Deformation compensating compliant material
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A force sensor, comprising:
- sensor plates;
a compliant material positioned between the sensor plates that;
defines a first end, a middle, and a second end, such that;
the first end is adjacent one sensor plate;
the second end is adjacent another sensor plate; and
the middle is between the first end and the second end;
defines an external surface extending between the first and the second ends and defining a recessed gap in the compliant material when in an uncompressed state;
has a maximum dimension in a first direction when in the uncompressed state;
varies in shape between the uncompressed state and a compressed state; and
is configured to stay within the maximum dimension when compressed in a second direction;
whereinthe first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and
while the compliant material is in the uncompressed state, a maximum dimension of the middle is smaller than a dimension of the first end and a dimension of the second end, measured along the first direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A force sensor includes compliant material that is configured to stay within a maximum uncompressed dimension in a first direction when compressed in a second direction. The first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction. The compliant material may stay within the maximum uncompressed dimension when compressed by expanding into one or more gaps defined in the compliant material. Such gaps may be defined on an external surface of the compliant material and/or internal to the compliant material. The gaps may be formed using a variety of different processes during or after formation of the compliant material.
32 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A force sensor, comprising:
-
sensor plates; a compliant material positioned between the sensor plates that; defines a first end, a middle, and a second end, such that; the first end is adjacent one sensor plate; the second end is adjacent another sensor plate; and the middle is between the first end and the second end; defines an external surface extending between the first and the second ends and defining a recessed gap in the compliant material when in an uncompressed state; has a maximum dimension in a first direction when in the uncompressed state; varies in shape between the uncompressed state and a compressed state; and is configured to stay within the maximum dimension when compressed in a second direction;
whereinthe first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and while the compliant material is in the uncompressed state, a maximum dimension of the middle is smaller than a dimension of the first end and a dimension of the second end, measured along the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A compressible assembly, comprising:
-
a force sensor comprising first and second conductive plates; a compressible material positioned between the conductive plates that; has a first end adjacent the first conductive plate; has a second end adjacent the second conductive plate; has a first side extending from the first end to the second end; has a second side extending from the first end to the second end; has a default dimension defined between the sides when the compressible material is uncompressed; varies in shape between an uncompressed state and a compressed state; defines at least an edge of at least one perforation extending from the first side to the second side of the compressible material, the at least one perforation defining a void space into which the compressible material enters upon compression; and expands, from the default dimension, to no greater than a maximum dimension and into the void space when a compressive force is applied to the ends of the compressible material; wherein a direction of expansion of the compressible material is perpendicular to a plane defined by at least one of the first and second conductive plates. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for compensating for deformation in a force sensor, comprising:
-
assembling the force sensor including sensor plates; including a compliant material in the force sensor between the sensor plates, the compliant material varying in shape between a compressed state and an uncompressed state, having a maximum dimension in a first direction when in the uncompressed state, defining a first end, a middle and a second end, the first end adjacent one sensor plate, the second end adjacent another sensor plate, and the middle being between the first end and the second end, and defining an external surface extending between the first and the second ends; and configuring the compliant material to stay within the maximum dimension when compressed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by defining a recessed gap in the compliant material, the gap defined by the external surface of the compliant material;
whereinwhile the compliant material is in the uncompressed state, a maximum dimension of the middle is smaller than a dimension of the first end and a dimension of the second end, measured along the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification