Sensor device for real-time monitoring or relative movement using capacitive fabric sensors
First Claim
1. A strain-sensing device adapted to be operably engaged with a stretching or shrinking structure for assessing the movement thereof, the strain-sensing device comprisinga first fabric substrate comprising a first non-compliant portion and a first compliant portion that is positioned to stretch only in a selected direction;
- a second fabric substrate disposed substantially parallel to the first fabric substrate, the second fabric substrate comprising a second non-compliant portion and a second compliant portion that is positioned to stretch only in the selected direction;
a first electrode material disposed on the first non-compliant portion; and
a second electrode material disposed on the second non-compliant portion such that the first electrode material and the second electrode material are positioned to cooperate to have an area of overlap that forms a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to changes in the area of overlap of the first and second electrode materials that results from relative motion of the first fabric substrate and the second fabric substrate as the structure stretches or shrinks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive sensor device, including electrode materials carried by fabric substrates, is provided for monitoring relative movement of an expanding and/or contracting structure, such as the mammalian chest and/or torso, corresponding to a performance parameter related, for example, to respiratory function. Some embodiments include non-woven fabric substrates comprising compliant portions configured to stretch only in a selected direction and non-compliant portions upon which electrode materials are disposed. In some embodiments, layers of fabric substrates, carrying corresponding first and second electrode materials, are configured to cooperate to form a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to a relative motion of the fabric substrates.
151 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A strain-sensing device adapted to be operably engaged with a stretching or shrinking structure for assessing the movement thereof, the strain-sensing device comprising
a first fabric substrate comprising a first non-compliant portion and a first compliant portion that is positioned to stretch only in a selected direction; -
a second fabric substrate disposed substantially parallel to the first fabric substrate, the second fabric substrate comprising a second non-compliant portion and a second compliant portion that is positioned to stretch only in the selected direction; a first electrode material disposed on the first non-compliant portion; and a second electrode material disposed on the second non-compliant portion such that the first electrode material and the second electrode material are positioned to cooperate to have an area of overlap that forms a parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable capacitance corresponding to changes in the area of overlap of the first and second electrode materials that results from relative motion of the first fabric substrate and the second fabric substrate as the structure stretches or shrinks. - 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)
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33. A method for measuring a respiratory function using a strain sensor, the method comprising
engaging a pair of electrodes with an overlapping pair of fabric substrates to form a strain-sensing device comprising a parallel plate capacitor, each of the fabric substrates comprising a compliant portion positioned for stretching only in a selected direction; -
wrapping the strain-sensing device substantially about an anatomical structure; sensing strain by a change in capacitance in the parallel plate capacitor corresponding to stretching of the compliant portions in an axial direction confined to the plane of the parallel capacitive plates due at least in part to an expansion or contraction of the anatomical structure; and converting the sensed change in capacitance to a signal indicative of the respiratory function, using a processing element in communication with the strain-sensing device.
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Specification