MECHANICAL STRESS DETECTION DEVICE INCLUDING A CAPACITIVE SENSOR, SET OF DETECTION DEVICES AND TOUCH LOCALIZATION DEVICE INCLUDING CAPACITIVE SENSORS

• US 20160034067A1
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: GUENARD, Nicolas
• Application Number:
  US14/773,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20160034067A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 25/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A mechanical stress detection device includes a capacitive sensor including a first electrode including a first main face, a second electrode including a second main face arranged facing the first main face of the first electrode, an elastic dielectric medium extending between the first main face of the first electrode and the second main face of the second electrode, a mechanism measuring a capacitance at terminals of the two electrodes, and a mechanism compensating mechanical stress in which a fixed part is rigidly connected to one of the first and second electrodes and a movable part relative to the fixed part including an adjustable counterweight is rigidly connected to the other of the first and second electrodes.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A mechanical stress detection device comprising:

a capacitive sensor including;

a first electrode including a first main face,

a second electrode including a second main face arranged facing the first main face of the first electrode,

an elastic dielectric medium extending between the first main face of the first electrode and the second main face of the second electrode; and

means for measuring a capacitance at terminals of the two electrodes;

means for compensating mechanical stress, wherein a fixed part is rigidly connected to one of the first and second electrodes and a movable part relative to the fixed part including an adjustable counterweight is rigidly connected to the other of the first and second electrodes.

12. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 11, wherein the movable part is movable in rotation about a shaft of the fixed part and includes:

a first balance beam arm portion, wherein one end is configured to be in contact with a touch-sensitive surface, and

a second counterweight arm portion including the adjustable counterweight, the second arm portion extending on the other side of the shaft of the first part relative to the first arm portion.

13. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 11, wherein the adjustable counterweight includes:

a rod wherein a part has a screw thread,

a mass attached to the rod by a helical link, and

a setting tip configured, by rotatably actuating the rod about the axis thereof, to move the mass along the rod to move the mass closer to or further from the shaft of the fixed part by sliding.

14. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 13, wherein the setting tip includes a controlled motor.

15. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 11, wherein the elastic dielectric material includes silicone or polyurethane.

16. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 11, wherein the two electrodes are cylindrical, have circular cross-sections, and are arranged coaxially relative to one another, the two main faces facing one another being plane.

17. The mechanical stress detection device according to claim 11, further comprising means for estimating a stress applied against one of the two electrodes based on the capacitance measured.

18. A set of mechanical stress detection devices, comprising:

a plurality of mechanical stress detection devices according to claim 11;

an electronic module for processing signals from the plurality of detection devices; and

wired or wireless means for transmitting signals from each of the detection devices to the electronic signal processing module.

19. A device for localizing touch on a touch-sensitive surface comprising:

a set of mechanical detection devices according to claim 18;

a touch-sensitive surface against which the detection devices of the set are arranged, the movable parts of the compensation means thereof being in contact with the touch-sensitive surface; and

means for localizing touch on the touch-sensitive surface by processing, using the electronic module of the set, stresses estimated using the signals supplied by the detection devices.

20. The device for localizing touch according to claim 19, wherein the touch-sensitive surface includes a strip wherein activatable light sources are distributed linearly, the device further comprising:

one detection device arranged at each end of the strip; and

means for selecting a light source based on a touch localization.