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Suspended membrane pressure sensing array

  • US 7,944,008 B2
  • Filed: 04/23/2008
  • Issued: 05/17/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for capacitively sensing force or pressure, the apparatus comprising:

  • a substrate;

    a plurality of elongated substrate electrodes disposed at the substrate;

    a membrane configured to deflect in response to force or pressure applied to the membrane;

    a plurality of elongated membrane electrodes disposed at the membrane, wherein each of at least two of the plurality of membrane electrodes intersects each of at least two of the plurality of substrate electrodes forming a multi-dimensional array of capacitive elements having a capacitive element at each intersection; and

    a plurality of separators fixedly connected with the substrate and separating the substrate and the membrane, thereby forming a plurality of sensor regions of the apparatus with sensor regions positioned between adjacent separators of the plurality of separators each including at least one capacitive element;

    wherein a membrane portion of each sensor region is mechanically decoupled from a membrane portion of each adjacent sensor region;

    wherein the substrate is cylindrical with a central substrate axis extending along a center of the cylindrical substrate; and

    wherein the substrate comprises;

    an outer surface comprising a plurality of grooves formed therein, each groove having a floor;

    one or more insulating regions at the floors of the plurality of grooves, each of the plurality of substrate electrodes being disposed on the one or more insulating regions;

    a lumen parallel to the central substrate axis; and

    a plurality of holes, each hole passing through the substrate from the lumen to a substrate electrode of the plurality of substrate electrodes.

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