EP0286747A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Capacitive pressure-sensing method and apparatus
Assignee: KEY CONCEPTS Inc
•
Filing: 1987-04-15
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-04-15
Abstract
Abstract A novel capacitive pressure-sensitive sensing technique and apparatus wherein an elastomeric conductive electrode (1) carrying a two-dimensional array of projections (1ʹ) is pressure-deformed against a fixed coextensive cooperative electrode (3) to generate signals, such as tones and sounds in the application to musical instruments, or visual representations, corresponding to the dynamic pressures applied over the two-dimensional surface. A novel drum-like and other musical instruments embodying such novel capacitive sensing techniques and the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald A. Duncan
- 👤 Jeffrey B. Tripp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:55
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/053; G10H1/055; G10H1/0551
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A capacitive pressure-sensitive sensor having, in combination, first electrode means comprising a thin resilient conductive plastic sheet having a plurality of closely spaced resilient conductive projections protruding from one surface of the sheet and with adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the opposite surface of the sheet, and a second electrode means facing and coextensive with the projections and separated from the same by a thin dielectric layer therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A capacitive pressure-sensitive sensor having, in combination, first electrode means comprising a thin resilient conductive plastic sheet having a plurality of closely spaced resilient conductive projections protruding from one surface of the sheet and with adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the opposite surface of the sheet, and a second electrode means facing and coextensive with the projections and separated from the same by a thin dielectric layer therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 1 and in which the plurality of projections are disposed in a two-dimensional array of closely spaced projections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 2 and in which the projections, upon deformation, are limited in depression by the presence of the second electrode means which is mounted to be immovable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 3 and in which said projections are substantially uniformly distributed over said array and have curved surfaces deformable when pressed against said second electrode means with the dielectric layer in-between.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and in which each electrode means of said sensor is connected to electronics for sensing the capacitive variations being produced by the pressure deformation of the first electrode means and producing signals corresponding to the same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which said electronics produces signals in response to sensor capacitance changes caused by impacts on said opposite surface of the first electrode means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which said electronics produces signals in response to capacitance changes caused by pressure-area-patterns applied on said opposite surface of the first electrode means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which means is provided for converting the produced signals into audio representations of the pressure deformations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and in which the audio representations are tones and sounds generated by drum-like impacting and sweeping over the said opposite surface of the first electrode means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 and in which the pressure is applied to said opposite surface through a drum head layer mounted thereover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 and in which further similar sensor regions are provided adjacent to the first-named sensor to produce multi-zone independent drum-like effects.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and in which means is provided for converting the produced signals into visual representations of the pressure deformations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which the projections are of variable thickness such as somewhat tapered.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and in which the thickness of said sheet is of the order of tenths of an inch, the projections are distributed in the order of a hundred per square inch and are of the order of hundredths of an inch, and the second electrode means and dielectric layer each of the order of mils.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 1 and in which said second electrode means comprises a plurality of adjacent sector electrodes cooperative with a single common first resilient electrode means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 1 and in which said first resilient electrode means comprises a plurality of separate sector resilient electrodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 16 and which separator means is disposed between the sector resilient electrodes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 16 and in which a semi-rigid cover layer is disposed over said first resilient electrode means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 15 and in which a semi-rigid cover layer is disposed over said first resilient electrode means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 19 and in which said single resilient electrode means is of conductive elastomeric rubber-like material defined into sectors separated by segments of solid conductive rubber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 17 and in which said resilient electrode means is of conductive elastomeric rubber-like material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
112 words
A drum-like instrument having, in combination, thin resilient conductive plastic electrode means having a plurality of closely spaced resilient conductive projections protruding from the inner surface thereof and with adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the outer surface thereof, a semi-rigid drum cover disposed over the outer surface of the resilient electrode means for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the resilient electrode means, a second electrode means facing and coextensive with the projections and separated from the same by a thin dielectric layer therebetween, means connected with the electrode means for applying ac voltage or current thereto and sensing changes in capacitance caused by the pressure deformation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
112 words
A drum-like instrument having, in combination, thin resilient conductive plastic electrode means having a plurality of closely spaced resilient conductive projections protruding from the inner surface thereof and with adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the outer surface thereof, a semi-rigid drum cover disposed over the outer surface of the resilient electrode means for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the resilient electrode means, a second electrode means facing and coextensive with the projections and separated from the same by a thin dielectric layer therebetween, means connected with the electrode means for applying ac voltage or current thereto and sensing changes in capacitance caused by the pressure deformation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 22 and in which said second electrode means comprises a plurality of adjacent sector electrodes cooperative with said thin resilient electrode means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 23 and in which said thin resilient electrode means comprises a single resilient conductive sheet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 22 and in which said thin resilient electrode means comprises a plurality of separate sector resilient sheet electrodes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 25 and in which means is disposed between the sector resilient electrodes to prevent cross-talk.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
101 words
A drum-like instruments having, in combination, sensor means comprising thin resilient conductive elastomeric electrode means having adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the outer surface thereof, a semi rigid drum cover disposed over the said outer surface for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the resilient electrode means, means connected with the electrode means for applying voltage or current thereto and sensing changes in impedance caused by the pressure deformation, and means for producing signals corresponding to the sensed changes in impedance and generating sounds in response to said signals representing pressure applied to said drum cover.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
101 words
A drum-like instruments having, in combination, sensor means comprising thin resilient conductive elastomeric electrode means having adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure at the outer surface thereof, a semi rigid drum cover disposed over the said outer surface for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the resilient electrode means, means connected with the electrode means for applying voltage or current thereto and sensing changes in impedance caused by the pressure deformation, and means for producing signals corresponding to the sensed changes in impedance and generating sounds in response to said signals representing pressure applied to said drum cover.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 27 and in which said second electrode means comprises a plurality of adjacent sector electrodes cooperative with said thin resilient electrode means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 28 and in which said thin resilient electrode means comprises a single resilient conductive sheet.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 27 and in which said thin resilient electrode means comprises a plurality of separate sector resilient sheet electrodes.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 30 and in which separator means is disposed between the sector resilient electrodes.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of capacitive pressure-sensing, that comprises, dynamically deforming adjacent regions of a conductive resilient plastic two-dimensional array of closely spaced projections in a predetermined direction and in a contour of pressure corresponding to a predetermined pressure pattern extending over one or more regions of the array, with each projection deformed by the pressure thereabove, limiting the contoured deforming of the projections at a fixed-position coextensive cooperative capacitive electrode surface separated from the array by a thin dielectric medium, and sensing the dynamic capacitive variations effected by the projections under contoured pressure to generate electrical signals corresponding thereto.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of capacitive pressure-sensing, that comprises, dynamically deforming adjacent regions of a conductive resilient plastic two-dimensional array of closely spaced projections in a predetermined direction and in a contour of pressure corresponding to a predetermined pressure pattern extending over one or more regions of the array, with each projection deformed by the pressure thereabove, limiting the contoured deforming of the projections at a fixed-position coextensive cooperative capacitive electrode surface separated from the array by a thin dielectric medium, and sensing the dynamic capacitive variations effected by the projections under contoured pressure to generate electrical signals corresponding thereto.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 32 and in which the signals are converted into audio tones and sounds during the deforming.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 32 and in which the signals are converted into visual representations during the deforming.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
87 words
A drum-like instrument having, in combination, sensor means having adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure thereto, a semi-rigid pressure-flexible smooth and continuous drum cover surface disposed over the said sensor means for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the sensor means, means connected with the sensor means for sensing changes in impedance caused by the pressure deformation, and means for producing signals corresponding to the sensed changes in impedance and generating sounds in response to said signals representing pressure applied to said drum cover.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
87 words
A drum-like instrument having, in combination, sensor means having adjacent regions pressure-deformable by application of pressure thereto, a semi-rigid pressure-flexible smooth and continuous drum cover surface disposed over the said sensor means for receiving the pressure and conveying the same to the sensor means, means connected with the sensor means for sensing changes in impedance caused by the pressure deformation, and means for producing signals corresponding to the sensed changes in impedance and generating sounds in response to said signals representing pressure applied to said drum cover.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drum-like instrument as claimed in claim 35 and in which said sensor means comprises a plurality of adjacent sensors cooperative with corresponding adjacent zones of said drum cover.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.