Tactile sensing transducer
First Claim
1. A tactile sensor which defines an electrical circuit path having an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon the tactile pressure applied, which comprises:
- a) a first layer including at least one electrode;
b) a second layer of electrically conductive cellular foam material which is deformable in response to tactile pressure applied thereto and which has an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon said deformation, a portion or a first of two surfaces of said second layer being in electrically contacting relationship with said at least one electrode of said first layer; and
c) an electrically conductive third layer having elastomeric properties and having a surface portion which is in electrically contacting relationship with the second surface of said second layer at least when tactile pressure is being applied.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tactile sensor for providing information as to the distribution and magnitude of tactile force applied to its surface, having a compression sensitive layer of conductive elastomeric cellular material in conjunction with an elastomeric cover layer and a base layer having one or more electrodes in conductive contact with the cellular material. The elastomeric cover layer has a conductive bottom surface in contact with the compression sensitive layer. The circuit path between the outer layers is such that the conductivity varies in response to deformation caused by tactile pressure applied thereto.
283 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A tactile sensor which defines an electrical circuit path having an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon the tactile pressure applied, which comprises:
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a) a first layer including at least one electrode; b) a second layer of electrically conductive cellular foam material which is deformable in response to tactile pressure applied thereto and which has an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon said deformation, a portion or a first of two surfaces of said second layer being in electrically contacting relationship with said at least one electrode of said first layer; and c) an electrically conductive third layer having elastomeric properties and having a surface portion which is in electrically contacting relationship with the second surface of said second layer at least when tactile pressure is being applied. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A tactile sensor which defines an electrical circuit path having an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon the tactile pressure applied, which comprises:
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a) a first layer including at least two electrodes in spaced relation; b) a second layer of electrically conductive material which is deformable in response to tactile pressure applied thereto and which has an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon said deformation, a portion of a first of two surfaces of said second layer being in electrically contacting relationship with said electrodes of said first layer; and c) a third layer of electrically conductive elastomeric material, said third layer being positioned with a surface portion in electrically contacting relationship with the second surface of said second layer.
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35. A tactile sensor which defines an electrical circuit path having an electrical resistance which varies in dependence upon the tactical pressure applied, which comprises:
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(a) a first layer including a plurality of electrodes positioned in spaced relation; (b) a second layer of electrically conductive cellular foam material which is deformable in response to tactile pressure applied thereto and which has an electrical resistance which varies in dependance upon said deformation, a first of two surfaces of said second layer being in electrically contacting relationship with said electrodes of said first layer; and (c) an elastomeric third cover layer positioned in contacting relation with the second surface of said second layer and having a first inner layer of electrically conductive material in contacting relation with said second surface of said second layer and an outer layer of insulating material in contacting relation with the opposite surface of said first inner layer; whereby said second layer forms an electrically conductive path between said first and third layers and the conductivity of said path varies in response to the deformation of said second layer.
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36. A tactile sensor comprising a layered body defining an electrical circuit path with electrical conductivity varying in response to tactile pressure, said layered body comprising:
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a) a base layer including a plurality of electrodes in a spaced apart array; b) an intermediate layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, said intermediate layer being above said base layer, and said intermediate layer comprising an electrically conductive material which is deformable in response to tactile pressure applied thereto; and c) an elastomeric cover layer positioned above said intermediate layer, said cover layer having an elastomeric electrically insulating top surface for receiving tactile pressure and an elastomeric electrically conductive bottom layer; wherein said upper surface of said intermediate layer is in contact with the elastomeric conductive bottom layer of said elastomeric cover layer and said lower surface of said intermediate layer is in contact with said electrodes of said base layer, and wherein said intermediate layer of electrically conductive material comprises a cellular foam body forming an electrically conductive path between the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the conductivity of said path varying in response to deformation of said intermediate layer.
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Specification