Method and apparatus for capacitive sensing of door position
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising a sensor that includes:
- an electrically conductive ground member;
electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and said ground member; and
an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts;
wherein said insulator includes a sheet of insulating material having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof;
wherein said ground member is sheetlike and engages said first surface;
wherein said first and second parts are sheetlike and engage said second surface; and
wherein said sensor includes two further sheets of insulating material that have therebetween said ground member, said insulator and said first and second parts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus has a sensor with an electrically conductive ground member, electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and the ground member, and an insulator disposed between the ground member and the first and second parts. A different configuration involves a tag having circuitry, and a sensor supported on the tag and having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other, the first and second parts each being electrically coupled to the circuitry.
136 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising a sensor that includes:
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an electrically conductive ground member; electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and said ground member; and an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; wherein said insulator includes a sheet of insulating material having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; wherein said ground member is sheetlike and engages said first surface; wherein said first and second parts are sheetlike and engage said second surface; and wherein said sensor includes two further sheets of insulating material that have therebetween said ground member, said insulator and said first and second parts.
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2. An apparatus comprising a sensor that includes:
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an electrically conductive ground member; electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and said ground member; and an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; wherein said insulator includes a sheet of insulating material having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; wherein said ground member is sheetlike and engages said first surface; wherein said first and second parts are sheetlike and engage said second surface; and wherein said ground member, said insulator and said first and second parts are flexible.
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3. An apparatus comprising a sensor that includes:
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an electrically conductive ground member; electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and said ground member; and an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; wherein said insulator includes a sheet of insulating material having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; wherein said ground member is sheetlike and engages said first surface; wherein said first and second parts are sheetlike and engage said second surface; wherein said sensor includes electrical connector structure having first and second contacts that are respectively electrically coupled to said first and second parts; and wherein said electrical connector structure has a third contact that is electrically coupled to said ground member. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising a sensor that includes:
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an electrically conductive ground member; electrically conductive first and second parts spaced from and proximate to each other and said ground member; an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; and a tag having circuitry therein that is electrically coupled to said first and second parts. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
wherein said ground member is sheetlike and engages said first surface; and wherein said first and second parts are sheetlike and engage said second surface.
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8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said sensor includes electrical connector structure having first and second contacts that are respectively electrically coupled to said first and second parts.
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9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said ground member is electrically coupled to said circuitry.
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10. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said sensor is supported on said tag externally thereof, with said ground member located between said tag and said first and second parts.
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11. An apparatus according to claim 10, including a container having a movably supported metal door, said tag being supported on said container so that, as said door moves from a first position to a second position, a portion of said door moves from a position in proximity to said sensor to a position spaced from said sensor.
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12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said container has a further movably supported door, said tag being supported on said further door.
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13. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said sensor is a proximity sensor for detecting metal.
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14. An apparatus comprising:
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a tag having circuitry; and a sensor supported on said tag and having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other, said first and second parts each being electrically coupled to said circuitry; and a container having a movably supported metal door, said tag being supported on said container so that, as said door moves from a first position to a second position, a portion of said door moves from a position adjacent said sensor to a position spaced from said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a tag having circuitry; and a sensor supported on said tag and having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other, said first and second parts each being electrically coupled to said circuitry, wherein said sensor further includes; an electrically conductive ground member that is spaced from and proximate to each of said first and second parts, said ground member being electrically coupled to said circuitry, and being located between said tag and said first and second parts; and an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method comprising:
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monitoring an electrical characteristic between electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other and an electrically conductive ground member, where an insulator is disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; selecting as said insulator a sheet of insulating material having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; configuring said ground member to be sheetlike and to engage said first surface; configuring said first and second parts to be sheetlike and to engage said second surface; and configuring said ground member, said insulator and said first and second parts to be flexible.
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19. A method comprising:
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monitoring an electrical characteristic between electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other and an electrically conductive ground member, where an insulator is disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts; and electrically coupling said first and second parts to circuitry within a tag. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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providing a tag with a sensor thereon, said sensor being a proximity sensor for detecting metal, and having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other and that are electrically coupled to circuitry within said tag; and monitoring an electrical characteristic between said electrically conductive first and second parts using said circuitry in said tag. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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providing a tag with a sensor thereon, said sensor having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other and that are electrically coupled to circuitry within said tag; monitoring an electrical characteristic between said electrically conductive first and second parts using said circuitry in said tag; providing a container having a movably supported metal door; and supporting said tag on said container so that, as said door moves from a first position to a second position, a portion of said door moves from a position adjacent said sensor to a position spaced from said sensor.
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30. A method comprising:
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providing a tag with a sensor thereon, said sensor having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other and that are electrically coupled to circuitry within said tag; monitoring an electrical characteristic between said electrically conductive first and second parts using said circuitry in said tag; and configuring said sensor to have; an electrically conductive ground member that is spaced from and proximate to each of said first and second parts, said ground member being electrically coupled to said circuitry, and being located between said tag and said first and second parts; and an insulator disposed between said ground member and said first and second parts.
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31. An apparatus comprising:
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a tag having circuitry; and a sensor supported on said tag and having electrically conductive first and second parts that are spaced from and proximate to each other, said first and second parts each being electrically coupled to said circuitry, said sensor being a proximity sensor for detecting metal; wherein said tag includes an approximately C-shaped clip having two spaced legs and a bight extending between the legs, said sensor being supported on an outer side of said bight of said clip.
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Specification