KR20180117892A - Pressure sensing sensor and pressure sensing apparatus comprising the same - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, provided is a pressure sensing sensor, which comprises: a first electrode layer connected to a first electrode; an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on the intermediate layer and connected to a second electrode having polarity opposite to the first electrode. Moreover, the intermediate layer includes a support base and a plurality of sensing areas separately disposed on the support base. The sensing areas include a first area and a second area covering the edge of the first area. Moreover, the first area has an elastic body with a first gradient, and the second area has an elastic body with a second gradient lower than the first gradient. In addition, conductive particles are dispersed in the second area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a pressure sensing sensor and a pressure sensing device including the pressure sensing sensor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to pressure sensing, and more particularly, to a sensor and apparatus for sensing pressure.

There is a need for a device for sensing pressure in a variety of applications utilizing home pressure safety as well as pressure distribution.

The pressure sensing device includes a lower electrode, an intermediate layer disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer may be an elastic body in which conductive particles are dispersed. The pressure applied on the pressure sensing device can be detected using the principle that the resistance of the intermediate layer changes. The performance of such a pressure sensing device may be affected by the elastic restoring force and the conducting performance of the intermediate layer.

Generally, the intermediate layer can be manufactured by immersing a base material in an elastic solution in a conductive solution, followed by washing and drying. If pressure is repeatedly applied to the intermediate layer over a long period of time, the conductive particles may be detached to deteriorate the pressure sensing performance. Particularly, when the intermediate layer is made of a low-density foam, the foam shape may be deformed due to repeated use for a long period of time, resulting in poor durability. On the other hand, when the intermediate layer is made of a high-density foam, it is possible to reduce the deformation of the foam, but the variation of the thickness according to the applied pressure is not so large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure sensing device for sensing a pressure according to an applied weight.

A pressure sensing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode layer connected to a first electrode, an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed on the intermediate layer, And a second electrode layer connected to the second electrode, wherein the intermediate layer includes a supporting substrate and a plurality of sensing regions dispersedly disposed on the supporting substrate, wherein each sensing region includes a first region, and an edge of the first region Wherein the first region is made of an elastic material having a first hardness and the second region is made of an elastic material having a second hardness lower than the first hardness, Conductive particles are dispersed in the second region.

The second region may be a variable resistance region whose resistance changes according to an applied pressure.

The thickness of the second region may be greater than the thickness of the first region.

The first hardness may be 1.2 to 2 times the second hardness.

The area of the second region may be 2 to 8 times the area of the first region.

A first adhesive layer may be disposed between the first electrode layer and the supporting substrate and a second adhesive layer may be disposed between the supporting substrate and the second electrode layer.

The first hardness of a portion of the plurality of sensing regions may be different from the first hardness of the remaining portion.

A pressure sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pressure sensing sensor, a signal processing unit connected to the pressure sensing sensor, for processing electrical signals generated by the pressure sensing sensor, and a controller connected to the signal processing unit, Wherein the pressure sensing sensor includes a first electrode layer connected to the first electrode, an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed on the intermediate layer, And a second electrode layer connected to a second electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode, wherein the intermediate layer includes a supporting substrate and a plurality of sensing regions dispersedly disposed on the supporting substrate, 1 region, and a second region arranged to surround an edge of the first region, wherein the first region has a first hardness The second region is made of an elastic material having a second hardness lower than the first hardness, and conductive particles are dispersed in the second region.

The pressure sensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention can precisely detect the pressure according to the applied weight and accurately detect the pressure distribution.

Particularly, according to the embodiment of the present invention, an intermediate layer having high durability and a large range of variable resistance can be obtained. Thereby, a pressure sensing device having reliable pressure sensing performance can be obtained.

Also, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to independently sense the pressure for each sensing point.

1 is a perspective view of a pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view of a pressure sensing sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a perspective view of an intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensing region included in an intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a cross-sectional view showing a change in the sensing area of FIG. 4 before and after the application of pressure;
6 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensing region included in an intermediate layer according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a partial enlarged view of a second region of the sensing region of the intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a partial enlarged view of a second region of the sensing region of the intermediate layer according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a cross-sectional view of a pressure sensing sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a block diagram of a pressure sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 shows an example of a pressure sensing insole to which a pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
12 shows the foot pressure (kPa) distributed during running.
13 shows another example of the pressure sensing insole to which the pressure sensing sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The present invention is capable of various modifications and various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

The terms including ordinal, such as second, first, etc., may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the second component may be referred to as a first component, and similarly, the first component may also be referred to as a second component. And / or < / RTI > includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

It is to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, . On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between.

In describing embodiments, it is to be understood that each layer (film), area, pattern or structure may be referred to as being "on" or "under" a substrate, a layer, Includes all that is formed directly or via another layer. The criteria for top / bottom or bottom / bottom of each layer are described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the thickness or size of each layer (film), region, pattern or structure in the drawings may be modified for clarity and convenience of explanation, and thus does not entirely reflect the actual size.

The terminology used in this application is used only to describe a specific embodiment and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the terms "comprises" or "having" and the like are used to specify that there is a feature, a number, a step, an operation, an element, a component or a combination thereof described in the specification, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art and are to be interpreted as either ideal or overly formal in the sense of the present application Do not.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pressure sensing sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the pressure sensor 100 includes a first electrode layer 110, a second electrode layer 120, an intermediate layer 130 disposed between the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120, ). The first electrode layer 110 may be connected to a first electrode (not shown), and the second electrode layer 120 may be connected to a second electrode (not shown) having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode layer. Although not shown, the first electrode and the second electrode may be connected via a rigid printed circuit board or a flexible printed circuit board. The intermediate layer 130 may be an elastic body in which conductive particles are dispersed.

Here, the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 may be a plating electrode or a printing electrode, and may be a flexible and stretchable electrode. For this purpose, the plating electrode or printing electrode may be formed on a flexible and stretchable base substrate, which may be, for example, an ester-based fabric or a urethane-based film, but is not limited thereto.

Alternatively, the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 may include conductive fibers. Here, the conductive fiber may be a metal wire or a plain fiber coated with a metal film on the surface. The conductive fibers may be ordinary fibers in which metal particles are dispersed. When the conductive fiber is a metal wire, the diameter of the metal wire may be 10 탆 to 500 탆. If the diameter of the metal wire is less than 10 mu m, the strength of the metal wire may be too weak to process the fabric. If the diameter of the metal wire exceeds 500 mu m, the rigidity of the metal wire may be high, It can damage the equipment, and the user is likely to feel a sense of heterogeneity. At this time, the metal wire may be Cu, Ni, or a stainless steel alloy. The stainless alloy may be, for example, a martensitic stainless alloy, a ferritic stainless alloy, an austenitic stainless alloy, a two-phase stainless alloy, a precipitation hardening stainless alloy, or the like. When the metal wire is a stainless steel alloy, corrosion resistance of the pressure sensor 100 can be increased. When the conductive fiber is a general fiber coated with a metal film on its surface, the metal film may be formed by a method in which the metal particles are coated on the surface of the common fiber by a plating method or a vapor deposition method. At this time, the metal particles may be Cu, Ni, or a stainless alloy, and the thickness of the metal film may be 1 to 50 탆. If the thickness of the metal film is less than 1 탆, the conductivity may be low, which may cause a loss in signal transmission. If the thickness of the metal film exceeds 50 탆, the metal film may be easily separated from the surface of the fiber.

1, the entire first electrode layer 110 may form the first conductive region, and the entirety of the second electrode layer 120 may form the second conductive region.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the first electrode layer 110 may include a first conductive region 112, and the second electrode layer 120 may include a second conductive region 122. Here, the first conductive region 112 and the second conductive region 122 may be a plating electrode or a printing electrode formed on the base substrate. Alternatively, the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 may be formed of a fabric, and the first conductive region 112 and the second conductive region 122 may be formed of a fabric including conductive fibers. Here, the fabric means a fabric in which the warp yarns and the weft yarns are interwoven one above the other, and can include nonwoven fabrics arranged in an irregular manner as well as regularly interwoven fabrics of warp and weft yarns.

Here, the first conductive region 112 of the first electrode layer 110 and the second conductive region 122 of the second electrode layer 120 may be formed in different directions, and the first conductive region 112 and the second conductive region 122 may be formed in different directions. The point where the two conductive regions 122 intersect can serve as a single sensing point.

Accordingly, when the sensing point is pressed, the distance between the first conductive region 112 and the second conductive region 122, that is, the thickness of the intermediate layer 130, is reduced. As the applied force increases, at least one of the thickness and the volume of the intermediate layer 130 decreases, the density of the conductive material per unit volume of the intermediate layer 130 increases, and the distance between the conductive materials may become closer. The intermediate layer 130 has an insulating property in a steady state but may be damaged when a physical change occurs around the intermediate layer 130 or when a pressure is applied to the intermediate layer 130, Or volume, the piezoresistance is lowered. When the pressure resistance of the intermediate layer 130 is lowered, the pressure sensing sensor 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention can sense the weight according to the amount of change in the piezoresistance.

Although not shown, the first conductive region 112 may be formed to be larger than the second conductive region 122, and a plurality of second conductive regions 122 may be formed on one of the first conductive regions 112 have.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the intermediate layer is changed to simultaneously increase the range of the variable resistance and the durability of the intermediate layer.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensing region included in an intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention, And FIG. 6 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensing region included in the intermediate layer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the intermediate layer 130 includes a plurality of sensing regions 310 dispersed within a supporting substrate 300 and a supporting substrate 300. The plurality of sensing regions 310 may be disposed at positions corresponding to sensing points where the conductive region of the first electrode layer 110 and the conductive region of the second electrode layer 120 intersect.

Referring to FIG. 4, each sensing region 310 includes a first region 312 and a second region 314 disposed to surround the edges of the first region 312. At this time, the first region 312 is made of an elastic body having a first hardness, and the second region 314 is made of an elastic body having a second hardness lower than the first hardness. At this time, conductive particles may be dispersed in the second region 314.

5, when the pressure is applied on the sensing region 310, a change in the thickness of the second region 314 having a relatively low hardness may be greater than that of the first region 312 having a relatively high hardness. Accordingly, the pressure applied on the sensing region 310 can be sensed according to the resistance of the second region 314. Then, it is possible to absorb a part of the pressure applied on the sensing region 310 to the first region 312 having a relatively high hardness, thereby minimizing the deformation of the foam.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a pressure sensing sensor having excellent durability and a wide range of variable resistance.

In this case, the first hardness may be 1.2 to 2 times, preferably 1.3 to 1.8 times, more preferably 1.4 to 1.7 times the second hardness. Accordingly, the first region 312 can withstand the pressure concentrated in the central region of the sensing region 310, and the thickness of the second region 314 can be deformed according to the pressure applied on the sensing region 310. Here, the hardness can be measured using, for example, a Shore C hardness meter.

The area of the second region 314 may be 2 to 8 times, preferably 3 to 7 times, more preferably 4 to 6 times the area of the first region 312. Accordingly, the first region 312 can withstand the pressure concentrated in the central region of the sensing region 310, and the thickness of the second region 314 can be deformed according to the pressure applied on the sensing region 310.

3 to 5, the first region 312 and the second region 314 of the sensing region 310 have the same height. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The thickness d2 of the second region 314 may be greater than the thickness d1 of the first region 312 as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the lower surface of the second region 314 and the lower surface of the first region 312 are on the same height, but the upper surface of the second region 314 is located on the same side as the first The upper surface of the region 312 can be protruded higher than the upper surface. 6B, the lower surface of the second region 314 protrudes lower than the lower surface of the first region 312 and the upper surface of the second region 314 protrudes from the first region 312, As shown in FIG. As described above, if the thickness d2 of the second region 314 is larger than the thickness d1 of the first region 312, the width of the thickness variation of the second region 314 is widened. Therefore, The width of the resistance is also widened.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the support substrate 300 may be, but is not limited to, an elastic body, for example, a polyurethane material, an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) material, an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)

The supporting substrate 300 and the sensing area 310 may be bonded together using an adhesive, or may be bonded by sewing, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate layer 130 is bonded to the first electrode layer 110 by a first adhesive layer (not shown) and bonded to the second electrode layer 120 by a second adhesive layer (not shown) . At this time, the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are not applied to the sensing area 310 but can be applied only to the supporting substrate 300. [ Accordingly, the adhesive layer is not disposed between the sensing region 310 and the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120, so that the variable resistance value of the sensing region 310 may not be affected.

FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of a second region of the sensing region of the intermediate layer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of a second region of the sensing region of the intermediate layer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 8, the second region 314 may include an elastic body 700 and conductive particles 710 dispersed in an elastic body. Here, the elastic body 700 may be in the form of a foam including a void region 704 dispersed in the non-voided region 702. [ At this time, the non-pored region may include at least one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyolefin, rubber, silicone and elastomer. The conductive particles 710 may include first conductive particles 712 and second conductive particles 714 which are different from the first conductive particles 712. At this time, the electrical conductivity of the second conductive particles 714 may be higher than the electrical conductivity of the first conductive particles 712. As described above, when different kinds of conductive particles having different electric conductivities are dispersed in the foam, the range of the resistance value that varies depending on the pressure can be widened. Accordingly, the range of the pressure that can be sensed can be widened, and the precision of the pressure sensing can be enhanced.

For example, the first conductive particles 712 may be amorphous carbon, and the second conductive particles 714 may be crystalline carbon. Crystalline carbon has higher electrical conductivity than amorphous carbon. For example, the first conductive particles 712 may include carbon black, and the second conductive particles 714 may be selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphite.

As described above, when the conductive particles 710 included in the intermediate layer 130 include not only amorphous carbon but also crystalline carbon, not only the range of the resistance value varying by the amorphous carbon but also the resistance value varying by the crystalline carbon The conductive particles 710 may be contained in an amount of 1 to 10% by weight of the foam. [0251] When the conductive particles 710 are foamed, The conductive particles 710 are contained in an amount of more than 10 wt% of the foam, the pressure of the intermediate layer 130 can be maintained at a value of less than 1 wt% And the conductive particles 710 are aggregated without being dispersed in the foam.

At this time, the amount of the first conductive particles 712 is preferably 20 parts by weight or more and less than 100 parts by weight, preferably 20 parts by weight or more and less than 50 parts by weight, more preferably 20 parts by weight And less than 30 parts by weight. If the amount of the first conductive particles 712 is less than 20 parts by weight or more than 100 parts by weight based on 10 parts by weight of the second conductive particles 714, the range of the variable resistance value may not be wide, The particles can be aggregated without being evenly dispersed in the foam. For example, the second conductive particles 714 may comprise 0.5 to 2.5 wt%, preferably 1 to 2 wt%, and more preferably 1.2 to 1.8 wt% of the foam, and the first conductive particles 712 may include 1 to 7.5 wt%, preferably 2 to 6 wt%, and more preferably 2.4 to 5.4 wt% of the foam.

At least a portion of these conductive particles 710 may be dispersed in the non-pored region 702 or dispersed to pass through the interface between the non-pored region 702 and the pore region 704, Or may be dispersed within the void region 704. As such, when at least a portion of the conductive particles 710 are dispersed within the non-voided region 702 or through the interface between the non-voided region 702 and the voided region 704, Can be fixed. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the conductive particles are separated from the foam even after long-term repeated use of the pressure-sensing sensor 100.

At this time, the conductive particles dispersed in the non-voided region 702 with respect to the entire conductive particles 710 contained in the foam or dispersed so as to pass through the interface between the non-voided region 702 and the voided region 704 are not less than 20 wt% Or more, preferably 30 wt% or more, and more preferably 50 wt% or more. If the amount of the conductive particles dispersed in the non-voided region 702 or dispersed so as to pass through the interface between the non-voided region 702 and the voided region 704 is less than 20 wt%, contamination may occur due to disengagement of the conductive particles, The sensitivity can be reduced.

The second region 310 may be formed by mixing the foam, the first conductive particles 712, and the second conductive particles 714, followed by foam molding.

Alternatively, one of the first conductive particles 712 and the second conductive particles 714 is mixed with a foam, followed by foam molding, and the foam-molded foam is mixed with the first conductive particles 712 and the second conductive particles 714 Or by immersing or impregnating the solution containing the other one. 8, the first conductive particles 712 are dispersed in the surface or void region 704 of the non-void region 702 and the second conductive particles 714 are dispersed in the non-void region 702 And at least a portion of the second conductive particles 714 may pass through the interface between the non-voided region 702 and the voided region 704.

According to this, since it is not necessary to mix all the first conductive particles 712 and the second conductive particles 714 with the foam material, it is possible to prevent the problem that the conductive particles are not dispersed evenly and clumped.

At this time, the second conductive particles 714 covering the low resistance value range due to the high electrical conductivity are dispersed in the non-pore region 702, and the first conductive particles 712 covering the high resistance value range Is dispersed in the void region 704, the probability of the second conductive particles 714 being separated from the first conductive particles 712 is low even if the number of times of pressing with respect to the intermediate layer is increased. Thus, the ability to maintain a wide range of resistance value changes even in repeated use can be maintained.

9 is a cross-sectional view of a pressure sensing sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 8 will not be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 9, the pressure sensing sensor 100 includes a first electrode layer 110 including a first conductive region, a second electrode layer 120 including a second conductive region, and an intermediate layer 130.

The second electrode layer 120 may be disposed on the horizontal surface of the first electrode layer 110 and the intermediate layer 130 may be disposed on the first electrode layer 110 or the second electrode layer 120.

Thereby, ground connection is possible in one layer, and it is not necessary to provide an additional grounding electrode, so that the material cost and manufacturing cost of the pressure sensing sensor 100 can be reduced and the thickness of the pressure sensing sensor 100 can be reduced.

The first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 may be bonded to the intermediate layer 130 through the adhesive layer 140. At this time, the adhesive layer 140 may include an insulator, and may be disposed between one region of the first electrode layer 110 and one region of the second electrode layer 120 and the middle layer 130.

The adhesive layer 140 may be spaced apart from the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120. Further, the adhesive layer 140 may be a structure in which an insulating adhesive is coated on both sides of the film. At this time, the adhesive layer 140 may be disposed in only a part of the first electrode layer 110 and a part of the second electrode layer 120. For example, the adhesive layer 140 may be disposed in an area other than an edge of the first electrode layer 110 and an edge of the second electrode layer 120. Accordingly, when a pressure is applied on the pressure sensor, the edge of the first electrode layer 110 directly contacts the middle layer 130, and the edge of the second electrode layer 120 can directly contact the middle layer 130 , The current can flow through the intermediate layer 130 without any error caused by the adhesive layer 140. [

When pressure F is applied on the pressure sensing sensor 100, the thickness of the elastic intermediate layer 130 changes. Due to the change in the thickness of the intermediate layer 130, the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120, which are spaced apart from each other, are connected and electrically connected. Then, the degree of pressure is detected from the generated electric signal. Here, the intermediate layer 130 may have a structure according to the embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIGS.

The pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included in the pressure sensing device.

10 is a block diagram of a pressure sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10, the pressure sensing device 200 may include a pressure sensing sensor 100, a signal processing unit 210, a control unit 220, and a communication unit 230. The pressure sensing sensor 100 may generate an electrical signal due to a resistance change according to a change of at least one of the thickness and the volume of the intermediate layer 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric signals of the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 are transmitted to the signal processing unit 210. The first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 may be connected to the signal processing unit 210 by a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

The signal processing unit 210 processes the electrical signal received from the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 120 and transmits the processed electrical signal to the control unit 220. The control unit 220 receives the signal processed by the signal processing unit 210 The control signal can be generated. For example, the control unit 220 can control the on / off state of the pressure sensing device 200 by using the result of processing the signal sensed by the pressure sensing sensor 100. In another example, the controller 220 may generate diagnostic information using the result of processing the signal sensed by the pressure sensor 100. As another example, the controller 220 may generate an alarm signal for the user by using the result of processing the signal sensed by the pressure sensor 100.

The communication unit 230 transmits the control signal generated by the control unit 220 to the external device.

At this time, the pressure sensing sensor 100 is disposed in a space independent from the signal processing unit 210, the control unit 220, and the communication unit 230, and may be connected through the FPCB. Alternatively, the pressure sensing sensor 100 may be disposed in the same space as the signal processing unit 210, the control unit 220, and the communication unit 230, and may be connected through the FPCB.

The pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various applications using pressure distribution such as a pressure sensing insole, a pressure sensing glove, a pressure sensing mat, a pressure sensing chair, a home safety device, and the like.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a pressure sensing insole to which a pressure sensing sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 12 shows the foot pressure (kPa) distributed during running, And another example of a pressure sensing insole to which a sensing sensor is applied.

Referring to FIG. 11, a plurality of sensing areas 310 may be dispersed in the pressure sensing insole 1100. Accordingly, the pressure applied to the soles of the foot can be sensed when walking or running.

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 12, pressure may be concentrated on a specific region, for example, a heel, a forefoot, a big toe, etc. during running. 13, the pressure sensing insole 1300 can be divided into a plurality of regions 1310, 1320, and 1330, and the hardness of the sensing region disposed in each region can be made different. That is, the first hardness of the first region 312 of the sensing region 310 disposed in one region 1310 is greater than the first hardness of the first region 312 of the sensing region 310 disposed in the other regions 1320 and 1330 And may be different from the first hardness. For example, when a relatively high pressure is applied to the other region 1320 relative to one region 1310, the first hardness of the first region 312 of the sensing region 310, which is disposed in one region 1310, May be higher than the first hardness of the first region 312 of the sensing region 310 disposed in the other region 1320. Accordingly, it is possible to enhance the durability of the pressure sensing insole 1300.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. It can be understood that

100: Pressure sensor
110: first electrode layer
120: second electrode layer
130: middle layer

Claims (8)

A first electrode layer connected to the first electrode,
An intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and
And a second electrode layer disposed on the intermediate layer and connected to a second electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode,
Wherein the intermediate layer comprises a support substrate and a plurality of sensing regions dispersedly disposed on the support substrate,
Each sensing region includes a first region and a second region disposed to surround an edge of the first region,
Wherein the first region is made of an elastic material having a first hardness and the second region is made of an elastic material having a second hardness lower than the first hardness and conductive particles are dispersed in the second region. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the second region is a variable resistance region in which a resistance varies according to an applied pressure. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the thickness of the second region is larger than the thickness of the first region. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first hardness is 1.2 to 2 times the second hardness. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein an area of the second region is 2 to 8 times an area of the first region. The method according to claim 1,
A first adhesive layer is disposed between the first electrode layer and the supporting substrate,
And a second adhesive layer is disposed between the supporting substrate and the second electrode layer. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first hardness of a portion of the plurality of sensing regions is different from the first hardness of the remaining portion. Pressure sensor,
A signal processor connected to the pressure sensor for processing an electrical signal generated by the pressure sensor,
A control unit connected to the signal processing unit and generating a control signal based on the signal processed by the signal processing unit,
/ RTI >
The pressure sensor
A first electrode layer connected to the first electrode,
An intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and
And a second electrode layer disposed on the intermediate layer and connected to a second electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode,
Wherein the intermediate layer comprises a support substrate and a plurality of sensing regions dispersedly disposed on the support substrate,
Each sensing region includes a first region and a second region disposed to surround an edge of the first region,
Wherein the first region is made of an elastic material having a first hardness and the second region is made of an elastic material having a second hardness lower than the first hardness and conductive particles are dispersed in the second region.

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