Contact sensors and methods for making same
OwnerAndrew C. Clark, David Tophaminventors
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are novel contact sensors. The contact sensors disclosed herein include a conductive composite material formed of a polymer and a conductive filler. In one particular aspect, the composite materials can include less than about 10 wt % conductive filler. Thus, the composite material of the contact sensors can have physical characteristics essentially identical to the polymer, while being electrically conductive with the electrical resistance proportional to the load on the sensor. The sensors can provide real time dynamic contact information for joint members under conditions expected during use.
Claims23
A contact sensor, comprising:
- a data acquisition terminal;
- a plurality of polymer sensor sheets, each polymer sensor sheet having selected spaced conductive portions integrally formed therein, wherein each spaced conductive portion is in communication with the data acquisition terminal, wherein adjacent polymer sensor sheets are stacked such that portions of the conductive portions therein the sensor sheets overlap and create an array of sensing points at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets, and
- means for determining the pressure applied at least one sensing point of the array of sensing points,
- wherein the conductive portion of each polymer sensor sheet is formed from a pressure sensitive conductive composite material that comprises an electrically conductive filler and a polymeric material.
A contact sensor, comprising:
- a data acquisition terminal;
- a plurality of polymer sensor sheets, each polymer sensor sheet having selected spaced conductive portions integrally formed therein, wherein each spaced conductive portion is in communication with the data acquisition terminal, wherein adjacent polymer sensor sheets are stacked such that portions of the conductive portions therein the sensor sheets overlap and create an array of sensing points at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets, and
- means for determining the pressure applied at least one sensing point of the array of sensing points,
- wherein the polymer sensor sheet is formed from a substantially inflexible composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.