Tactile sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12455204-B2
Application number	US-202118020882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 21, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A tactile sensor has an electrostatic capacitance-type sensor portion having a layered structure in which a first electrode layer, an elastic layer, and a second electrode layer are layered. The first electrode layer has plural first electrodes, and the second electrode layer is configured by one or plural second electrodes in a single layer. Two or more of the plural first electrodes are partially-overlapping electrodes that partially overlap with the second electrode as viewed in a normal direction of a contacting surface of the sensor portion. A number of one or plural openings formed in one of the second electrodes, or a number of one or plural island portions formed by one or plural second electrodes, is less than a number of the plural first electrodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A tactile sensor, comprising an electrostatic capacitance-type sensor portion having a contacting surface that contacts an object, and having a layered structure in which an elastic layer, and a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer positioned at respective sides of the elastic layer with the elastic layer sandwiched therebetween, are layered in a normal direction of the contacting surface, wherein:
the first electrode layer has a plurality of first electrodes, the second electrode layer is configured by one second electrode in a single layer in which a plurality of openings are formed, two or more of the plurality of first electrodes are partially-overlapping electrodes that partially overlap with the second electrode as viewed in the normal direction, a number of the plurality of openings is less than a number of the plurality of first electrodes, and each of the plurality of the openings partially overlaps respective adjacent first electrodes among the plurality of first electrodes as viewed in the normal direction.

2 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is formed from a conductive rubber.

3 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are formed n the second electrode.

4 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings comprises an array of openings.

5 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , wherein each opening of the plurality of openings has the same shape.

6 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the second electrode is connected to a ground connection of the substrate.

7 . The tactile sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the second electrode is floating with respect to a ground connection of the substrate.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Nabeto Misato
• Kitajima Hiroshi
• Koga Hiroki
• Doi Sayaka

Classifications

• G01L5/165

  using variations in capacitance · CPC title

• G01L1/146

  for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays (G01L1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01L5/228 Primary

  using tactile array force sensors · CPC title

• G01L5/009 Primary

  Force sensors associated with material gripping devices · CPC title