Method for manufacturing an electromechanical sensor element

• US 7,216,417 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emfitech Oy
• Original Assignee: Emfitech Oy
• Inventors: Raisanen, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Paul D.
• Application Number:
  US10/267,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 294/17, 295/921, 295/95, 296/09, 298/31, 298/46, 156/73.1, 156/164, 156/229, 156/273.1, 156/273.3, 156/273, 156/274.6, 156/308, 156/322, 156/324, 216/22, 216/39, 216/41, 216/4, 310/311, 310/314, 310/317, 310/344, 381/114, 381/116, 381/191, 427/79, 427/80
• US Class Current: 29/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/00 Electrostatic transducers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49078 Laminated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49798 Dividing sequentially from leading end, e.g., by cutting or breaking

Abstract

Method for manufacturing an electromechanical sensor element for converting mechanical forces produced by the movements and vital functions or a person into electric signals, in which method a sensor film (11) is provided with metallic electrodes (15,16) placed on either side of it, at least one of said electrodes being a signal electrode, in which method is produced by cutting off a larger amount of sensor element material, in which method in the manufacture of sensor element material the electrodes are created in a continuous roll-to-roll process, and in which method the sensor element material is produced by laminating as a continuous roll-to-roll process. At least the sensor element material consists of repeated electrode patterns and a sensor element of a desired size and/or shape is formed by cutting the material between the patterns.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing an electromechanical sensor clement for converting mechanical forces produced by the movements and vital functions of a person into electric signals, in which method a sensor film (11) is provided with film-like metallic electrodes (15,16) on either side of it and a film-like insulating material (12–

14) is fitted on the outer surface of at least one of said metallic electrodes in which method the sensor element is produced by cutting it off a larger amount of sensor element material, characterized in that in the manufacture of the sensor element material, the electrodes arc created by printing an insulation pattern on the metal film on the surface of the insulator film (12–

14) in a continuous roll-to-roll process (31,32) and removing the metallic material from areas outside the pattern by etching as a continuous roll-to-roll process, and that the patterned film and the sensor film are laminated together as a continuous rod-to-roll process,

wherein the sensor film is provided with earth electrodes placed against it on either side, at least one of said earth electrodes being provided with holes, and that a film containing signal electrodes is placed on the next film layer in the area of the holes.

2. Method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the signal electrode patterns have a polygonal shape.

3. Method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the signal electrode patterns comprise circular shapes.

4. Method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the electrode material consists of aluminum.

5. Method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the aluminum electrode is covered with silver pasta printed on it.

6. Method for manufacturing an electromechanical sensor element for converting mechanical forces produced by the movements and vital functions of a person into electric signals in which method a sensor film (11) is provided with Film-like metallic electrodes (15,16) on either side of it and a film-like insulating material (12–

14) is Fitted on the outer surface of at least one of said metallic electrodes in which method the sensor element is produced by cutting it off a larger amount of sensor element material, characterized in that in the manufacture of the sensor element material, the electrodes are created by printing an insulation pattern on the metal film on the surface of the insulator film (12–

14) in a continuous roll-to-roll process (31,32) and removing the metallic material from areas outside the pattern by etching as a continuous roll-to-roll process, and that the patterned film and the sensor film are laminated together as a continuous roll-to-roll process,

wherein the metal electrode comprises a supporting plastic film which is mounted against the sensor film.