Pressure-sensitive sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11217400-B2
Application number	US-202016806818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A pressure-sensitive sensor, includes a hollow tubular member including an elastic insulating material; and n electrode wires (n being an integer of not less than 3) arranged away from one another and held inside the tubular member, wherein when an external pressure is applied to the tubular member, the tubular member elastically deforms such that at least two of the n electrode wires contact with each other, and wherein the n electrode wires extend linearly and parallel to a central axis of the tubular member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure-sensitive sensor, comprising:
a hollow tubular member comprising an elastic insulating material; and
n electrode wires (n being an integer of not less than 3) arranged away from one another and held inside the tubular member,
wherein when an external pressure is applied to the tubular member, the tubular member elastically deforms such that at least two of the n electrode wires contact with each other,
wherein the n electrode wires extend linearly and parallel to a central axis of the tubular member, and
wherein in a transversal cross-sectional view; each surface connecting between adjacent electrode wires comprises an arc shape.

2. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the n electrode wires is partially embedded in the hollow tubular member.

3. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the n electrode wires are free of damage due to scraping.

4. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein, in the transversal cross-sectional view, said each surface connecting between the adjacent electrode wires comprises a continuous curved shape.

5. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein each of the n electrode wires is partially embedded in the tubular member by an internal pressure applied to an internal space of the tubular member.

6. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the internal pressure comprises a compressed gas injected into an internal space of the tubular member.

7. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein each of the n electrode wires is fused to an inner surface of the tubular member by an internal pressure applied to an internal space of the tubular member.

8. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the internal pressure comprises a compressed gas injected into an internal space of the tubular member.

9. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the tubular member deforms such that the at least two of the n electrode wires contact with each other, when external pressure is applied to the tubular member from any direction.

10. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the elastic insulating material comprises a rubber-based composition obtained by cross-linking ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer mixed with a conductive filler.

11. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the elastic insulating material comprises a ene-based thermoplastic elastomer composition.

12. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the n electrode wires are free of damage due to scraping.

13. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein, in the transversal cross-sectional view, said each surface connecting between the adjacent electrode wires comprises a continuous curved shape.

14. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the n electrode wires is partially embedded in the tubular member by an internal pressure applied to an internal space of the tubular member.

15. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the internal pressure comprises a compressed gas injected into an internal space of the tubular member.

16. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the n electrode wires is fused to an inner surface of the tubular member by an internal pressure applied to an internal space of the tubular member.

17. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 16 , wherein the internal pressure comprises a compressed gas injected into an internal space of the tubular member.

18. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular member deforms such that the at least two of the n electrode wires contact with each other, when external pressure is applied to the tubular member from any direction.

19. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic insulating material comprises a rubber-based composition obtained by cross-linking ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer mixed with a conductive filler.

20. The pressure-sensitive sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic insulating material comprises a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer composition.

Assignees

• Hitachi Metals Ltd

Inventors

• Sugita Keisuke
• Ouchi Satoru
• Abe Kentaro

Classifications

• H01H11/00 Primary

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches (processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88) · CPC title

• H01H3/142

  of the elongated strip type · CPC title

• Y10T29/49194

  Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc. · CPC title

• H01H1/14

  by abutting · CPC title

• G01L1/005 Primary

  by electrical means and not provided for in G01L1/06 - G01L1/22 · CPC title