Substrate for a sensitive floor and method for displaying loads on one substrate

• US 20160017602A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Claudio Lucchese
• Original Assignee: Claudio Lucchese
• Inventors: Lucchese, Claudio, Cucchiara, Rita, Lombardi, Martino, Pieracci, Augusto, Santinelli, Paolo, Vezzani, Roberto
• Application Number:
  US14/773,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20160017602A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/43 Floor structures of extraordinary design; Features relating to the elastic stability; Floor structures specially designed for resting on columns only, e.g. mushroom floors anchoring devices for balconies with means for preventing cold bridging E04B1/0038; extraordinary constructions in general E04B1/34
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/46 Special adaptation of floors for transmission of light, e.g. by inserts of glass of ceilings E04B9/32, block-shaped elements E04C1/42; slab- or sheet-shaped elements E04C2/54; for roof covering E04D3/06
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/107 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/16 Flooring, e.g. parquet on flexible web, laid as flexible webs; Webs specially adapted for use as flooring; Parquet on flexible webresiliently-mounted floors, e.g. sprung floors, E04F15/22; linoleum D06N; carpets A47G27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/041 of a solid body
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame

Abstract

As substrate for making a sensitive floor includes a first frame made of high-conductivity sensing elements having a first orientation; a second frame made of high-conductivity sensing elements, which is adapted to be laid on the first frame and has a second orientation, other than the first orientation, the second frame forming a support layer for floor finishing products; and an element made of a conductive material, which includes an elastically compressible layer having a thickness, two opposite faces contacting the first and second frames, and an electric resistor whose resistance is proportional to the thickness.

Claims

1. A substrate (1;

50) for making a sensing floor comprising;

a first frame of high conductivity sensing elements (2a-2d) having a first orientation;

a second frame of high conductivity sensing elements (3a-3d) having a second orientation different from said first orientation, said second frame (3a-3d) providing a support layer for finishing items of a floor; and

one element (4) made of a conductive material and including;

an elastically compressible layer having a thickness (S1);

two opposing contact faces (104, 204) to contact said first and second frame (2a-2d, 3a-3d); and

an electric resistance proportional to said thickness (S1).

2. The substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first frame and second frame (2a-2d, 3a-3d) comprise respective reciprocally independent connection terminals (7, 8) configured to be connected to a receiving and signal displaying device (11).

3. The substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first frame and second frame each comprises a plurality of parallel strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d) made of a high conductivity metallic material.

4. The substrate as claimed in claim 3, wherein said parallel strips comprise flexible strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d).

5. The substrate as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said terminals (7, 8) is connected to each of said parallel strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d) by respective independent connecting members (5, 6).

6. The substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive element comprises a slab (4) made of a polymeric conductive material.

7. The substrate as claimed in claim 3, wherein said conductive element comprises a slab (4) made of a polymeric conductive material, and wherein at least one of said frame of parallel strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d) is in the form of conductive painted stripes painted on a corresponding face of said slab (4).

8. The substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate is configured as a flexible sheath.

9. The substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate is configured as reciprocally modular elements.

10. The substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein said slab (4) is fitted between said first frame and second frame of strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d).

11. The substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein said slab (4) is fitted under said first and second frames of strips (2a-2d, 3a-3d).

12. A continuously sensing and displaying method of a load on a sensing substrate (1;

50) for making a sensing floor, comprising the steps of;

feeding by a constant electric potential a first frame and a second frame of high electro-conductivity sensing elements (2a-2d, 3a-3d) having intersecting orientations and in contact with a conductive layer (4) of a polymeric material through a first contact area thereof, which has a first electric resistance in an unloaded condition;

loading said substrate (1;

50) with a load;

modifying said first contact area in a loading condition, obtaining a second modified and larger contact area, and said first electric resistance obtaining a second modified lower resistance;

zeroing by cyclic zero settings said electric potential in each of said sensing elements (2a-2d, 3a-3d);

sequentially measuring current intensity in the remaining sensing elements at every cyclic zero settings, to sense current intensity variations rising from said modifications of said electric resistance;

transducing said current intensity modifications into continuous signals; and

carrying said signals on a continuously displaying device (11) by carrying members.