Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with...

Details Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with... Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with...

2001-09-26

2003-09-30

Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2855)

Measuring and testing

Fluid pressure gauge

Electrical

C073S754000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06626046

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-329895 filed on October 30, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive resistor sensor for detecting pressure applied thereto.
Pressure-sensitive resistor sensors are proposed as shown in
FIGS. 19
,
20
A and
20
B. These types of sensors have a bottom side film
110
formed with a bottom side electrode
100
and a top side film
210
formed with a top side electrode
200
. The bottom side film
110
and the top side film
210
facing each other are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance by a spacer film
300
interposed between the bottom side film
110
and the top side film
210
. When pressure is applied to the top side film
210
, the central part of the top side film
210
is deformed downwardly as shown in
FIG. 3
so that the top side electrode
200
contacts the bottom side electrode
100
. As the applied pressure increases, the number of contact points and total contact area between the electrodes
100
and
200
increase, thereby changing a contact resistance between the electrodes
100
and
200
.
The electrodes
100
and
200
of a proposed pressure-sensitive resistor sensor are both shaped in a planar disk as shown in FIG.
19
. Alternatively, the electrodes
100
and
200
are shaped in comb teeth and a planar disk, respectively, as shown in
FIGS. 20A and 20B
. With this structure, the contact points between the electrodes
100
and
200
depend on the surface roughness of the electrodes
100
and
200
. It is therefore difficult to control the number of contact points and total contact area uniformly among sensors. As a result, sensor output characteristics vary from sensor to sensor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to reduce deviation in contact resistance variation between electrodes among pressure-sensitive resistor sensors.
According to the present invention, one of a pair of films has a plurality of electrode portions and the other of the pair has at least one electrode portion that crosses the plurality of electrode portions on the one of the pair. Contact points generated by applied pressure are limited to crossing points between the electrode portions of the pair of films. Thus, the number of contact points and total contact area increase uniformly among sensors as the applied pressure increases.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3972733 (1976-08-01), Kamei et al.
patent: 4519255 (1985-05-01), Ishii
patent: 5054323 (1991-10-01), Hubbard et al.
patent: 6155120 (2000-12-01), Taylor
patent: 6216545 (2001-04-01), Taylor
patent: 6216546 (2001-04-01), Bahr
patent: A-60-35427 (1985-02-01), None
patent: B2-2576571 (1996-11-01), None
patent: A-2000-88670 (2000-03-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pressure-sensitive resistor sensor having electrodes with... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3049139