodes are made of graphene.

52. A tactile sensor comprising:

an upper substrate comprising a plurality of first electrodes;

a lower substrate comprising a plurality of second electrodes,

wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes comprise;

a first group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes wherein each first electrode of the first group is disposed to be shifted in a first direction with respect to each of the corresponding second electrodes while still partially overlapping each of the corresponding second electrodes of the first group by a first predetermined amount; and

a second group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes wherein each first electrode of the second group is disposed to be shifted in a second direction with respect to each of the corresponding second electrodes while still partially overlapping each of the corresponding second electrodes of the second group by a second predetermined amount; and

a dielectric disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate.

53. A tactile sensor comprising:

an upper substrate comprising a plurality of first electrodes;

a lower substrate comprising a plurality of second electrodes, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes comprise;

a first group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes each disposed to overlap each other by a first predetermined amount; and

a second group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes each disposed to overlap each other by a second predetermined amount; and

a dielectric disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate.

54. A tactile sensor comprising:

an upper substrate comprising a plurality of first electrodes;

a lower substrate comprising a plurality of second electrodes, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes comprise;

a first group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes wherein each first electrode of the first group is disposed to overlap each corresponding second electrode of the first group by a first predetermined amount; and

a second group comprising first electrodes and corresponding second electrodes wherein each first electrode of the second group is disposed to overlap each corresponding second electrode of the second group by a first predetermined amount; and

a dielectric disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate.