Resistive-capacitive deformation sensor
AssigneeFacebook Technologies, LLC
InventorsSean Jason Keller, Tristan Thomas Trutna, David R. Perek, Bruce A. Cleary, III
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Abstract
A deformation sensing apparatus comprises an elastic substrate, a first strain-gauge element formed on a first surface of the elastic substrate, and configured to output a first signal in response to a strain applied in a first direction, and a second strain-gauge element formed on a second surface of the elastic substrate opposite to the first surface, and configured to output a second signal in response to a strain applied in the same first direction.
Claims20
A deformation sensing apparatus comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first strain-gauge element coupled to a first portion of the substrate, and configured to output a first signal in response to a strain applied in a first direction;
- and
- a second strain-gauge element coupled to a second portion of the substrate distinct from the first portion, and configured to output a second signal in response to a strain applied in the same first direction, and
- wherein the deformation sensing apparatus is further configured to output a third signal responsive to an applied deformation, the third signal being measureable between a terminal of the first strain-gauge element and a terminal of the second strain gauge-element.
A system comprising:
- one or more deformation sensors, each including:
- a substrate;
- a first strain-gauge element coupled to first portion of the substrate, and configured to output a first signal in response to a strain applied in a first direction;
- and
- a second strain-gauge element coupled to a second portion of the substrate opposite to the first portion, and configured to output a second signal in response to a strain applied in the same first direction,
- wherein the deformation sensor is configured to output a third signal responsive to an applied deformation, the third signal being measurable between one of the first and second terminals of the first strain-gauge element and one of the third and fourth terminals of the second strain-gauge element;
- a measurement circuit configured to measure the first signal from the first strain-gauge element and the second signal from the second strain-gauge element in response to the applied deformation;
- and
- a deformation analyzer configured to compute a measure of stretch deformation and a measure of flex deformation of the sensing apparatus, in the applied deformation, based on the measured first signal from the first strain-gauge element, the measured second signal of the second strain-gauge element, and the third signal.
A method of sensing deformation of a deformation sensor, comprising, in response to an applied deformation:
- measuring a first signal from a first strain-gauge element coupled to a first portion of an substrate of the deformation sensor, the first signal indicative of a resistance of the first strain-gauge element;
- measuring a second signal from a second strain-gauge element coupled to a second portion of the substrate of the deformation sensor, the second signal indicative of a resistance of the second strain-gauge element;
- measuring a third signal between the first strain-gauge element and the second strain-gauge element, the third signal indicative of a capacitance across the substrate measured responsive to the applied deformation;
- and
- computing a measure of stretch deformation and a measure of flex deformation of the deformation sensor, in the applied deformation, based on the measured first signal from the first strain-gauge element, the measured second signal of the second strain-gauge element, and the third signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.