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US 2026/0063480 A1Published application
Force sensor and evaluation circuit
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorUdo AUSSERLECHNER
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AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorUdo AUSSERLECHNER
Estimating the term…
A force sensor includes a deformation body configured to be subjected to a force and to undergo a deformation dependent on a stiffness of the deformation body under the influence of the force; at least a first coil arranged at a first lateral position along the deformation body at a first distance from the deformation body and configured to form a first signal characteristic, which is described by a first measured value, based on a size of the first distance at the first lateral position; and a second coil arranged at a second lateral position along the deformation body at a second distance from the deformation body and configured to form a second signal characteristic, which is described by a second measured value, based on a size of the second distance at the second lateral position The deformation of the deformation body changes the first and the second distance differently.
A force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) having the following features:
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the function has a linear function, a predominantly linear function, a regionally linear function or a quasi linear function.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) has a third coil (20) which is arranged at a third lateral position (x3, s3) along the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) at a third distance (A3) from the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) and is designed to output a third measured value on the basis of a size of the third distance (A3) at the third lateral position (x3, s3), wherein the deformation of the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) changes the first (A1), the second (A2) and the distance (A3) differently.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the first signal characteristic comprises a first resonant frequency or impedance or inductance (Lm1) or a first variable derived therefrom and the second signal characteristic comprises a second resonant frequency or impedance or inductance (Lm2) or a first variable derived therefrom.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) has a conductive material and/or a conductive layer and/or a conductive region.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) is designed to undergo bending as deformation or to be deformed according to a bending line that is dependent on the stiffness.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the first distance (A1) at a first lateral position (x1, s1) is dependent on the stiffness of the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) and a lever arm, wherein the lever arm is defined by the first lateral position (x1, s1) and a position of the mounting of the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″).
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation circuit (26) is designed to excite the first and/or second coil (19) with an alternating voltage signal and/or to measure a first and second impedance as the first and the second measured value.
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) comprises one or more of the following elements:
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) has a substrate and/or a printed circuit board on which at least the first and/or second coil (19) is arranged;
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) is separated from the first coil (18) at least at the first lateral position s1 or x1 by a gap, or wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) is separated from the first (18) and second coil (19) at least at the first lateral position s1 or x1 and the second lateral position s2 or x2 by a gap;
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, which comprises an evaluation circuit (26).
The force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, which has a permanent memory containing calibration data, from which the at least first and the second coefficient can be derived or the function can be adapted;
An evaluation circuit (26) for use with a force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″), which has a deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″), at least a first coil (18) and a second coil (19), wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) is designed to be subjected to a force and to undergo a deformation dependent on a (bending) stiffness of the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) under the influence of the force, wherein the first coil (18) is arranged at a first lateral position (x1, s1) along the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) at a first distance (A1) from the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) and is designed to form a first signal characteristic, which is described by a first measured value, on the basis of a size of the first distance (A1) at the first lateral position (x1, s1);
A method for determining a force using a force sensor (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″, 10′″″), which has a deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″), at least a first coil (18) and a second coil (19), wherein the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) is designed to be subjected to a force and to undergo a deformation dependent on a (bending) stiffness of the deformation body (14, 14′, 14″, 14′″) under the influence of the force;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.