US4437138A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Force sensing means and method of producing such sensing means
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-07-06
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Granted: 1984-03-13
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Expires: 2001-07-06
Abstract
Abstract A force sensing means comprising capacitor plates in the form of metallic cloth bonded to a compressible dielectric made from a foamed elastomeric material. An incompressible layer of insulating material may be formed over one or both of the capacitor plates and additional capacitor plate or plates may be provided bonded to the insulating layer to shield the capacitor plates bonded to the compressible dielectric. The metallic cloth strips forming the capacitor plates may be formed in the form of strips running crosswise on opposite sides of the dielectric to provide a matrix of force sensing means. The warp and weft threads of the metallic cloth are arranged so that neither is perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip.
Inventors
- 👤 Klaus Nicol
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 07:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01L; G01L1/00; G01L1/14; G01L1/142; G01L1/146; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/43; Y10T29/435
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A force sensing means comprising a capacitor arrangement of at least two capacitor plates and one compressible dielectric between at least two of said capacitor plates, the improvement wherein the capacitor plates are a metallic cloth, the warp threads and the weft threads of which define an angle which yields to the influence of external forces, and the dielectric is a macroscopically homogeneous, foamed, elastomeric material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A force sensing means comprising a capacitor arrangement of at least two capacitor plates and one compressible dielectric between at least two of said capacitor plates, the improvement wherein the capacitor plates are a metallic cloth, the warp threads and the weft threads of which define an angle which yields to the influence of external forces, and the dielectric is a macroscopically homogeneous, foamed, elastomeric material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric is a polyurethane having a low degree of foaming with a specific gravity of between 0.4 g/cm 3 and 0.6 g/cm 3 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 1, wherein one surface or both surfaces of the capacitor plate or the capacitor plates which are not in contact with the compressible dielectric are insulated by incompressible insulating layers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 3, wherein the insulating layer or the insulating layers are flexible and extensible.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 3, wherein the capacitor plates and the insulating layer or layers are narrow strips.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 5, wherein the capacitor plates and the insulating layer or layers have the same width and are glued with the edges thereof flush.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 5, wherein the insulating layer or layers and capacitor plates which do not contact the compressible dielectric have the same width and are glued with the edges thereof flush, and the capacitor plates which contact the dielectric have a smaller width and are glued with the insulating layers so that the latter are overlapping on either side to the same degree.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a force sensing means according to one of the claims 1-7 wherein the warp threads and the weft threads of said cloth each extend parallel to one another and the weft threads of said cloth extend parallel to one another.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a force sensing means according to one of the claims 1-7 wherein the warp threads as well as the weft threads define an angle with the strip edge not equal to zero.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 9, wherein the strip width is less than 4 millimeters and the thread direction forming the smallest angle with the strip edge lies in the range between 5 degrees and 20 degrees.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
Force sensing means according to claim 9 wherein the strip width is between 4 millimeters and 10 millimeters and the thread direction forming the smallest angle with the strip edge lies in the range between 10 degrees and 30 degrees.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
Force sensing means according to claim 9 wherein the strip width is greater than 10 millimeters and the thread direction forming the smallest angle with the strip edge lies in the range between 25 degrees and 45 degrees.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a force sensing means according to claims 1-7, wherein the force sensing means is glued to a metallic plate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a force sensing means according to one of the claims 3-7, wherein the insulating layer or the insulating layers are made of a hard material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the insulating layers are made of plexiglass.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 14, wherein the outer insulating layers are divided by a cut extending transversely in the strip direction, and that the portions separated by said cut overlap one another.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 5 wherein the metallic threads of the cloth in one strip are not interrupted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 17 wherein the metallic threads of the cloth are woven zigzag.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a force sensing means according to claim 5 wherein the metallic cloth of the strips is covered with flexible conductive lacquer or flexible conductive adhesive.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a force sensing means according to one of the claims 3-7 and 17-19, wherein the outer insulating layers project in transverse direction beyond the underlying capacitor plates on at least one side and overlap those of the adjacent strip like tiles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a force sensing means according to claims 1-7 and 17-19 wherein the capacitor plates contacting the compressible dielectric are connected to the inputs of an ungrounded capacitance/voltage transducer and further comprising capacitor plates shielding said first mentioned capacitor plate and connected to the shielding of said transducer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
In a force sensing means as recited in claim 1 wherein said dielectric is macroscopically homogeneous foamed elastomeric polyurethane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a force sensing means as recited in claim 1 wherein said dielectric is a foamed mixture of natural rubber and polystyrene-butadiene rubber.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
61 words
A force sensing means comprising a capacitor arrangement of at least two capacitor plates and one compressible dielectric between at least two of said capacitor plates, the improvement wherein the capacitor plates are a metallic cloth and the dielectric is selected from the group consisting of macroscopically homogeneous, foamed, elastomeric polyurethane and a foamed mixture of natural rubber and polystyrene-butadiene rubber.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A force sensing means comprising a capacitor arrangement of at least two capacitor plates and one compressible dielectric between at least two of said capacitor plates, the improvement wherein the capacitor plates are a metallic cloth and the dielectric is selected from the group consisting of macroscopically homogeneous, foamed, elastomeric polyurethane and a foamed mixture of natural rubber and polystyrene-butadiene rubber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-03-13 | 1987-09-12 | 1988-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-03-13 | 1991-09-12 | 1992-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-03-13 | 1995-09-12 | 1996-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |