SYSTEM COMPRISING A CELLULAR NETWORK OF CAPACITIVE PRESSURE AND SHEAR-STRESS SENSORS AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS

• US 20170176266A1
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FeetMe
• Original Assignee: FeetMe
• Inventors: MATHIEU, Alexis, MERCIER, Julien
• Granted Patent: US 10,451,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/00 Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2412 by varying overlap
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2287 constructional details of the strain gauges adjustable resistors H01C10/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/165 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/167 using piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0025 Shearing

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and to a process for manufacturing a system including a network of sensors including a sheet of dielectric material that is elastically deformable under compressive and shear stress, each cell of the network including a first capacitive sensor for sensing normal pressure in a first direction, a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear stress in a second direction and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear stress in a third direction. Each capacitive sensor includes a first electrode fixed to the first side of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second side of the sheet of dielectric material, the first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a given cell being connected in series to a first electrically conductive track connecting a row of cells of the network of sensors.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A pressure sensor network system, comprising:

a sheet of dielectric material elastically deformable in compression and shear, the sheet of dielectric material having a first face and a second face, wherein

the sensor network system includes;

a network comprising a plurality of pressure sensor cells, the cells being arranged in at least three rows and at least three columns, each cell comprising a first capacitive sensor for sensing normal pressure in a first direction (Z),

each capacitive sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material,

said first electrode of the capacitive normal-pressure sensor of a cell being connected in series to a first electrically conductive track connecting a row of cells of the sensor network;

the second electrode of the capacitive normal-pressure sensor of a cell being connected to a second electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive normal-pressure sensors of the sensor network;

and wherein the sensor network system comprises addressing means adapted to measure the electrical capacitance of a capacitive sensor located at the intersection of a row and a column, said row corresponding to a first track connected to said first electrode and said column corresponding to another track connected to one of said second electrodes.

14. The pressure and shear sensor network system according to claim 13, wherein the sheet of dielectric material elastically deformable in compression and shear is a material chosen among:

a micro-architectured cork, an elastomer, a rubber, a urethane, a silicone, a butyl rubber, a polymer, a neoprene, a polyurethane, a polyisoprene or an urethane foam.

15. The pressure and shear sensor network system according to claim 13, wherein said first electrode and said first electrically conductive track are printed on a sheet of electrically insulating and flexible material, and, respectively, wherein said second electrode and said other electrically conductive tracks are printed on another sheet of electrically insulating and flexible material.

16. The pressure and shear sensor network system according to claim 13, wherein the first electrically conductive track and the second electrically conductive track of a cell are connected to an electronic system adapted to measure a variation of the electrical capacitance of the capacitive normal-pressure sensor, the electronic system being adapted to deduce therefrom a normal pressure force applied to said capacitive normal-pressure sensor along the first direction (Z).

17. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 13, wherein at least one cell of the sensor network comprises a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a second direction (X) and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a third direction (Y), each capacitive shear sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material, said first and second electrodes of the capacitive shear sensors being comb-shaped, said first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a cell being connected in series, the second electrode of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the second direction (X) being connected to a third electrically conductive track connecting a row of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the second direction (X) of the sensor network;

and the second electrode (6) of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) being connected to a fourth electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) of the sensor network.

18. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 17, wherein the first electrically conductive track and the third electrically conductive track of a cell are connected to said electronic system, which is adapted to measure a variation of the electrical capacitance of the second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the second direction (X), the electronic system being adapted to deduce therefrom the amplitude and direction of a shear force applied to said capacitive sensor for sensing shear along the second direction (X).

19. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 17, wherein the first electrically conductive track and the fourth electrically conductive track of a cell are connected to said electronic system, which is adapted to measure a variation of the electrical capacitance of the third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y), the electronic system being adapted to deduce therefrom the amplitude and direction of a shear force applied to said third capacitive shear sensor along the third direction (Y).

20. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 13, wherein said electrically conductive tracks are connected to means for measuring a variation of electrical capacitance of the capacitive sensors by wired or wireless links.

21. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 13, comprising a device for displaying pressure and/or shear force measurements, wherein the display device is configured to represent graphically, as a function of the arrangement of the sensor network, the normal pressure measured by each cell of the sensor network and/or simultaneously the amplitude and direction of the shear force measured by each cell of the sensor network.

22. A shoe sole comprising a pressure sensor network system according to claim 13.

25. The pressure and shear sensor network system according to claim 14, wherein said first electrically conductive track and the second electrically conductive track of a cell are connected to an electronic system adapted to measure a variation of the electrical capacitance of the capacitive normal-pressure sensor, the electronic system being adapted to deduce therefrom a normal pressure force applied to said capacitive normal-pressure sensor along the first direction (Z).

26. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 14, wherein at least one cell of the sensor network comprises a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a second direction (X) and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a third direction (Y), each capacitive shear sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material, said first and second electrodes of the capacitive shear sensors being comb-shaped, said first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a cell being connected in series, the second electrode of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the second direction (X) being connected to a third electrically conductive track connecting a row of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the second direction (X) of the sensor network;

and the second electrode (6) of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) being connected to a fourth electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) of the sensor network.

27. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 15, wherein at least one cell of the sensor network comprises a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a second direction (X) and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a third direction (Y), each capacitive shear sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material, said first and second electrodes of the capacitive shear sensors being comb-shaped, said first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a cell being connected in series, the second electrode of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the second direction (X) being connected to a third electrically conductive track connecting a row of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the second direction (X) of the sensor network;

and the second electrode (6) of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) being connected to a fourth electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) of the sensor network.

28. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 16, wherein at least one cell of the sensor network comprises a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a second direction (X) and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a third direction (Y), each capacitive shear sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material, said first and second electrodes of the capacitive shear sensors being comb-shaped, said first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a cell being connected in series, the second electrode of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the second direction (X) being connected to a third electrically conductive track connecting a row of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the second direction (X) of the sensor network;

and the second electrode (6) of the capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) being connected to a fourth electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the third direction (Y) of the sensor network.

29. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 18, wherein the first electrically conductive track and the fourth electrically conductive track of a cell are connected to said electronic system, which is adapted to measure a variation of the electrical capacitance of the third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in the third direction (Y), the electronic system being adapted to deduce therefrom the amplitude and direction of a shear force applied to said third capacitive shear sensor along the third direction (Y).

30. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 17, wherein said electrically conductive tracks are connected to means for measuring a variation of electrical capacitance of the capacitive sensors by wired or wireless links.

31. The pressure sensor network system according to claim 17, comprising a device for displaying pressure and/or shear force measurements, wherein the display device is configured to represent graphically, as a function of the arrangement of the sensor network, the normal pressure measured by each cell of the sensor network and/or simultaneously the amplitude and direction of the shear force measured by each cell of the sensor network.

32. A shoe sole comprising a pressure sensor network system according to claim 17.

23. A method of manufacturing a sole with a network of capacitive pressure sensor cells comprising a plurality of pressure sensor cells, the cells being arranged in at least three rows and at least three columns, the method comprising the following steps:

printing by screen printing a first pattern of conductive electrodes on a first surface of a first material, the first pattern of conductive electrodes comprising, for each row of the sensor network, a first track connecting in series a row of cells of the sensor network;

printing by screen printing a second pattern of conductive electrodes on another surface of the first material or of another material, the second pattern of conductive electrodes comprising, for each column of the sensor network, a second track connecting in series a column of cells of the sensor network;

fixing the first surface carrying the first pattern of conductive electrodes to one face of a sheet of dielectric material elastically deformable in compression and shear;

aligning the other surface carrying the second pattern of conductive electrodes with respect to the first pattern of conductive electrodes and fixing the other surface carrying the second pattern of conductive electrodes to the other face of said sheet of dielectric material, so as to form a network of capacitive pressure sensor cells.

24. The method of manufacturing a sole with a network of capacitive pressure sensor cells according claim 23, wherein each cell of the sensor network comprises a second capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a second direction (X) and a third capacitive sensor for sensing shear in a third direction (Y), each capacitive shear sensor being consisted of a first electrode fixed to the first face of the sheet of dielectric material and a second electrode fixed to the second face of the sheet of dielectric material, said first and second electrodes of the capacitive shear sensors being comb-shaped, said first electrodes of the capacitive sensors of a cell being connected in series, the first pattern of conductive electrodes comprises a first track connecting a row of cells, the first pattern of electrodes connecting in series the capacitive pressure and shear sensors of a same cell, and wherein the second pattern of conductive electrodes comprises a second electrically conductive track connecting a column of capacitive normal-pressure sensors, a third electrically conductive track connecting a column of second capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the second direction (X) and a fourth electrically conductive track connecting a column of third capacitive sensors for sensing shear in the third direction (Y), so as to form a network of capacitive pressure and shear sensor cells having four electrically conductive tracks connected to each capacitive pressure and shear sensor cell.