SENSOR MODULE AND MOTION ASSISTANCE APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20170059422A1
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Jongwon, CHOI, Hyun Do, HYUNG, Seungyong, KIM, Jeonghun, ROH, Se-Gon, LEE, Minhyung, LEE, Youn Baek, CHOI, Byungjune
• Granted Patent: US 10,048,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/18 using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/24 by measuring variations of optical properties of material when it is stressed, e.g. by photoelastic stress analysis using infrared, visible light, ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/226 to manipulators, e.g. the force due to gripping

Abstract

Provided is a sensor device including a receiving body including an inserting space, an inserting body disposed in the inserting space, a first sensor assembly including at least one sensor provided between an inner surface of the receiving body and an outer surface of the inserting body, and a second sensor assembly including at least one sensor provided between another inner surface of the receiving body and another outer surface of the inserting body.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a receiving body having an inserting space;

an inserting body configured to penetrate the inserting space;

a first sensor assembly including at least one first sensor between a first inner surface of the receiving body and a first surface of the inserting body; and

a second sensor assembly including at least one second sensor between a second inner surface of the receiving body and a second outer surface of the inserting body.

2. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor assembly and the second sensor assembly each comprise:

a force sensor configured to reduce an amount of resistance provided thereby when a force applied thereto increases.

3. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor each comprise:

force sensitive resistance (FSR) sensors.

4. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein the force sensor comprises:

a sensing plate between the inserting body and the receiving body;

a connector connected to the sensing plate lengthwise in a length direction of the inserting body;

a flexible plate configured to enclose the sensing plate and the connecting line; and

a connecting terminal connected to the connecting line and exposed to an external portion of the flexible plate.

5. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein one of the receiving body and the inserting body is formed of a flexible material.

6. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein

the first sensor assembly includes a first front sensor and a first rear sensor spaced apart from the first front sensor in a length direction of the inserting body, and

the second sensor assembly includes a second front sensor and a second rear sensor spaced apart from the second front sensor in the length direction of the inserting body.

7. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein

the first sensor assembly includes a first left sensor and a first right sensor spaced apart from the first left sensor in a direction perpendicular to a length direction of the inserting body, and

the second sensor assembly includes a second left sensor and a second right sensor spaced apart from the second left sensor in the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the inserting body.

8. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein

the at least one first sensor includes three first force sensors disposed non-collinearly, and

the at least one second sensor includes three second force sensors, the three second force sensors corresponding to the three first force sensors, respectively, with the inserting body therebetween.

9. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the receiving body and the inserting body have protrusions protruding therefrom, the protrusions configured to prevent a separation of the inserting body from the receiving body.

10. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the inserting body includes a first guide slot extending in a thickness direction of the inserting body, and the sensor device further comprises:

a first guide pin configured to penetrate the first guide slot to restrict a moving range of the inserting body.

11. The sensor device of claim 10, wherein the inserting body further includes a second guide slot spaced apart from the first guide slot and extending in the thickness direction of the inserting body, and the sensor device further comprises:

a second guide pin configured to penetrate the second guide slot to restrict a rotating range of the inserting body relative to the receiving body.

12. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the inserting body comprises:

pressurizing portions that protrude from the inserting body towards one or more of the first sensor assembly and the second sensor assembly.

13. A sensor device comprising:

an inserting body having a shape such that a thickness thereof is less than a width and a length;

a plurality of sensor assemblies on different sides of the inserting body in a direction of the thickness of the inserting body, each of the plurality of sensor assemblies including at least one sensor; and

a receiving body configured to enclose the inserting body and the plurality of sensor assemblies.

14. The sensor device of claim 13, further comprising:

a sensing board including a processor configured to determine one or more of a direction of a moment and a force applied to one of the receiving body and the inserting body based on information sensed by the plurality of sensor assemblies.

15. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises:

a first sensor assembly including a first front sensor and a first rear sensor spaced apart from the first front sensor in a direction of the length of the inserting body, and

a second sensor assembly including a second front sensor and a second rear sensor, the second front sensor and the second rear sensor configured to overlap the first front sensor and the first rear sensor, respectively, in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body.

16. The sensor device of claim 15, wherein

the first sensor assembly further includes a first side sensor spaced apart from the first front sensor and the first rear sensor in a direction of the width of the inserting body, and

the second sensor assembly further includes a second side sensor configured to overlap the first rear sensor in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body.

17. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises:

a first sensor assembly including a first left sensor and a first right sensor spaced part from the first left sensor in the direction of the width of the inserting body, and

a second sensor assembly including a second left sensor and a second right sensor, the second left sensor and the second right sensor configured to overlap the first left sensor and the first right sensor, respectively, in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body.

18. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to,

determine the direction of the force applied in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body, and

determine directions of two moments applied about axes corresponding to directions of the width and the length of the inserting body, respectively.

19. The sensor device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises:

a first sensor assembly including three first sensors disposed non-collinearly, and

a second sensor assembly including three second sensors corresponding to the three first force sensors, respectively, in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body with the inserting body therebetween.

20. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises:

a first sensor assembly including two first sensors spaced apart from each other, and

a second sensor assembly including two second sensors corresponding to the two first sensors, respectively, in the direction of the thickness of the inserting body with the inserting body therebetween.

21. A sensor device comprising:

a plate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a first sensor assembly including at least one first sensor configured to face the first side of the plate, the at least one first sensor being configured to sense a force applied to the plate in a first direction when the plate contacts the at least one first sensor; and

a second sensor assembly including at least one second sensor configured to face the second side of the plate to sense a force applied to the plate in a second direction when the plate contacts the at least one second sensor, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

22. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the first sensor assembly and the second sensor assembly each comprise:

a force sensor configured to reduce an amount of resistance provide thereby when the force applied thereto increases.

23. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor each comprise:

force sensitive resistance (FSR) sensors.

24. The sensor device of claim 22, wherein

the first sensor assembly includes three first sensors disposed non-collinearly, and

the second sensor assembly includes three second sensors, the three second sensors corresponding to the three first sensors, respectively, with the plate therebetween.

25. The sensor device of claim 21, further comprising:

a sensing board including a processor configured to determine one or more of a direction of a moment and a force applied to the plate based on information sensed by the first sensor assembly and the second sensor assembly.