Sensing arrangement
AssigneeContactile Pty Ltd
InventorsBenjamin XIA, Heba KHAMIS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Sensing arrangements for measuring force or torque by transmitting light on a reflective region and measuring how the reflected light is received, including a sensor arrangement that uses a non-symmetric reflective region and a sensor arrangement that uses multiple arrangements of at least three light sensors, where the at least three light sensors are arranged such that they are not co-linear.
Claims20
A sensing arrangement for measuring a force or torque applied to a distal end of a body, the sensing arrangement comprising:
- a base comprising at least one input portion, the at least one input portion comprising:
- a light control portion;
- at least one light source;
- and
- a two-dimensional light sensor array having at least two rows and two columns;
- and
- the body connected, at a proximal end, to the base, the body comprising:
- a resilient support;
- at least one alternative light transmission region corresponding to the at least one input portion and extending from the proximal end towards the distal end and terminating at a light transmission region termination;
- and
- a reflective region that is not symmetric about at least one axis and is located at the light transmission region termination;
- wherein the at least one light source is configured such that it emits light towards the reflective region;
- the sensing arrangement being such that, in respect of one of the at least one input portions and a corresponding one of the at least one alternative light transmission regions in use, light from the at least one light source passes through the alternative light transmission region towards the reflective region, is reflected by the reflective region through the light control portion onto the two-dimensional light sensor array, in use, such that the two-dimensional light sensor array receives a light signature that corresponds to a force or torque applied to the distal end of the body.
A sensing arrangement for measuring a force or torque applied to a distal end of a body, the sensing arrangement comprising:
- two or more light management arrangements, each light management arrangement comprising:
- a base portion comprising an input portion, the input portion comprising:
- a light control portion;
- at least one light source;
- and
- an arrangement of at least three light sensors, where the at least three light sensors are arranged such that they are not co-linear;
- a body portion connected, at a proximal end, to the base portion, the body portion comprising:
- a resilient support portion;
- and
- an alternative light transmission region corresponding to the input portion and extending from the proximal end towards the distal end of the body and terminating at a light transmission region termination;
- and
- a reflective region located at the light transmission region termination;
- wherein the at least one light source is configured such that it emits light towards the reflective region;
- wherein, in respect of the two or more light management arrangements, the base portions form a base, the resilient support portions are integral and form a resilient support and the body portions form a body;
- each of the two or more light management arrangements being arranged such that, in use, light from the at least one light source passes through the alternative light transmission region towards the reflective region, is reflected by the reflective region through the light control portion onto the arrangement of at least three light sensors, such that the arrangement of at least three light sensors receives a light signature that corresponds to a force or torque applied to the distal end of the body portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.