System and method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10770206-B1
Application number	US-201916377302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2019
Priority date	Apr 8, 2019
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

Various deficiencies in the prior art are addressed by systems, methods, architectures, mechanisms and/or apparatus configured for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure by printing a material on the structure, the material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect, and sintering a strain sensing pattern from the material such that the strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure, the method comprising:
printing a material on the structure, the material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect;
sintering a strain sensing pattern from the material such that the strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive; and
attaching a pin connector to the electrically conductive strain sensing pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising printing an insulating layer on the structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the printed material on the structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a functional structure comprising one of a support beam and a wing of a vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a curved structure.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising mapping the curvature of the structure, wherein the printing and sintering steps are configured to conform to a map of the curvature of the structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises one of graphene, silver, and copper.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the material on the structure utilizes additive manufacturing.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.

10. A strain sensing device manufactured directly on a structure by the method recited in claim 1 .

11. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising an insulating layer formed on the structure.

12. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising a pin connector connected to the electrically conductive strain sensing pattern.

13. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the structure is a functional structure comprising one of a support beam and a wing of a vehicle.

14. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the material comprises one of graphene, silver, and copper.

15. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.

16. A method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure, the method comprising:
printing a first material on the structure, the first material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect;
sintering a first strain sensing pattern from the first material such that the first strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive;
printing an insulating layer on the first material;
printing a second material on the insulating layer, the second material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect; and
sintering a second strain sensing pattern from the second material such that the second strain sensing pattern become electrically conductive.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising printing an insulating layer between the structure and first material.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising drying the printed first and second materials.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising attaching a pin connector to the electrically conductive first and second strain sensing patterns.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second materials each comprise one of graphene, silver, and copper.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second materials are the same.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second strain sensing patterns are the same.

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force

Inventors

• Aga Roberto S
• Heckman Emily M

Classifications

• G01L1/18 Primary

  using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material · CPC title

• G01L1/2287

  constructional details of the strain gauges (adjustable resistors H01C10/00) · CPC title

• H01C17/065 Primary

  by thick film techniques, e.g. serigraphy · CPC title

• H01C10/10

  adjustable by mechanical pressure or force · CPC title