Surface-conforming obscured feature detector

• US 8,593,163 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elegazzo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Franklin Sensors Inc.
• Inventors: Dorrough, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCANDREW, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US12/860,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 324/661, 324/679, 324/672, 324/66, 324/67, 324/664
• US Class Current: 324/679
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/26 Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric constants ; Measuring impedance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A surface-conforming obscured feature detector includes a plurality of sensor plates flexibly connected together, each having a capacitance that varies based on the dielectric constant of the materials that compose the surrounding objects and the proximity of those objects. A sensing circuit is coupled to the sensor plates to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates. A controller is coupled to the sensing circuit to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit. One or a plurality of indicators are coupled to the controller, and are selectively activated to identify the location of a relative high capacitance, which can be indicative of an obscured feature behind a surface.

Claims

1. A surface conforming obscured feature detector comprising:

a plurality of sensor plates, flexibly connected together upon a flexible substrate that is conformable to curvature and/or irregularities of the a curved surface to be sensed, each sensor plate having a capacitance that varies based on;

(a) the proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant(s) of the surrounding object(s);

a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;

a controller coupled to the sensing circuit, the controller being configured to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit;

one or a plurality of indicators coupled to the controller, each indicator capable of toggling between a deactivated state and an activated state, wherein the controller is configured to activate one or more of the indicators to identify a location of an obscured feature behind the curved surface.

2. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

3. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a rigid flex printed circuit board.

4. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 1, further comprising a housing, and a flexible medium disposed between the housing and the sensor plates.

5. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 4, wherein the flexible medium comprises foam rubber.

6. A surface-conforming obscured feature detector configured to be placed against a curved surface to be sensed, to detect the presence of one or more features obscured by the curved surface, the detector comprising:

a housing configured for gripping by hand;

a plurality of flexibly interconnected sensor plates coupled to the housing, each sensor plate having a capacitance that varies based on;

(a) the proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant of the surrounding object(s);

a first flexible substrate, supporting the sensor plates, the first flexible substrate being conformable to curvature and/or irregularities of the curved surface;

a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;

a controller coupled to the sensing circuit, the controller being configured to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit;

one or a plurality of indicators coupled to the controller, each indicator capable of toggling between a deactivated state and an activated state, wherein the controller is configured to activate one or more of the indicators to identify a location of an obscured feature behind the curved surface.

7. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein the first flexible substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

8. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein the sensor plates comprise regions of metal on a flexible printed circuit board.

9. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein the first flexible substrate is a common printed circuit board.

10. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, further comprising a flexible medium, disposed between the first flexible substrate and the housing.

11. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 10, wherein the flexible medium comprises foam rubber.

12. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, further comprising at least one sensor plate disposed upon the first flexible substrate and at least one sensor plate disposed upon a second flexible substrate.

13. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein one or more sensor plates pivots on a hinge.

14. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein the sensor plates comprise regions of metal on the first flexible substrate, and further comprising a first flexible medium, disposed between the first flexible substrate and the housing.

15. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 14, wherein the sensor plates further comprise regions of metal on a second flexible substrate, and further comprising a second flexible medium, disposed between the second flexible substrate and the housing.

16. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 6, wherein the housing is flexible.

17. A method of detecting an obscured feature behind a curved surface with a surface-conforming obscured feature detector having a plurality of sensor plates that are flexibly connected together in an array, the method comprising:

placing the array of sensor plates against the curved surface such that the array of sensor plates substantially conforms to the surface;

measuring the capacitance of one or a plurality of the sensor plates;

analyzing the capacitance measurements;

identifying, based on the capacitance readings, a location of the obscured feature behind the curved surface; and

activating one or more indicators to indicate the location of the obscured feature behind the curved surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein placing the surface conforming obscured feature detector against the curved surface comprises flexing the array of sensor plates to conform to a concave or convex curvature of the surface.