System and methods for measuring forces
First Claim
1. A sensor for detecting forces, comprisingat least two piezoelectric stacks, each stack electrically coupled to a corresponding stack electrode, wherein a force applied to said at least two stacks generates a change in electrical potential between each of said stack electrodes and a common ground, which change is representative of at least two different axial components of the force acting on the corresponding stack, wherein each stack includes a first plurality of piezoelectric layers electrically coupled to the corresponding stack electrode, and a second plurality of piezoelectric layers electrically coupled to the common ground.
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Abstract
The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to sensor/actuator devices capable of detecting and generating forces, for example, substantially simultaneously. The disclosed piezoelectric devices are capable of operating in multiple dimensions. In certain embodiments, the devices are incorporated into systems for monitoring the motion of an apparatus, such as a stylus, or for monitoring forces acting on an apparatus, such as an airplane. The detected forces may be used to reconstruct the motion of the apparatus, for recognizing handwriting, or for a variety of other purposes. The systems may further be used as actuators, for example, for controlling an apparatus or deforming a surface.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A sensor for detecting forces, comprising
at least two piezoelectric stacks, each stack electrically coupled to a corresponding stack electrode, wherein a force applied to said at least two stacks generates a change in electrical potential between each of said stack electrodes and a common ground, which change is representative of at least two different axial components of the force acting on the corresponding stack, wherein each stack includes a first plurality of piezoelectric layers electrically coupled to the corresponding stack electrode, and a second plurality of piezoelectric layers electrically coupled to the common ground.
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2. A sensor for detecting forces, comprising
a first plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer divided into a number of regions, each region electrically insulated from other regions of the same layer and electrically coupled to like regions of other layers by a stack electrode, wherein a force applied to said first plurality of stack layers generates a change in electrical potential between each of said stack electrodes and a common ground, which change is representative of at least two different axial components of the force acting on the corresponding region.
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9. A system for detecting forces, comprising
a housing, two sensors disposed in the housing, each sensor comprising a plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer divided into a number of regions, each region electrically insulated from other regions of the same layer and electrically coupled to like regions of other layers by a stack electrode, and a divider disposed between the two sensors and coupled to each sensor, wherein a force applied to the divider compresses one sensor and expands the other sensor.
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10. A system for detecting forces, comprising
a sensor having a first plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer divided into a number of regions, each region electrically insulated from other regions of the same layer and electrically coupled to like regions of other layers by a stack electrode, and a second plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers intermixed with the first plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer electrically coupled to a common ground, and a transmitter, electrically coupled to the sensor, to transmit signals generated thereby, wherein a force applied to said first plurality of stack layers generates a change in electrical potential between each of said stack electrodes and a common ground, which change is representative of at least two different axial components of the force acting on the corresponding region.
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13. A method for detecting forces, comprising
providing a sensor having a first plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer divided into a number of regions, each region electrically insulated from other regions of the same layer and electrically coupled to like regions of other layers by a stack electrode, and a second plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers intermixed with the first plurality of stacked piezoelectric layers, each layer electrically coupled to a common ground, and electrically coupling a transmitter to the sensor to transmit signals generated thereby, whereby a change in electrical potential between a stack electrode and the common ground is representative of a component of a force, and whereby the component of the force is detected along the at least two axes.
Specification