# US 2018/0324948 A1 · Systems and methods for strain sensing using aerosol jet printing of flexible capacitive strain gauges > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324948 A1 - Document ID: US20180324948A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/970,380 - Filed: 2018-05-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03 - Assignees: Boise State University - Applicants: Boise State University - Inventors: David Estrada; Jennifer Watkins; Aline Elquist; Carter Warren; Preston Riggs; Kiyo Fujimoto; Harish Subbaraman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324948A1 ## CPC - H05K 1/0393: {Flexible materials (H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups)} - H01G 11/36: Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes - H05K 1/092: {Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks} - H05K 1/185: associated with components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the PCBs; associated with components incorporated in internal layers of multilayer circuit boards - H05K 3/125: {by ink-jet printing} - H10W 70/611: {for connecting multiple chips together} - H10W 70/688: {Flexible insulating substrates} - H01G 5/0134: {Solid dielectrics} - H05K 1/162: {incorporating printed capacitors} - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H05K 2203/1344: Spraying small metal particles or droplets of molten metal - H05K 2203/1469: Circuit made after mounting or encapsulation of the components - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A device may include a flexible substrate. The device may further include a flexible integrated circuit within the flexible substrate, the integrated circuit having at least one input electrode positioned on a surface of the flexible substrate. The device may also include an aerosol jet printed conductive ink layer disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate, the aerosol-jet printed conductive ink layer having a pattern that includes a first set of fingers interdigitated with a second set of fingers, the aerosol jet printed conductive ink layer in contact with the at least one input electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a flexible substrate; a flexible integrated circuit within the flexible substrate, the integrated circuit having at least one input electrode positioned on a surface of the flexible substrate; and an aerosol-jet printed conductive ink layer disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate, the aerosol jet printed conductive ink layer having a pattern that includes a first set of fingers interdigitated with a second set of fingers, the aerosol-jet printed conductive ink layer in contact with the at least one input electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: a structure, wherein the flexible substrate is attached to the structure to enable a capacitance between the first set of fingers and the second set of fingers to change based on strain along the structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the structure is a rigid structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the structure is a flexible structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the flexible structure is a fabric barrier of an inflatable habitat or a parachute. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible integrated circuit is configured to a detect changes in capacitance between the first set of fingers and the second set of fingers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the flexible integrated circuit is further configured to associate the changes in capacitance with a measure of strain associated with a structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink layer includes a metallic nano-particle material, a conductive 1-dimensional material, a conductive 2-dimensional material, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: providing a flexible substrate having a flexible integrated circuit with at least one input electrode positioned on a surface of the flexible substrate; and aerosol jet printing a conductive ink layer onto the surface of the flexible substrate, the conductive ink layer having a pattern that includes a first set of fingers interdigitated with a second set of fingers; applying a portion of the conductive ink layer to the at least one input electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: attaching the flexible substrate to a structure to enable a capacitance between the first set of fingers and the second set of fingers to change based on strain along the structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: conforming a shape of the flexible substrate to a rigid surface of the structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: conforming a shape of the flexible substrate to a flexible surface of the structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible surface is a fabric barrier of an inflatable habitat or a parachute. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting changes in capacitance between the first set of fingers and the second set of fingers at the flexible integrated circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: associating the changes in capacitance with a level of strain associated with a structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein aerosol printing the conductive ink comprises aerosol printing a metallic nano-particle material, a conductive 1-dimensional material, a conductive 2-dimensional material, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 17 A system comprising: a flexible substrate; a flexible integrated circuit within the flexible substrate, the integrated circuit having at least one input electrode positioned on a surface of the flexible substrate; an aerosol-jet printed conductive ink layer disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate, the aerosol jet printed conductive ink layer having a pattern that includes a first set of fingers interdigitated with a second set of fingers, the aerosol-jet printed conductive ink layer in contact with the at least one input electrode; and a structure, the flexible substrate attached to the structure to enable a capacitance between the first set of interdigitated fingers and the second set of interdigitated fingers to change based on strain along the structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the flexible integrated circuit is configured to a detect changes in capacitance between the first set of interdigitated fingers and the second set of interdigitated fingers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the flexible integrated circuit is further configured to associate the changes in capacitance with a measure of strain associated with the structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the structure is a rigid structure with a conformal surface or a flexible structure.