JP2003523584A - Contact sensor device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract A contact sensor has at least two conductive members, which are supported by each other in a support region. At least one of these members is made of an elastomer, and the contact resistance between the members can be measured. This contact resistance depends at least on the pressure in the support area. At least one of the conductive members is comprised of a conductive cellular hermetic foam material.

Description

Description [0001] The present invention provides the inventors with the list of Bjoern Magnussen and Cyril Valfort,
Named "Contact Sensor" (Taktilsensor), filed on December 10, 1999
German Patent Specification No. 19955703.0 (Attorney Docket No. 99P5844D)
E) claims priority. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a contact sensor device and a method of operating the device. Touchsen
The basic principle of a contact sensor, also called a sensor, is that
It is to measure the contact between the contact area, which is a known surface. In industry
Unlike pressure or force sensors, sensor signals that are directly proportional to the applied force are not
It is important. Rather large areas or irregular areas should be covered cost-effectively.
Is generally regarded as important. In order to realize a large area contact sensor, there are basically four approaches.
Indicated by In one approach, the contact area is movable at several points.
A fixed plate supported, so that when a force is applied, the switching
The contact is activated. Neither the strength nor the position of the pressure can be measured and
If the horizon is large, high sensitivity to the sensor cannot be achieved.
In another approach, the contact area is resilient and vented, which is placed in an airtight sleeve.
A pneumatic sensor is fitted in this airtight sleeve, covered with a non-conductive material. this
The approach does not allow spatial decomposition of the force load. Yet another app
The roach has a pressure-sensitive membrane, according to the capacitive or piezoelectric principle.
Stretched across the contact area. This approach generally only detects changes in force load.
I can't get out. According to yet another approach, a membrane-type pressure sensor is used.
A conductive plastic material is applied to the interdigital structure
, Thereby increasing the pressure in the contact area, reducing the resistance between the two comb electrodes
You. It is also possible to use further layers, for example for cover and insulation. men
A blank type pressure sensor is relatively expensive to fabricate. [0004] Yet another example of a prior art approach is MicroTouch Systems' Cataro.
Lighting that operates according to the resistance sensor principle.
The gup panel is shown. For this reason, the lower thin polyester layer is
It is fixed to the holder, on which the upper thin polyester layer is tightened and fixed
ing. The upper polyester layer is under tension and the lower polyester layer
It is separated from the tellurium layer by a gap. Of these two polyester layers
The surfaces facing each other are coated with a conductive material. Upper polyester
When pressure is applied to the layer, this polyester layer pushes against the lower polyester layer.
The electrical contacts are closed and this position can be determined
is there. An object of the present invention is to provide a contact sensor that has a simple structure and is versatile and cost-effective.
To provide. This problem is addressed and activated by the contact sensor according to the invention.
To solve the problem. [0006] According to one embodiment, the contact sensor has at least two conductive members.
However, they are arranged one above the other in a common support area. But
These members are in mechanical contact with each other in the support area
. At least one of the at least two conductive members is a conductive member.
It is made of a last material (referred to as an elastomer member). This elastomeric material is
Sexual and conductive. When a load of force F is applied to this elastomer member, as a result,
The elastomeric member is pressed against the other member and the support area exposed to the pressure
Resistance or surface boundary conductor of the area (referred to as contact area)
Tance (surface transition conductance) changes. General contact resistance
Depends on the contact area and the applied pressure
The electrical conductance in the internal volume of the
Depends only on As a rule, the larger the contact area, the higher the pressure
The higher, the lower the contact resistance. [0007] Unlike a membrane type pressure sensor, this contact sensor of the present invention has two
Only one additional support area is required between the components. MicroTou
Unlike the ch sensor, the components of the present invention do not need to be mechanically tightened. Departure
According to the clarification, it is necessary to set complicated distances in mechanical support between members.
Absent. What are membrane type pressure sensors and sensors made by MicroTouch?
Differently, the support area of the contact sensor of the present invention is not limited to a flat shape. further
In the case of this contact sensor, it is not necessary to structure the support area. Materials and support areas
The area can also have cutouts. For some embodiments,
It is sufficient to make one of the materials from an elastomeric member. Another material, for example,
It can be made from metal, for example a metal sheet or foil. But
However, such devices limit spatial resolution and flexibility.
And According to the present invention, the application of a force may be, for example, a current through a contact area, or
Or can be measured by measuring the resistance value taking into account the contact resistance
. For this purpose, the above-mentioned components can have, for example, electrodes. Voltage load
And / or the measurement of the contact resistance can be performed, for example, by measuring the
For example, by means of electrodes built into the elastomer or with these components
Can be performed by another electrical contact means. Electrical contacts
The means are hereinafter referred to as electrodes, unless otherwise limited. The sum of the resistances
The transition resistance from pole to member and along or along the member
Due to the series resistance through the members and the contact resistance between one member and the other
Measured. The combined resistance for a given contact situation is
Is known for each configuration, and as a result, the contact resistance to be obtained can be calculated.
It is possible. When properly configured, information about the strength of external forces
In addition, the position and size of the contact region can be determined. [0009] Further details, features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention are set forth in connection with the following drawings.
Has been described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a contact sensor T according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a contact sensor T according to another embodiment of the invention, FIG. 4 shows a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG. 3, and FIGS. Embodiment of the present invention having an interdigital structure I
FIG. 6 shows a state of the contact sensor T according to the embodiment of the present invention.
7 to 10 show the pressure at the D port 6, FIGS. 7 to 10 show variously formed contacts according to different embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a tactile sensor T. FIG. 11 illustrates a method for determining various parameters according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the simplified contact sensor T of FIG. 1 connected to a microcontroller
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a contact method that is advantageous for determining various parameters shown in the configuration of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of a sensor. Detailed Description of the Embodiment As described below, the contact sensor of the present invention has a very simple configuration and
Therefore, there is an advantage that it can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner. More durable
Strong against impact and easily deformable. One is placed on top of the other
Advantageously, at least the two components are composed of an elastomeric material. It is this
In this way, the measurable change with a relatively small force load is the protection resistance.
This is because This provides good sensitivity of the sensor signal and
It is possible to decompose it. Furthermore, such sensors are flexible and lightweight
And inexpensive. [0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, the contact sensor is arranged such that the elastomeric material is a foamed material, in particular a foamed material.
Closed-cell and conductive foam materials, especially EVAZOTE from the ZOATEFOAMS product family
(Registered trademark) foam material is advantageous. From foam materials, especially Evazote foam materials
One advantage of such a contact sensor is that its surface provides impact protection.
You. As a result, for example, when a human collides with this contact sensor, the impact energy
For the most part, soft sensor material will already be dispensed. Therefore mystery
I am lighter. If collisions occur frequently at large oblique impact angles,
Bonding two foam parallelepipeds in multiple hot melts at intervals of, for example, several centimeters
It is also possible to fix by using points. This allows the sensor
A relatively large contact area that can be used to detect humans, but to a lesser degree
In the case of, there is no restriction. [0013] Evazote foam materials have another advantage. For example, Evazote material is inert and lightweight
Stiffer and tearer than known polyurethane foam materials often used
High strength. In addition, this foam material absorbs a lot of energy, its temperature resistance,
Chemical and water resistance are also advantageous. Well known to process this
The method used can be used, and thermoforming can be easily performed. Metal
It is not corroded by Evazote foam and this foam is
UV). Further, Evazote foam material is about 100Ω / m
Low electrical internal resistance. Surface resistance, on the other hand, is
State is very high corresponding to the high impedance. Where pressure is applied
If so, this drops to less than a few kilohms. For this reason, Evazote foam materials are cost
There is no need to coat it over the air. [0014] Elastomeric materials, such as Evazote foam materials, are available in the form of plates of different thicknesses.
Available in state. To simplify explanation and evaluation, at least the elastomer part
It is advantageous if the material is provided in a uniform form, in particular as a planar hexahedron. However
Other geometries are also possible, such as half-shell, triangle or box. Hole
It is also possible to use an open member, such as a member having a cutout or a slot.
It is possible. The thickness of the contact sensor material and the size of the support area depend on the measurement accuracy and
And signal sensitivity. The reaction characteristics are determined by the size of the
It can be adjusted depending on the type of electric circuit adapted within the limits. In embodiments where it is desired to set a smaller detection threshold,
It is advantageous to insert an intermediate layer in between, e.g.
The separated layers are inserted and the distance between the two members is maintained. In some embodiments, each elastomeric member has at least one electrode,
Is preferably pressed against the corresponding elastomeric member. Depending on contact pressure
In addition, the interfering boundary resistance between the electrode and the elastomer member is minimized. This con
Tact pressure is applied externally, for example by clips, screws and clamps
Or by inserting an electrode into the elastomeric member, for example by welding or gluing
Fixing can be applied internally by placing under pressure. In order to apply the voltage field uniformly and to simplify the evaluation, for example, each parallelepiped
It is advantageous if the electrodes in the component are fitted parallel to the support area, where
In particular, it is fitted over the entire length of the side area (edge electrode). In this case, 2
Two parallelepiped electrodes are arranged parallel to each other or each pair of electrodes is
In particular, the first pair of electrodes and the second pair of electrodes are 90 ° so that they are offset by a predetermined angle.
They can be arranged so as to be shifted. For example, the bottom area of a parallelepiped member
Are in the (x, y) plane and the bottom area includes the support area, the side area
Is one of the planes having the z component, for example, the (x, z) plane or the (y, z) plane.
Face. In this case, the area of the member opposite the support area is used as the contact area
It is possible. Any conductive material that does not generally corrode is advantageous as a material for an electrode, especially
This is advantageous for use as an edge electrode. However, this electrode material
If it is flexible in the active, ie deformable, area of the sensor
It is advantageous. For example, a spirally wound wire is advantageous in this area. So
This is because they withstand deformation without problems and within a wide range of length changes,
This is because an excessively large tensile force is not generated. Especially wire mesh
Advantageously, it is usually used as a contact material for high frequency resistant doors. This
Of wire mesh is transverse to its diameter and can withstand pressure along the wire.
Shows elasticity. Conductive plastic (rubber code, etc.)
) May be conceivable, but in this case the additional electrical resistance generally must not be taken into account.
I have to. To keep the boundary resistance associated with the elastomeric material as low as possible, the edge electrode
Should be applied with care. To apply this the electrodes are advantageously elastic
It is pressed against the toma material, which minimizes the boundary resistance. Quick and have
Moveable along the lateral area of the parallelepiped of the elastomer for convenient integration
A simple device is advantageous. This device has a guide part, and the edge of the elastomer is
Slide accurately. The blade is located in the center of this guide,
Cut the foam material to the depth of the file. The slot created in this way corresponds to
Insert the electrode. For this purpose, the guide part where the electrode material comes out fits behind the blade.
Is embedded. The effect of this guide, e.g. a small tube, is to maximize the electrodes
It can be inserted into a slot by width. Beside this tool behind this guide
Direction guide section is thin, which allows the
The lateral pressure required to lower the boundary resistance is created. In a narrow area
Is also equipped with a welding unit. This can be, for example, an infrared radiator or a hot raw
And welds the slot provided by the blade. Lateral guide
The narrowed part of the is designed to be long enough to give the elastomer material a strong
This narrowed portion is maintained even during cooling. Under pressure
The elastomeric material that is welded at is exerting a continuous pressure on the electrode material,
A constant and low boundary resistance is obtained. There are no restrictions on the position and shape of the electrodes. For example, on the opposite corner of each member
Two point electrodes are also possible. However, at least two electrodes
Snapping into the opposing surface, especially along the lateral area laterally bordering the support area
Embedding is advantageous. According to some embodiments, a plurality of electrodes are connected to form an electrical set of resistance values.
A combination is advantageously obtained. In particular, design the contact sensor so that the boundary resistance is
It is advantageous if the size is much smaller. Where the series resistance is the contact resistance R
It is much smaller than s. What is advantageous and not limiting for resistance measurements is
The following two methods are used. (1) A known or measurable voltage
In addition to the electrodes, direct or indirect current flow, e.g. a voltage drop across a resistor
Measure from. Alternatively, determine the specified current and measure the voltage directly or indirectly
It is also possible. (2) Voltage division from resistance to be determined and measurable resistance
A resistor is formed, whereby the resistance can be determined from the voltage ratio. in this case,
A comparative resistor can also be formed from a portion of the member itself. For the operation of the contact sensor, the first member and the second member are set to different voltages, respectively.
It is advantageous to connect. For example, to measure the strength of a contact,
Member has a pair of electrodes facing each other, and an operating voltage is applied to the electrode pair of the first member.
It is advantageous if the electrode pair of another member is grounded. One pair of electrodes has a positive working
It is also possible to connect the pressure and another pair of electrodes to a negative operating voltage. According to this contact sensor, the voltage difference is applied to at least the first member, and the second member
Connecting to the / D port may also be advantageous. For example, the position of the contact area
To measure, a voltage difference is applied to an elastomer member, in particular a parallelepiped of foam material.
This is advantageous. As a result, this elastomer member operates as a voltage divider,
This has the advantage of a simple structure and has at least one orientation.
Thus, the location of the applied force can be determined. For position determination, one electrode of the electrode pair on one elastomer member is electrically connected.
Pressure and disconnect the other electrode of this pair of electrodes, while at the same time
Connect the electrode pairs on the material in the same manner as for measuring the contact resistance magnitude.
It is also possible to connect to ground, for example, via a resistor and an A / D converter. all
After measuring the resistance, replace the electrode connection on one of the above-mentioned elastomer members.
Perform the measurement again. Compare the two measurements of the overall resistance and find out
The electrode with the lower resistance value is closer to the contact position.
A similar exchange of connections can be made for another corresponding elastomeric material.
. For example, if two elastomer members are used in which the electrode pairs are rotated 90 °,
The forces obtained can be resolved in the x and y directions. In order to measure the range of the external pressure load, the voltage difference in the elastomer member must be measured.
In this case, it is advantageous to measure the current, for example, in addition to the location of the pressure load.
(See above). In this case, an elastomer member with a voltage at both ends
Increases with increasing applied force. It is another elastomer part
Because the material is connected in parallel over a wide area, its resistance decreases between the electrodes.
is there. This change in current is measured, for example, by measuring the voltage across a resistor.
Is done. In this approach, at least one electrode of another elastomeric member is connected.
Not necessary, but the circuits connected to it, for example analog-to-digital
From the point of view of the total transformer, it is advantageous that the input side has high impedance
There is also. Typical of a contact sensor consisting of two parallelepipeds of foam made of Evazote foam
The typical measurement range is from 0.04N (discrimination limit) to 5N (saturation limit).
In another case, it is between 0.5N (discrimination limit) and 50N (saturation limit). Combination
Measurement range is achieved, for example, by combining two contact sensors.
This is done by placing one over the other. (0.75m × 1m
A contact sensor having a size of) is typically better than about ± 1% for position determination.
Measurement accuracy, and with this accuracy filtering and noise reduction
Is improved by [0027] Combined circuit arrangements can also be used. Generally, in the simplest case, almost
There are point contacts, the resistance of which decreases with pressure. Negative pressure
Additional contact points or increased contact area when loaded
And the contact resistance R _S Is formed, which represents the center of gravity of all contacts
. In this case, the pressure or presence at the individual contact points, not just in the area of the center of gravity
Limited contact area affects results. So where is the contact area
Can be shown. This is preferably a parallelepiped, in particular a part made of foam material
It is the case of wood. Different averaging algos of the above position measurement technique and its variants
Due to the rhythm, combining these measurements, as explained below,
More information about the contact shape can be derived. The electronic circuit is advantageous for evaluating sensor data. This electronic circuit is extremely small
Can be constructed and especially integrated into the elastomeric material of the sensor
. Driving electrodes, for example applying voltage, must be done by a microcontroller
Can be. Evaluation of sensor data, for example, the position and one or more
The measurement of shunt resistance in multiple directions is also performed by a microcontroller.
Can be performed. Furthermore, this microcontroller has a contact resistance R
It can be used for connection through a resistor for current measurement through s. Touch sensors are generally used to determine contact information according to various embodiments.
It can be used and is described further below. However, the functions and functions of the present invention
To further explain the movement and operation, two parallelepiped foam plates were used.
An embodiment with a contact sensor to be used will now be described in more detail. This implementation
1, the contact sensor T is shown in a perspective view. This contact sensor
Is composed of a first member 1 and a second member 2, each having six parallel surfaces made of Evazote material.
It is in the form of a body foam material plate. These two for clarity
Although the plates 1 and 2 are not in contact with each other in this figure, the actual contact sensor T
Are mounted one on the other in the support area. As can be seen from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the support region (in the (x, y) plane)
Two mutually perpendicular (in the (y, z) plane) tangent regions are
The poles 3 are respectively fitted parallel to the support area and over the entire length of the corresponding lateral area
Have been. Similarly, the pair of electrodes 4 is positioned in the ((z, x) plane of the second foam material plate 2.
A) parallel to the lateral area. This pair of electrodes 4 is connected to another pair of electrodes 3
On the other hand, it is rotated by 90 ° about the z-axis. The contact area where the force F can be applied depends on the support area of the first foam material plate 1
It is the far side. A voltage of 5 V is applied to both electrodes 3 of the first foam material plate 1.
Pressure is being applied. The electrodes 4 of the second foam material plate 2 are both R = 10 KΩ
Is connected to the ground G via the resistor 5 of In addition, analog / digital ports
6 is connected to the electrode 4 and this port is connected to the input side of the A / D converter
be able to. Due to the potential difference between the foam materials 1 and 2, current flows through the support area.
It is. This current is supplied, for example, via an A / D converter to, for example, a microcontroller.
Or can be measured by a voltage measuring device at the resistor 5
. The internal resistance of the foam material plates 1 and 2 and the electrodes 3 and 4 and the foam material plates 1 and 2
2 is hardly dependent on the deformation of the contact area.
It is determined exclusively by the contact resistance between the foam material plates 1 and 2.
When an external force is applied, the two foam material plates 1 and 2 are pressed against each other,
As a result, the contact resistance Rs changes and, in principle, decreases. As a result, the current
And the contact can be identified. FIG. 2 shows a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG. resistance
Operating voltage U = 5V is applied to the chain W1. This chain is possible
It has two resistors Re as small as possible, which consist of the electrode 3 and the foam material plate.
Equal to the boundary resistance between 1 and 2. Connected between these are the internal resistance Rf1 and
And Rf2, which represent the internal resistance of the foam material plate 1 and
Works as Another type of resistor with a similar structure (Re / Rf3 / Rf4 / Re)
Is connected in series to earth G via an external resistor 5 of R = 10 KΩ
And is directly connected to the A / D output 6. Two chains of resistors W1 and
And W2 are connected to each other via a resistor Rs, which is equivalent to a protect resistor.
Respond. The resistance Rs depends on the applied force. For the sake of simplicity, this equivalent circuit diagram shows only one point-like contact field.
Represents the combination. Since Rs is the maximum resistance, the total resistance of this circuit device is exclusively Rs
Is determined. The measurement errors occur due to the internal resistances Rf1,.
If the contact point is known, compensation is possible. In order to measure the contact resistance Rs, only one foam material plate 1 or 2 is required.
It is sufficient to use the electrodes 3, 4 or the chains W1, W2 of resistors. This place
In that case, it is advantageous to fit the electrodes 3, 4 on the opposite side. It is
This is because any dependence on the position of the leverage device is cancelled. According to another embodiment, FIG. 3 shows a circuit for determining the position where the force is applied.
Shown is a contact sensor T whose road device differs from that of FIG. First foam material play
The electrodes 3, 31 and 32 of G1 are now connected to up to two different operating voltages.
That is, U = 5V at the first electrode 31 and ground G at the second electrode 32.
By connecting, it is connected to U = 0V. This results in a 5V voltage drop
ΔU occurs in the x-direction in the first foamed material 1 so that a corresponding current is applied to this material.
Occurs. When a force is applied to the contact area, the contact resistance between the two foam material plates 1 and 2
Becomes smaller. The second foam material plate 2 comprises a first foam material at a contact point.
It is assumed to be the potential of plate 1. Multiple contact points and / or comparisons
If a large contact area occurs, an average value of the contact resistance is formed,
It represents the center of gravity of all contacts. In this case, not only the area of the center of gravity, but also the individual
The pressure at the contact point affects the result. An alternative position determination is to power only one of the electrodes 31, 32, which is a pair of electrodes 3.
This is achieved by connecting to a pressure. In this case, another pair of electrodes 4 is as shown in FIG.
Connected to. After measuring the total resistance, the electrodes 31, 32, which are the above-mentioned pair of the electrodes 3,
Is changed, and the total resistance is measured again. Ratio of two measurements of total resistance
The comparison shows that the electrodes 31 and 32 having smaller resistance values are
It is closer to the contact position. However, this method does not
In some cases, the accuracy is lower than the above method. With the circuit device shown in FIG. 3, the size of the region where the contact is strengthened,
That is, it is also possible to determine the protect size. Two foam material plates 1
, 2 can of course be interchanged.
You. FIG. 4 shows a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG.
In which the two contact points are represented by two pressure-dependent resistors Rs.
You. If there is only one contact point corresponding to a small contact area
, The total resistance of the first foam material plate 1 is calculated as 2 · Re + Rf1 + Rf2 + Rf3
Is done. Relatively large contour when pressure is applied to two contact points
The total resistance is 2 · Re + Rf1 + Rf2 + Rf3 + Rf2 / (2
Rs + Rf5 / (Rf4 + Rf6 + 2Re)), and therefore only one contour
It is much smaller than the case of First foam material with voltage drop at both ends
By measuring the resistance of the contact 1, for example, the contact area
Changes in the contact area, or the absolute contact area after calibration.
Wear. A two-dimensional measurement of the contact area is likewise possible, for example
By causing a voltage drop in the direction (for example, the electrode 4 is (x, y)
(Use another foam material plate 2 which is arranged rotated by 90 ° in the plane). In another embodiment, the contact sensor is deposited on a circuit board C as shown in FIG.
The conductive foam material layer S which is set is used. This circuit board C is made of foam material S
The interdigital structure I in the form of two interdigitated structures is
Printed. As the force F increases in the foam material S, the force between the two comb structures
The electric resistance decreases. FIG. 5b is a plan view showing the interdigital structure I and the electrodes E
Is shown. FIG. 5c relates to the contact sensor of FIG. 5a.
An equivalent circuit diagram is shown, which includes a resistance R that is force or pressure dependent. According to the embodiment, FIG. 6 shows a case where the material properties of the members 1 and 2 are changed.
Shows the sensor signal of the contact sensor T, where the contact sensor T is Ev
It has foam material plates 1 and 2 made of azote foam material. Two foam material pre
Thickness (in the z direction in FIGS. 1 and 3) of the gates 1 and 2 (3 mm, 6 mm, 20 m
m) and the foam material is also changed (45CN and 85CN, where the numbers
Indicates the density and “CN” indicates the conductive design). Corresponding to the pressure signal,
An analog signal at the A / D port 6 is supplied to an A / D converter, and the A / D converter
The converter converts the analog signal to 2 ⁸ = 256 values (= "8-bit A / D unit")
Accordingly, the signal is converted into a digital 8-bit signal. This 8-bit signal is the professional
Has been set. The abscissa shows the external force applied to the contact area of this contact sensor.
F is indicated by N. It is clear from this diagram that the thickness of the Evazote EV45CN foam material
For foam material plates 1 and 2 having 3 mm (square) and 6 mm (diamond)
To obtain almost the same sensor signal, and this sensor signal is relatively small.
Reacts sharply in the section of strong force F = [≒ 0; 1] N, and the relatively large force F> 1N
On the other hand, it converges to the saturation value. For a thickness of 20 mm (triangle), F ≒ 2.5N
This saturation value is reached only after. Evazote EV85CN foam material (cloth type)
Is less sensitive to small forces F <1N, whereas relatively large forces F
Sensitivity is high for> 1N. Thus, for example, in order to cover the area of force shown, it has two thicknesses
A combination of foam material plates (3 mm or 6 mm and 20 mm) is advantageous
There is, for example, constituted by stacking two contact sensors T. As mentioned above, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-described position measurement techniques and
And these variants using different averaging algorithms for
Information about the contact shape can be derived from the alignment. In FIG.
1 shows a simplified contact sensor T of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This was done by the microcontroller to determine the different parameters shown in Table 1 below.
It is connected to the roller 100. Further, FIG. 12 shows the simplification of the contact sensor T.
Equivalent circuit diagram (150 indicates two contacts when one contact is made)
Contact is performed), where the contact sensor is shown in FIG.
It is advantageous to determine the various parameters shown in Table 1 for the configuration. As shown in FIG. 11, what is assumed in Table 1 is that the contact sensor T
Having two layers of foam material, each of which has two electrodes on it.
With poles (eg for rectangular contact sensors). Each electrode is an electronic driver
Which can measure the electrode voltage, 0 V or 5 V (or
Or another predetermined power supply voltage) or high impedance
Alternatively, 0V or 5V can be applied to the electrode via a known resistor. this
Is achieved by using two multi-purpose pins of microcontroller 100
Is done. These pins on the microcontroller can be high or low, respectively.
Can output high impedance. Port is high impedance
In some cases, this can also be used as an analog input. These ports (hereinafter
One of the ports (hereinafter referred to as port O) is connected via a resistor to another port (hereinafter A).
N (only this port needs the A / D converter function)
By connecting the port AN to the electrodes of the sensor, the necessary electronic circuits are obtained.
The number of ports corresponds to the electrodes (AN / O1 and AN / O2 are for the upper layer electrodes).
AN / O3 and AN / O4 are for the underlying electrodes). In total
3 ⁸ = 6561 measurements are possible and 0-4 analogs in each configuration.
Measurement is available. The legends in Table 1 are as follows: A = analog input H = 5V output L = 0V output Z = high impedance X = don't care O = H or L. The following parameters are interchangeable in all measurements. That is, H and L,
Left and right, front and back, upper and lower are interchangeable. [Table 1] [Table 2] [Table 3] [Table 4] [Table 5] [Table 6] [Table 7] Table 1 shows the types of measurable information and various parameters determined accordingly.
One particular embodiment is shown by way of example only. A similar analysis is a square connection.
In addition to tactile sensors (such as odd-shaped contact sensors that may be used for toys)
) Can be used for other embodiments. Generally, a plurality of contact sensors having different sensitivity ranges can be stacked.
. In addition, different material properties (density, conductivity, etc.) and / or different thicknesses
It is also possible to provide more than two different foam materials with different
Is to increase the sensitivity and extend the measurement range of the contact sensor device. Simple fruit
For the embodiment, the contact sensor consists of a continuous metal area and a conductive elastomeric material.
Can be done. However, in this embodiment, multiple directions
Cannot cause a linear voltage drop. Such an arrangement is preferable.
This is especially true when there is already a metal area in the device to be equipped with the contact sensor.
It is. With such a device (without insulation) the metal area can be
Can also be used for For example, metal areas can be used as vehicle grounds.
Wear. In a more complex embodiment, the elastomeric member is, for example, three-dimensionally shaped.
It can be used or formed as a member. Therefore one unique fruit
In the embodiment, each of the elastomer members is formed by sawing from a relatively large block.
This can be done, for example, using a cutting wire device.
it can. In this case, for example, at least two elastomer members are formed simultaneously.
This reduces cutting waste. Another embodiment
According to the above, each elastomer member can be formed by joining a plurality of plates together.
And a conductive connection is formed as a result. In this way, the contact sensor
It can have a shaded or edged shape,
The principle of the sensor is maintained even in the case of the sensor. Note that this type of sensor has a square shape.
Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the shape with the edge. Further
According to another embodiment, each elastomeric member is placed in a specially formed mold
For example, this can be done by injection or foaming. This
Very high degrees of freedom with regard to shape can be obtained. According to another embodiment, the contact
The tactile sensor can be glued with various other sensors, such as another touch sensor
You. Commercially available double-sided adhesive tape is suitable for this purpose, which ensures
Done. Bonding using a hot-melt adhesive is also possible, but in this case
Difficult to separate without If you are joining multiple sensors,
Care must also be taken to ensure electrical isolation. Electrically insulating
A layer of plastic, such as a foam layer, is applied to the surface and additional decorative
It is also good to have a use and wear suppression effect. FIG. 7 a, one particular embodiment, shows a perspective view of the contact sensor T.
, Which can be mounted, for example, on the side of a cleaning robot. Contour
The tactile sensor T is adapted to the application area, ie the cleaning robot. Two d
A non-conductive intermediate layer 7 (having regular holes) is provided between the
For example, a net or a bonding point) is inserted. This membrane allows detection
The outgoing threshold is increased. The contact sensor T further has a notch 8. like this
Notches may be required depending on the embodiment (in this case, for example,
Notch for recharging connector to robot battery and sonar
Can be used for the sensor's “window”). FIG. 7 b shows the first member 1 (left side) and the second member 2 (left side) of the contact sensor T according to FIG.
(Right side) are shown with the corresponding electrodes 3,4 respectively. In this case two
Since the voltage drops in the side areas of the members 1 and 2 are not uniform,
It is therefore advantageous to correct the position measurement. Nevertheless, implementation like a cleaning robot
For the form, the accuracy of the position measurement is sufficient even without correction. FIG. 8 a, another specific embodiment, shows a perspective view of a triangular contact sensor T.
Have been. 8B shows the first member 1 (left side) of the contact sensor T of FIG. 8A.
And the second member 2 (right side) are shown together with the corresponding electrodes 3 and 4. Second member 2
Electrode 4 does not cover the entire side surface. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the contact sensor T that works in three dimensions.
According to another embodiment, this is calibrated to surround a member such as a robot arm.
Have been. The second electrode 3 of the outer first member 1 is identical to the electrode 3 shown here.
In the other end region. Therefore around this arm
The whole is covered by exactly one contact sensor T. Another specific embodiment, FIG. 10 a, illustrates a half-shell shaped contact sensor.
The perspective view of T is shown. For better visibility, the two members 1, 2
Not supported by each other. The plan view of FIG. 10b shows the contact sensor T of FIG. 10a.
The first outer member 1 (left side) and the second inner member (right side) in FIG.
4 are shown. The first member 1 has three electrodes 3, which are
They are arranged in symmetry. The second member 2 has an annular electrode 41,
A vertex has a point electrode 42. The contact sensor T can operate as follows. That is, the voltage difference ΔU is equal to the second
Is applied between the electrodes 41 and 42 of the member 2 and the magnitude of this voltage difference is
The distance from the position of the point electrode 42 is shown. Contact point (represented by x here) and zero mer
Is determined as the second coordinate. For angle measurement, just two
Since a clear result cannot be obtained only by using the electrode 3, three first members 1
Electrodes 3 are used. Suitable for this purpose is that each of these electrodes 3
By applying one operating voltage to each of them and applying another operating voltage to the third electrode
is there. After the first measurement, another operating voltage is assigned to the other electrodes 3, for example
They are alternated periodically and another measurement is performed. This determines the position of the contact point
Accuracy increases. Various specific embodiments of the present invention utilizing contact sensors as described above
Can be used widely to seek information. For example, the contact sensor of the present invention
It can be used to determine contact information in various situations, for example, in a car.
Occupant status identification, airbag trigger, electronic percussion sensor, device control input
Force element, conformable wearable control device, conveyor belt
Identification of the occupation status of the sport, collision identification in the cleaning robot, or
Training assistance and even use on fitness equipment, for example, Haijan
It can be used for measuring the level crossing point at a road. Further, the contact sensor according to the present invention can be used, for example, for ergonomic research.
It can be used for automobile seats, shoes or office furniture. one
As an example, a deformable foam material sensor according to the invention can be used for furniture such as office chairs.
Improper posture or ergonomically inappropriate or harmful
Provide ergonomic alerts or feedback to furniture
Or it can be configured to perform feedback. Another example is physical therapy
Monitor the progress of patients undergoing the law to see what exercise is being performed
Monitor by ringing or even help with balancing problems
For this purpose, a contact sensor can be used. In addition to this, the contact sensor according to the present invention is used to obtain the following contact information.
Can also be used. I.e. flexible for use in computer terminals
Keyboard, personal digital assistant, or personal digital assistant (P
DA) a flexible keyboard or keypad for use with the device;
Cursor in the user interface to the computer or other device
Touchpad (special purpose) to control the device or other positioning elements
For example, assembling a large touchpad into the carrying back of a portable computer
Can also be used to determine contact information.
Regarding key-based embodiments in flexible foam material sensor devices
To configure the number, size and position of keys there.
And can be relocated. Some implementations
According to the embodiment, the contact sensor can be used as a mouse pad.
Data based on the position of a contact object (such as a finger) determined using a contact sensor.
An input interface to an input-based computer is provided. Further, the contact sensor according to the present invention can be used as a touch sensor for toys such as dolls and automobiles.
And position sensors, which can be used to
Contact made with a specific reaction (for example, audio output or other output,
Start of operation, etc.). This species
Sensitivity and resolution across the entire sensing surface for applications
. Some examples, such as the use of contact sensors to protect humans
In such a special embodiment, the safety requirement can be imposed on the contact sensor
. For example, a request to identify a fault can be made. Failure identification is described below.
And can be implemented in a simple way. Information to help identify failures
Is valuable for automated quality control and post-production self-test. In this case, when the connection line is broken, it can be identified as a failure. This
Disconnection, the infinite resistance occurs when a voltage is applied inside the elastomer member.
However, such infinite resistance does not occur during normal operation. Voltage source
When a short circuit occurs in the electrode connected to the
Wear. When such a short circuit occurs, a voltage very close to the operating voltage (for example, 0V and
The electrode terminal voltage of 5 V) does not occur during the normal mode. Due to the short circuit of the electrode
When a value different from the operating voltage (for example, 0 V and 5 V) occurs, two cases are considered.
Failures can be identified. A short circuit causes the measured signal to deviate from the normal operating range.
The situation can be identified, for example, by fuzzy logic.
You. Alternatively, the generated frequency can be analyzed. Contact contacts
Signal changes that are too fast for the
If the signal change is still perceptible, then the fault can be estimated from it
. According to one particular embodiment, a failure occurs in situations where a contact sensor is used.
Actions (eg blades and blades pierced) must be considered
It may not be. However, this does not
An unbreakable failure must not be caused. I was stabbed with a knife
For example, initially identified as a hard contact (while the knife is stabbed)
(Except for ceramic and plastic blades) when the blade is removed
Function returns. However, in such a situation, the overall operating characteristics change,
Can also be identified by proper comparison with normal function. For example, if a vandalism occurs and is torn off or cut off,
Removal of part of the sensor also increases the total resistance of the contact sensor
Can be identified from If the contact sensor is completely removed from its place,
If the connecting wire is not damaged, it cannot be detected. 1 for this
One countermeasure is that terminals are provided on both sides of the casing of the device with the contact sensor.
It is to fix the electrodes. The above description of various specific embodiments unnecessarily limits the scope of the invention.
Instead, the invention is defined only by the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a contact sensor T according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a contact sensor T according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a simplified equivalent circuit diagram of the contact sensor T of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 shows a contact sensor according to an embodiment of the invention having a conventional interdigital structure I;
FIG. FIG. 6 shows an A / D port for a load F applied to the contact sensor T according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the pressure in 6. FIG. 7 shows an example of a contact sensor T formed differently according to different embodiments of the invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. FIG. 8 shows an example of a contact sensor T formed differently according to different embodiments of the invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. FIG. 9 shows an example of a contact sensor T formed differently according to different embodiments of the invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. FIG. 10 shows an example of a contact sensor T formed differently according to different embodiments of the invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates a method for determining various parameters according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the simplified contact sensor T of FIG. 1 connected to a controller. FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram of a contact sensor advantageous for determining various parameters shown in the configuration of FIG. 11;
FIG. 4 is a simplified equivalent circuit diagram.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, I T, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OA (BF , BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, G M, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ , UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, B Z, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK , DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, J P, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR , LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NO, NZ, PL, PT, R O, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ , TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW (72) Inventor Bjern Magnussen             United States California Aruba             Knee Venture Avenue 1030 (72) Inventor Cyril Valfort             France Bussy-Alvue-les-Ci             Jazo (no address) (72) Inventor Andrew Darley             United States California Sanfu             Francisco Kansas Street 687 (72) Victor Sue             United States Berkeley Benveni             The Avenue 3011 F term (reference) 5B068 AA33 BB06 BC08

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A contact sensor, comprising: at least one first conductive member and a second conductive member, the members being supported by each other in a support region; At least one of the members is formed of an elastomer; a contact resistance between the two members is measured; the contact resistance is at least dependent on a pressure in a support region; The touch sensor, characterized in that the two-dimensional area is part of a flexible keyboard and forms an input interface to a computer or other device. 2. The contact sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least two vertically overlapping members are made of an elastomer. 3. The contact sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one member comprises an elastomer, for example, comprises a foam material, and the other member comprises a metal. 4. The contact sensor according to claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is inserted between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. 5. The contact sensor according to claim 2, wherein an intermediate layer is inserted between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. 6. The contact sensor according to claim 2, wherein each member of the elastomer has at least one electrode, for example, a wire mesh pressed against the individual members. 7. The contact sensor according to claim 2, wherein each member made of the elastomer has at least one electrode in each member. 8. The contact sensor according to claim 7, wherein the two members are parallelepipeds, and two electrodes are attached along opposing side regions in each of the parallelepipeds. 9. The contact sensor according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer is a foam material, for example, EVAZOTE ™ foam material. 10. The elastomer is a foamed material, such as EVAZOTE (
3. The contact sensor according to claim 2, wherein the contact sensor is a foamed material. 11. The contact sensor according to claim 2, wherein more than two members are supported on one another, at least one of the members having different thicknesses and / or different material properties. 12. The contact sensor according to claim 10, wherein more than two members are supported on one another, at least one of the members having different thicknesses and / or different material properties. 13. The contact sensor according to claim 1, wherein the two members are formed in accordance with a two-dimensional curved area. 14. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the flexible keyboard has keys, the number of keys being configurable and repositionable. 15. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the flexible keyboard has keys, the size of the keys being configurable and relocatable. 16. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the flexible keyboard has keys, and the positions of the keys are configurable or repositionable. 17. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the other device is a personal digital assistant or a mobile phone or a laptop computer. 18. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the other device is a personal digital assistant or a mobile phone. 19. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the flexible keyboard is incorporated into a portion of a portable computer case. 20. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the flexible keyboard forms an input interface as a mass pad for performing an input based on a touch of a finger. 21. A contact sensor, wherein at least one first conductive member and a second conductive member are provided, said members being supported by each other in a support region, and at least one of said members is provided. One member comprises a foamable elastomer; the contact resistance between the two members is measured; the contact resistance is at least dependent on the pressure in the support region; the member is shaped to a two-dimensional region; Is a part of a flexible keyboard, a touch sensor. 23. A contact sensor, comprising: at least one first conductive member and a second conductive member, wherein the conductive members are supported by each other in a support region, and At least one
The two members are made of an elastomer, the contact resistance between the two members is measured, the contact resistance is at least dependent on the pressure in the support region, and the two members are shaped to a two-dimensional region; The contact sensor, wherein the area is part of an ergonomic furniture product. 24. A contact sensor, comprising: at least one first conductive member and a second conductive member, wherein the conductive members are supported by each other in a support region, and among the members, At least one member is made of an elastomer; a contact resistance between the two members is measured; the contact resistance is at least dependent on a pressure in the support region; and the two members are shaped to a two-dimensional region Wherein said region is a part of a toy, said member being provided with an electrode, wherein a unique reaction by said toy is caused by contact made to a member in said region. Contact sensor. 25. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the at least two vertically overlapping members are made of an elastomer. 26. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein at least one member comprises an elastomer, for example, a foam material, and the other member comprises a metal. 27. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein an intermediate layer is inserted between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. 28. The contact sensor according to claim 25, wherein an intermediate layer is inserted between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. 29. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein each member made of the elastomer has at least one electrode, which is made of, for example, a wire mesh and is pressed against the individual member. 30. The contact sensor according to claim 25, wherein each member of the elastomer has at least one electrode in each member. 31. The contact sensor according to claim 30, wherein the two members are parallelepipeds, and electrodes are attached along opposing side surfaces of each of the parallelepipeds. 32. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the elastomer is a foam material, for example, an EVAZOTE ™ foam material. 33. The contact sensor according to claim 25, wherein the elastomer is a foam material, for example, an EVAZOTE ™ foam material. 34. The contact sensor according to claim 25, wherein more than two members are supported on one another, at least one of the members having different thicknesses and / or different material properties. 35. The contact sensor according to claim 33, wherein more than two members overlap one another, at least one of the members having different thicknesses and / or different material properties. 36. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the two members are formed according to a two-dimensional curved area. 37. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the two members are formed in a half-shell shape in conformity with a three-dimensional contour region. 38. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the two members are shaped so as to substantially surround a three-dimensional contour member. 39. The contact sensor according to claim 23, wherein the two members are shaped according to a two-dimensional geometric region.