Pressure-sensing chair, including first elastic body having lower elastic modulus than second elastic bodies arranged therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10555609-B2
Application number	US-201615763630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2016
Priority date	Oct 6, 2015
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A pressure-sensing chair according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first electrode having a first conductive region formed in a first direction; a second electrode having a second conductive region formed in a second direction; a sensing sheet including an intermediate layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first elastic body arranged on the sensing sheet and having a first elastic modulus; and a plurality of second elastic bodies arranged in the first elastic body and having a second elastic modulus, which is greater than the first elastic modulus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure-sensing chair comprising:
a sensing sheet including a first electrode having a plurality of first conductive regions formed in a first direction and a plurality of first non-conductive regions formed in the first direction, a second electrode having a plurality of second conductive regions formed in a second direction and a plurality of second non-conductive regions formed in the second direction, and an intermediate layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the sensing sheet including a plurality of sensing regions corresponding to regions where the plurality of first conductive regions intersect the plurality of second conductive regions; and
a cushion on the sensing sheet, the cushion including:
a first elastic body disposed on the sensing sheet and having a first elastic modulus; and
a plurality of second elastic bodies arranged in the first elastic body and having a second elastic modulus higher than the first elastic modulus, wherein the plurality of second elastic bodies extend in a direction from an upper portion of the first elastic body toward the sensing sheet, wherein each of the plurality of second elastic bodies includes a first head unit adjacent to an upper surface of the cushion, a second head unit adjacent to the sensing sheet, and an extension unit connecting the first head unit and the second head unit, and a width of the first head unit is greater than a width of the extension unit, and a width of the second head unit is greater than the width of the extension unit,
wherein the cushion is disposed on the sensing sheet such that the first electrode is in direct contact with the cushion and each second head unit of the cushion is vertically adjacent to a different one of the sensing regions of the sensing sheet, and the first elastic body of the cushion is provided between each of the second head units of the cushion such that the first elastic body of the cushion is vertically adjacent to each of the plurality of first non-conductive regions.

2. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first conductive regions and each of the plurality of second conductive regions include a conductive fiber.

3. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 2 , wherein the conductive fiber includes a metal wire or a fiber having a surface coated with a metal film.

4. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 2 , wherein the intermediate layer includes a fiber base material and a conductive composite dispersed within the fiber base material.

5. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the sensing sheet and configured to generate a control signal according to piezoresistance or capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 5 , further comprising a communication device configured to transmit the signal generated by the controller.

7. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , further comprising a support plate disposed below the sensing sheet and configured to support the sensing sheet.

8. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , wherein the sensing sheet further includes a first adhesive layer disposed between the first electrode and the intermediate layer, and a second adhesive layer disposed between the intermediate layer and the second electrode.

9. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer includes an elastic material and a conductive composite dispersed within the elastic body.

10. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first connector configured to transmit an electrical signal generated from the first electrode; and
a second connector configured to transmit an electrical signal generated from the second electrode.

11. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 10 , wherein:
the intermediate layer includes a first hole formed from a region in contact with the first electrode to a side surface of the intermediate layer and a second hole formed from a region in contact with the second electrode to the side surface of the intermediate layer;
the first connector passes through the first hole; and
the second connector passes through the second hole.

12. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 11 , further comprising:
a controller connected to the first connector and the second connector, and configured to process electrical signals generated from the first electrode and the second electrode and generate a control signal according to a processed result; and
a communication device configured to transmit the control signal.

13. The pressure-sensing chair of claim 1 , wherein the second elastic modulus is 1.05 to 2 times higher than the first elastic modulus.

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Yong Hwa
• Kim Bi Yi
• Kim Jeong Han
• Park Hyun Gyu
• Cho Won Keun
• Jo Hyun Jin
• Cho In Hee

Classifications

• G01L1/14

  by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators · CPC title

• A61B2562/0247

  Pressure sensors · CPC title

• A47C1/00 Primary

  Chairs adapted for special purposes (chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs, A61G5/00; operating chairs or dental chairs A61G15/00) · CPC title

• A47C31/126

  for chairs · CPC title

• A61B5/1116

  Determining posture transitions · CPC title