Linear Pressure Sensor

• US 20070289859A1
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wearable Technologies Ltd. (Blackline Safety Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Eleksen Limited (Peratech Limited)
• Inventors: Walkington, Stuart, Sandbach, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/506
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/01 Woven wire screen
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/142 of the elongated strip type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/109 Metal or metal-coated fiber-containing scrim

Abstract

A linear sensor (101, 201) comprising electrically conductive textile fibres (103, 105, 205, 207) and electrically insulating textile fibres (106, 208). The sensor comprises at least two conductive elements (102, 104, 204, 206) having electrically conductive textile fibres (103,105, 205, 207). The sensor also has electrically insulating textile fibres (106, 208) spaced to separate the two electrically conductive elements when no pressure is applied to said sensor, and to allow electrical conduction between the two conductive elements under the application of pressure.

Claims

1. A linear sensor comprising electrically conductive textile fibres and electrically insulating textile fibres, said sensor comprising at least two conductive elements having electrically conductive textile fibres and electrically insulating textile fibres spaced to separate said two electrically conductive elements when no pressure is applied to said sensor and to allow electrical conduction between said two conductive elements under the application of pressure.

2. A sensor according to claim 1 in which a first one of said conductive elements is surrounded by a second one of said conductive elements.

3. A sensor according to claim 2 in which said second conductive element is surrounded by a sheath.

4. A sensor according to claim 1 comprising a woven, knitted or braided textile structure.

5. A sensor according to claim 1 in which said insulating textile fibres are woven, knitted or braided.

6. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein one of said conductive elements has a woven, knitted or braided structure.

7. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fibres of one of said conductive elements and insulating fibres are woven, knitted or braided together.

8. A sensor according to claim 1 in which a first one of said conductive elements is surrounded by a second one of said conductive elements having conductive fibres forming a woven, knitted or braided structure.

9. A sensor according to claim 1 configured such that an electrical potential is established across one of said conductive elements and a potential is measured at a different one of said conductive elements.

10. A sensor according to claim 9, wherein a data item representing a potential measurement is periodically sent to a data processing device.

11. A sensor according to claim 1 further comprising elastic fibres and wherein at least one conductive element comprises a substantially elastic structure.

12. A sensor according to claim 1 comprising a first conductive element, a second conductive element and a third conductive element, said first conductive element disposed between and electrically insulated from said second and third conductive elements, said sensor configured to allow electrical connection between said first conductive element and one of said second and third conductive elements.

13. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein said at least two conductive elements comprise

a first conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along at least a portion of the length of said sensor;

and

a second conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along at least said portion of the length of said sensor,

and said sensor further comprises a third conductive element extending along at least said portion of the length of said sensor,

wherein said third conductive element is electrically insulated from said first and second conductive elements over said portion of the length of said sensor, and said third conductive element is electrically connected at one end to only one of said first conductive element and said second conductive element.

14. A sensor according to claim 13, wherein said third conductive element and said first conductive element or said second conductive element are electrically connected at a first end of said sensor, and said sensor has electrical terminals for applying electrical potentials and/or measuring an electrical potential located only at the second end of said sensor.

15. A sensor according to claim 13, wherein said third conductive element is located within a solid insulating sleeve.

16. A sensor according to claim 13, wherein said insulating sleeve is surrounded by electrically conductive textile fibres of said first conducting element.

20. A sensor according to claim 15 in which a first one of said conductive elements is surrounded by a second one of said conductive elements having conduction fibres forming a woven, knitted or braided structure.

17. A linear sensor comprising electrically conductive textile fibres and electrically insulating textile fibres:

said sensor comprising

a first conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along the length of said sensor;

a second conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along the length of said sensor and surrounding said first conductive element; and

electrically insulating textile fibres configured to (i) separate said two electrically conductive elements when no pressure is applied to said sensor and (ii) allow electrical conduction between said two conductive elements under the application of pressure.

18. A sensor according to claim 17 in which said insulating textile fibres are woven, knitted or braided.

19. A sensor according to claim 17, wherein one of said conductive elements has a woven, knitted or braided structure.