Pressure sensor having conductive material extending between non-porous and porous regions and pressure sensing device comprising same

A pressure sensor comprising:

• a first electrode layer including a first conductive region;
• a second electrode layer including a second conductive region and positioned to be horizontally spaced apart from the first electrode layer;
• an intermediate layer, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer being coupled to a common surface of the intermediate layer;
• and
• an insulating adhesive layer provided between the intermediate layer and each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,
• wherein the intermediate layer includes a foam in which a porous region is provided in a non-porous region, and a conductive material dispersed in the foam and having a conductivity that is greater than that of the foam,
• wherein at least a part of the conductive material passes through an interface between the non-porous region and the porous region or is dispersed in the non-porous region,
• wherein a surface area of the first electrode layer is greater than a surface area of the second electrode layer, and an area of a first region of the insulating adhesive layer between the first electrode layer and the intermediate layer is greater than an area of a second region of the insulating adhesive layer between the second electrode layer and the intermediate layer.

A pressure sensing device comprising:

• a pressure sensor;
• a signal processing unit connected with the pressure sensor and configured to process electric signals from the pressure sensor;
• and
• a control unit connected with the signal processing unit and configured to generate a control signal based on the signals processed by the signal processing unit, wherein the pressure sensor includes:
• a first electrode layer;
• a second electrode layer provided above the first electrode layer;
• and
• an intermediate layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,
• wherein the first electrode layer is larger than the second electrode layer:
• wherein the intermediate layer includes a foam in which a porous region is dispersed in a non-porous region, and a conductive material is dispersed in the foam and has a conductivity that is greater than that of the foam, and
• wherein at least a part of the conductive material passes through interfaces between the non-porous region and the porous region or is dispersed in the non-porous region, and
• a ratio of the at least a part of the conductive materials passing through the interfaces between the non-porous region and the porous region or dispersed in the non-porous region to a total amount of the conductive materials in the foam is greater than or equal to 50 wt %,
• wherein the conductive material is 1 to 10 wt % of a total amount of the foam, and
• wherein the conductive material includes carbon nano tubes (CNT), and the CNTs is 0.05 to 3 wt % of the total amount of the conductive material.