Detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric
First Claim
1. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, whereina first conducting layer is displaced from a second conducting layer such that conduction between said conducting layers results when said conducting layers are mechanically forced together, whereinthe first of said conducting layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn,a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said conducting layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows, thereby defining specific regions of the detector;
- each said identifiable row has one of said electrical conductors at each of its opposing ends, thereby allowing different electrical potentials to be applied to each end of conductive yarn within a row; and
at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction. The detector comprises a first conducting layer (401) which is displaced from a second conducting layer (402) such that conduction between the layers results when the layers are mechanically forced together. In addition, the first of the layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of the lengths of conductive yarn and the conducting yarns in the first of the layers are electrically grouped to define a plurality of identifiable rows. Each identifiable row has a respective electrical conductor; and define specific regions of the detector.
71 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, wherein
a first conducting layer is displaced from a second conducting layer such that conduction between said conducting layers results when said conducting layers are mechanically forced together, wherein the first of said conducting layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn, a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said conducting layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows, thereby defining specific regions of the detector; -
each said identifiable row has one of said electrical conductors at each of its opposing ends, thereby allowing different electrical potentials to be applied to each end of conductive yarn within a row; and at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, wherein
a first conducting layer is displaced from a second conducting layer such that conduction between said layers results when said layers are mechanically forced together, the first of said layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn, a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said conducting layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows, thereby defining specific regions of the detector; -
each said identifiable row has one of said electrical conductors; at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yar; a force is applied at a position by a mechanical interaction; and a potential gradient is applied across at least one of said specific regions to determine the position of the force applied by the mechanical interaction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, wherein
a first conducting layer and a second conducting layer are displaced at either side of a third conducting layer such that said third conducting layer provides a conductive path between said first conducting layer and said second conducting layer when said layers are mechanically forced together; -
the first of said layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn; a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows; each said identifiable row has one of said electrical conductors; at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn; a degree of pressure is applied by a mechanical interaction; and said third conducting layer has a conductivity that increases as the degree of pressure applied by the mechanical interaction increases, thereby facilitating conduction between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer during the mechanical interaction.
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34. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, wherein said detector comprises:
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a first conducting layer having a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn, a second conducting layer is displaced from said first conducting layer, a pair of electrically insulating fabric layers separating said first conducting layer and said second conducting layer, a third conducting layer of fabric separating said pair of electrically insulating fabric layers, wherein said electrically insulating fabric layers and said third conducting layer are configured to allow conduction between said first and second conducting layers when said layers are mechanically forced together, and a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows defining specific regions of the detecter; and at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn.
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35. A detector constructed from electrically conducting fabric and configured to present a varying electrical characteristic in response to a mechanical interaction, wherein
a first conducting layer is displaced from a second conducting layer such that conduction between said conducting layers results when said conducting layers are mechanically forced together, wherein the first of said conducting layers has a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn and a plurality of lengths of non-conductive yarn machined therein, such that at least one length of conductive yarn is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn, said second conducting layer has conductive yarn extending in a first direction and conductive yarn extending in a second direction, said first direction being different to said second direction, a plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said conductive yarns in the first of said layers thereby electrically grouping said conductive yarns to define a plurality of identifiable rows; -
at least one identifiable row includes a plurality of lengths of conductive yarn in which one length of conductive yarn of the identifiable row is electrically isolated from another of said lengths of conductive yarn; and said identifiable rows define specific regions of the detector.
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Specification