# US 9,003,898 B2 · Multi-axis sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,003,898 B2 - Document ID: US9003898B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/719,680 - Filed: 2012-12-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University - Applicants: Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University - Inventors: Hyungpil Moon; Jachoon Koo; Hyouk Ryeol Choi; Seonggi Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9003898B2 ## CPC - G01L 1/14: by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators - G01L 5/165: using variations in capacitance - G01L 1/142: {using capacitors} - G01L 1/146: {for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays (G01L1/148 takes precedence)} - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) ## Abstract Provided herein is a multi-axis sensor including: a pair of electrodes positioned such that at least partial areas thereof face each other; an elasticity member having one of the pair of electrodes installed in its upper portion and another of the pair of electrodes installed in a lower portion; and a sensor unit electrically connected with the pair of electrodes, and configured to detect a change of capacitance value between the pair of electrodes and a change of resistance value of the elasticity member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-axis sensor comprising: a pair of electrodes positioned such that at least partial areas thereof face each other; an elasticity member having one of the pair of electrodes installed in its upper portion and another of the pair of electrodes installed in a lower portion; and a sensor unit electrically connected with the pair of electrodes, and configured to detect a change of capacitance value between the pair of electrodes and a change of resistance value of the elasticity member measured using the pair of electrodes, so as to measure an external force applied to the elasticity member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 1, the multi-axis sensor is a hybrid type multi-axis sensor in which the elasticity member has a plate shape with a flat top surface and comprises a dielectric material having a relative permittivity of 1-8. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to distinguish a direction component of the external force applied to the elasticity member based on a change in the capacitance value or a change of the resistance value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 3, wherein the sensor unit is configured to measure a horizontal component of the external force applied to an upper surface or a lower surface of the elasticity member distinctively from a vertical component of the external force applied to the elasticity member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 4, wherein the sensor unit is configured to measure a change of capacitance value based on a change in a size of the at least partial areas of the pair of electrodes facing each other, so as to measure a horizontal component of the external force applied to the upper surface or the lower surface of the elasticity member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 4, wherein the sensor unit is configured to measure a change of capacitance value as a distance between the pair of electrodes changes, so as to measure a horizontal component of the external force applied to the elasticity member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 4, wherein the sensor unit is characterized to measure a change of resistance value as a size of cross-section of the elasticity member changes, so as to measure a horizontal component of the external force applied to the elasticity member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity member comprises a rectangular polymer block comprising a synthetic polymer in which the pair of electrodes is embedded. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes each comprises a terminal unit; the terminal units of the electrodes are electrically connected to the sensor unit; and the sensor unit comprises a processor for calculating magnitudes of the external force along a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The multi-axis sensor according to claim 9, wherein the multi-axis sensor comprises a display unit that displays the magnitudes of the external force in a numeric value. ### Claim 11 A method of measuring magnitudes of an external force applied to a multi-axis sensor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode embedded in a dielectric body, the method comprising: measuring a resistance value of the dielectric body using the first electrode and the second electrode; measuring a capacitance value between the first electrode and the second electrode; calculating a horizontal component of the external force based on a change of the capacitance; and calculating a vertical component of the external force based on a change in the resistance of the dielectric body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first electrode of the multi-axis sensor comprises a crossing unit; the second electrode of the multi-axis sensor comprises a protruding unit; at least a portion of the crossing unit of the first electrode overlaps with at least a portion of the protruding unit of the second electrode in a vertical direction; and at least a portion the protruding unit of the second electrode does not overlap with the crossing unit of the first electrode in the vertical direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the calculating of the horizontal component and the calculating of the vertical component are carried out in a processor of a sensor unit of the multi-axis sensor.