Tactile sensor
First Claim
1. A tactile sensor comprisinga transducer mounted to a substrate;
- a housing enclosing the transducer and forming a chamber between the housing and the transducer, the housing having at least one opening connecting the chamber and the transducer to an area outside the housing; and
a force transmission medium encapsulating the housing and defining a contact surface and providing a path to transmit a contact force applied to the contact surface to the transducer whereby the transducer produces a signal indicative of the contact force,wherein the force transmission medium includes a substantially incompressible elastic material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tactile sensor includes a pressure transducer encapsulated in an elastic material that defines a contact surface and provides a transmission path that transmits contact forces or pressure distributions applied to the contact surface to the pressure transducer. The pressure transducer can be enclosed in a protective housing that defines a chamber around the transducer. The housing can include one or more openings that expose the chamber to the exterior pressure. The tactile sensor can be made by applying the elastic material in liquid form and exposing the housing to a vacuum that removes air inside the chamber allowing the liquid elastic material to flow into the chamber. Once cured, the elastic material defines a contact surface of the tactile sensor and serves to transfer contact forces applied to the contact surface to the transducer.
89 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A tactile sensor comprising
a transducer mounted to a substrate; -
a housing enclosing the transducer and forming a chamber between the housing and the transducer, the housing having at least one opening connecting the chamber and the transducer to an area outside the housing; and a force transmission medium encapsulating the housing and defining a contact surface and providing a path to transmit a contact force applied to the contact surface to the transducer whereby the transducer produces a signal indicative of the contact force, wherein the force transmission medium includes a substantially incompressible elastic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A tactile sensor comprising
a transducer mounted to a substrate; -
a housing enclosing the transducer and forming a chamber between the housing and the transducer, the housing having at least one opening connecting the chamber and the transducer to an area outside the housing; and a force transmission medium encapsulating the housing and completely filling the chamber, the force transmission medium defining a contact surface and providing a path through the at least on opening to transmit a contact force applied to the contact surface to the transducer whereby the transducer produces a signal indicative of the contact force, wherein the force transmission medium includes a substantially incompressible elastic material. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A tactile sensor comprising:
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a transducer mounted to a substrate; a housing connected to the substrate by solder and the housing enclosing the transducer to form a chamber between the housing and the transducer, the housing including a rigid surface portion extending over at least a portion of the transducer and the rigid surface portion having at least one hole connecting the chamber and the transducer to an area outside the housing; and a force transmission medium extending over the rigid surface portion of the housing and defining a contact surface, the force transmission medium providing a path to transmit a contact force applied to the contact surface to the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification