FLEXIBLE SENSORS AND RELATED SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING FORCES APPLIED TO AN OBJECT, SUCH AS A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20160076953A1
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Cui, Tianhong, Lu, Miao
• Application Number:
  US14/948,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20160076953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0067 characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/165 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing a flexible force sensor include forming a first sensor part providing a plurality of spaced first electrode plates in an electrically non-conductive material. A second sensor part is also formed and includes a plurality of second electrode plates in an electrically non-conductive material. The second electrode plates are identical to the first electrode plates at least in terms of spacing. The first part is assembled to the second part such that each of the first electrode plates are aligned with and parallel to, yet spaced from, respective ones of the second electrode plates, establishing a plurality of capacitive sensing components. The first electrode plates are movable relative to the corresponding second electrode plates, establishing a variable gap therebetween. The sensor parts can be ring-shaped. The sensor parts can be formed via MEMS techniques, with the non-conductive material being a polymer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a flexible force sensor, the method comprising:

forming a first sensor part including a plurality of first electrode plates in a non-conductive material, the first electrode plates being circumferentially spaced from one another;

forming a second sensor part including a plurality of second electrode plates in a non-conductive material, the second electrode plates being identical to the first electrode plates in at least shape and circumferential spacing; and

assembling the first sensor part to the second sensor part such that respective ones of the first electrode plates are aligned with and spaced from respective ones of the second electrode plates to establish a plurality of capacitive sensing components;

wherein the first electrode plate of each of the sensing components is movable relative to the corresponding second electrode plate to establish a variable gap therebetween.