Hybrid tactile sensor
US7430925B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 2005 |
| Grant date | Oct 7, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L1/205
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A hybrid tactile sensor includes a flexible cloth-based tactile sensor array including a plurality of electrodes, each of the electrodes connected to a corresponding connecting zone of an intermediate connecting harness made from a flexible film such as Kapton®. The harness includes a common bundle of parallel conductors etched or printed onto the harness and connecting each of the connecting zones to a common terminal for further attaching to a control unit of the sensor. The use of the harness allows repeatable manufacturing of sensor arrays with large number of electrodes or when they are located close to each other. Each connecting zone may include an interconnecting pad for crimping, soldering, or adhering the electrode thereto using a conductive epoxy. Alternative embodiments describe the use of U-shaped malleable connectors, jumper wires including those equipped with U-shaped clips, and other means of attaching electrodes to corresponding connecting zones. The use of alternating connections with electrodes of the array allows to double the distance between individual electrodes available for making a connection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.