Sensor module and pressure distribution sensor provided with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020378846-A1
Application number	US-201816634983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Aug 9, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor module includes a holding member formed of an elastic body, a pressure bearing face provided at the holding member and configured to bear pressure, an adjoining face provided at the holding member so as to adjoin the pressure bearing face and configured to undergo deformation in accordance with the pressure borne by the pressure bearing face, and an elongate piezoelectric substrate arranged on the adjoining face.

First claim

1 . A sensor module, comprising:
a holding member formed of an elastic body; a pressure bearing face provided at the holding member and configured to bear pressure; an adjoining face provided at the holding member so as to adjoin the pressure bearing face and configured to undergo deformation in accordance with the pressure borne by the pressure bearing face; and an elongate piezoelectric substrate arranged on the adjoining face.

2 . The sensor module of claim 1 , wherein, at the adjoining face, the piezoelectric substrate is provided so as to surround the holding member around a pressure bearing direction of the pressure.

3 . A sensor module, comprising:
a holding member formed of an elastic body; a pressure bearing portion provided at the holding member and configured to bear pressure; an intersecting plane provided at the holding member so as to intersect a pressure bearing direction of the pressure and configured to undergo deformation in accordance with the pressure borne by the pressure bearing portion; and an elongate piezoelectric substrate arranged along an outer edge portion of the intersecting plane.

4 . The sensor module of claim 1 , wherein, when applied with a load, the holding member has a deformation per unit load in a range of from 0.01 mm to 1.0 mm.

5 . The sensor module of claim 1 , wherein:
the piezoelectric substrate includes an elongate conductor, and an elongate piezoelectric material helically wound onto the conductor in one direction; and the piezoelectric material is formed from an organic piezoelectric material.

6 . The sensor module of claim 5 , wherein the piezoelectric material is an optically active helical chiral polymer (A).

7 . The sensor module of claim 6 , wherein the helical chiral polymer (A) is polylactic acid.

8 . The sensor module of claim 1 , wherein a string-shaped elastic member is connected to a leading end of the piezoelectric substrate, and the elastic member is disposed together with the piezoelectric substrate at the holding member.

9 . The sensor module of claim 1 , further comprising a protection member formed of an elastic body and provided at an outer peripheral portion of the holding member.

10 . A pressure distribution sensor, comprising a plurality of the sensor module of claim 1 arranged in a lattice pattern.

Assignees

• Mitsui Chemicals Inc

Inventors

• Onishi Katsuki
• Tanimoto Kazuhiro
• Yoshida Mitsunobu

Classifications

• G01L5/00

  Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• G01L1/16 Primary

  using properties of piezoelectric devices · CPC title

• G01L1/18

  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