Flexible sensor and motion sensing device

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a flexible sensor and motion sensing equipment, the flexible sensor comprises a substrate, a signal processing layer, an electrode layer and a self-repairing layer, and the signal processing layer is arranged on one side of the substrate; the electrode layer is arranged on the side, away from the substrate, of the signal processing layer and comprises an electrode part, and the electrode part is connected with the signal processing layer; the self-repairing layer is arranged on at least one side of the electrode layer in the thickness direction of the electrode layer, the self-repairing layer comprises a fixing part and a filling part, a repairing cavity is defined by the fixing part, the filling part is arranged in the repairing cavity, the filling part has conductivity, and the orthographic projection of the filling part on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the electrode part on the substrate are at least partially overlapped; the filling portion can be connected to the electrode portion. According to the scheme, real-time crack repairing can be carried out on the electrode part in the electrode layer through the self-repairing layer, the conductivity of the electrode part is always ensured in the using process, the signal conduction capacity of the electrode part is improved, and the effectiveness of the flexible sensor in the using process is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sensor technology, and more specifically, to a flexible sensor and a motion sensing device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of flexible electronics, electromyography (EMG) sensors are a key biosensing technology that analyzes human movement intentions by detecting electrical signals on the surface of muscles. They are widely used in fields such as rehabilitation medicine, prosthetic control, and human-computer interaction.

[0003] In recent years, most applications in this field have employed flexible conductive materials in contact with the skin to acquire motion parameters of individuals through electrical signal transmission at the skin location. This allows technicians to better guide individuals' movements based on these parameters. However, flexible conductive materials are subject to repeated stretching, impacts, and abrasions during use, which can easily lead to microcracks in the electrodes. Prolonged use can cause these microcracks to propagate, resulting in increased resistivity and signal distortion. Therefore, overcoming signal interruption caused by microcrack propagation in the electrodes has become an important research direction in the application of flexible electromyography (EMG) sensors. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the technical problems mentioned in the background, this application provides a flexible sensor and motion sensing device that can repair cracks in the electrode portion of the electrode layer in real time through a self-healing layer, ensuring the conductivity of the electrode portion during use, improving the signal transmission capability of the electrode portion, and enhancing the effectiveness of the flexible sensor during use.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a flexible sensor, comprising: Base; A signal processing layer is disposed on one side of the substrate; An electrode layer is disposed on the side of the signal processing layer opposite to the substrate, and the electrode layer includes an electrode portion connected to the signal processing layer; A self-healing layer is disposed on at least one side of the electrode layer in its thickness direction. The self-healing layer includes a fixing part and a filling part. The fixing part encloses a repair cavity and the filling part is disposed in the repair cavity. The filling part is conductive. The orthographic projection of the filling part on the substrate overlaps at least partially with the orthographic projection of the electrode part on the substrate. The filling part is capable of being connected to the electrode part.

[0006] As one embodiment of this application, the number of electrode portions is multiple, the multiple electrode portions are arranged at intervals between each other, the fixing portion surrounds to form multiple repair cavities, and each repair cavity is provided with a filling portion, and each filling portion is provided corresponding to each electrode portion in the thickness direction; The orthographic projection of the electrode portion onto the substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the filling portion onto the substrate.

[0007] As one embodiment of this application, a plurality of electrode portions are arranged at intervals in a first direction and a second direction respectively. The self-healing layer includes a plurality of first fixing portions and a plurality of second fixing portions. The plurality of first fixing portions extend along the first direction and are spaced apart in the second direction. The plurality of second fixing portions extend along the second direction and are spaced apart in the first direction. The first fixing portions and the second fixing portions intersect and enclose to form the repair cavity. The plurality of electrode portions are arranged in an array, the self-healing layer includes a rectangular grid structure, and the filling portion is disposed in the rectangular grid of the self-healing layer.

[0008] As one embodiment of this application, the flexible sensor includes a first self-healing layer and a second self-healing layer. The first self-healing layer is disposed between the electrode layer and the signal processing layer, and the second self-healing layer is disposed on the side of the electrode layer opposite to the first self-healing layer. Preferably, the flexible sensor further includes a protective layer disposed on the side of the substrate opposite to the signal processing layer, and the hardness of the protective layer is greater than that of the substrate; Preferably, the flexible sensor further includes an encapsulation layer disposed on the side of the second self-healing layer opposite to the electrode layer, and the encapsulation layer covers the second self-healing layer.

[0009] As one embodiment of this application, the filling portion in the second self-healing layer is provided with a through hole that penetrates itself, and a portion of the electrode portion is exposed at the through hole; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the electrode portion on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the through hole on the substrate are both circular, and the radial dimension of the through hole is smaller than the radial dimension of the electrode portion; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the through hole on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the electrode portion on the substrate.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the filling portion includes a first medium and a second medium, the first medium surrounds the second medium, the first medium is thermosensitive and the second medium is conductive, the first medium is configured to drive the second medium to gather or disperse, and the filling portion is connected to the electrode portion through the second medium; Preferably, the first medium comprises a thermosensitive hydrogel, and the second medium comprises metal nanoparticles.

[0011] As one embodiment of this application, the electrode portion includes a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion stacked together, one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion being connected to the signal processing layer, the hardness of the second sub-portion being less than that of the first sub-portion and both having conductivity; Preferably, the first sub-part is connected to the signal processing layer, and the second sub-part is disposed on the side of the first sub-part opposite to the signal processing layer.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the second sub-part includes a buffer body and a connector body. The connector body surrounds the buffer body. The hardness of the buffer body is less than the hardness of the first sub-part. The second sub-part is connected to the first sub-part through the connector body. The connector body is conductive. The buffer body is made of silicone, and the adapter body has a liquid metal coating.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the first sub-part includes a plurality of conductors, at least partially connected to each other and having gaps between them, and the second sub-part is at least connected between adjacent conductors and its orthographic projection on the substrate is located in the gaps.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides a motion sensing device, including a flexible sensor as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0015] This application provides a flexible sensor and a motion sensing device. By setting a self-healing layer in the flexible sensor, the filling portion in the self-healing layer is made conductive and correspondingly connected to the electrode portion in the electrode layer. When the electrode portion is cracked or broken, it can be connected through the filling portion in contact with it. That is, the filling portion is used to connect the broken position of the electrode portion, thereby restoring the overall conductivity of the broken electrode portion, reducing the failure risk after the electrode portion breaks, and timely repairing the conductivity of the electrode portion. This ensures the effective transmission of the acquired electrical signal, extends the overall service life of the flexible sensor, and makes it have better safety performance, providing a reliable guarantee for the safe and stable operation of the flexible sensor. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible sensor in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a plan view of an electrode layer in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a plan view of a self-healing layer in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another flexible sensor in an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a plan view of a second self-healing layer in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electrode section in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another electrode section in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another electrode section in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another electrode section in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the second sub-part in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure label: 100 - Flexible sensor; X - First direction; Y - Second direction; 10-Substrate; 20-Signal processing layer; 30-Electrode layer; 31-Electrode section; 31a-First sub-section; 31b-Second sub-section; 31c-Conductor; 1-Buffer; 2-Adapter; 40 - Self-healing layer; 40a - First self-healing layer; 40b - Second self-healing layer; 41 - Fixing part; 41a - First fixing part; 41b - Second fixing part; 42 - Filling part; 43 - Repair cavity; 44 - Through hole; 50 - Protective layer; 60 - Encapsulation layer; Detailed Implementation To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0028] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, different features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0030] For ease of understanding, the accompanying diagram shows the mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The direction along the X-axis is called the X-direction, the direction along the Y-axis is called the Y-direction, and the direction along the Z-axis is called the Z-direction. The Z-direction is the normal direction relative to the plane containing the X and Y directions. Furthermore, a view where various elements are observed parallel to the plane containing the X and Y directions is called a top view. Alternatively, the planes in the X and Y directions can be planes parallel to the display surface of the display panel, and the Z-direction can be a direction parallel to the thickness direction of the display panel.

[0031] For certain elements, terms like "above" or "overhead" are sometimes used when describing the position of an element in the Z direction, and "below" or "under" are used when describing the position of an element in the opposite direction. Furthermore, when using terms like "above," "overhead," "below," "under," or "relative" to define the positional relationship between two elements, this includes not only the state where the two elements are directly adjacent, but also the state where the two elements are separated by gaps or other elements. Additionally, terms like "first," "second," and "third" are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0032] In the field of flexible electronics, electromyography (EMG) sensors are a key biosensing technology that analyzes human movement intentions by detecting electrical signals on the surface of muscles. They are widely used in fields such as rehabilitation medicine, prosthetic control, and human-computer interaction.

[0033] In recent years, most of the technologies in this field have adopted flexible conductive materials that come into contact with the skin. By transmitting electrical signals at the skin location, the movement parameters of the personnel can be obtained, thereby helping technicians to better guide the personnel's movements based on the parameters.

[0034] However, the applicant discovered that flexible conductive materials face repeated stretching, impacts, and abrasions during use. Especially during bending, when the electrode radius is small, creases easily form at the electrode location, leading to microcracks. Furthermore, when the electrodes come into contact with the user's skin, sweat corrodes them, causing further cracking. These microcracks easily expand after repeated use or prolonged use, eventually leading to localized fractures. This results in increased resistivity and signal distortion, ultimately causing unstable and inaccurate signal capture. Therefore, overcoming signal interruption caused by microcrack expansion in flexible electromyography (EMG) sensors has become an important research direction.

[0035] To overcome the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a flexible sensor and a motion sensing device that can repair cracks in the electrode portion of the electrode layer in real time through a self-healing layer, ensuring the conductivity of the electrode portion during use, improving the signal transmission capability of the electrode portion, and enhancing the effectiveness of the flexible sensor during use.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this application provides a flexible sensor 100, including a substrate 10, a signal processing layer 20, an electrode layer 30, and a self-healing layer 40. The signal processing layer 20 is disposed on one side of the substrate 10; the electrode layer 30 is disposed on the side of the signal processing layer 20 away from the substrate 10, and the electrode layer 30 includes an electrode portion 31 connected to the signal processing layer 20; the self-healing layer 40 is disposed on at least one side of the electrode layer 30 in its thickness direction, and the self-healing layer 40 includes a fixing portion 41 and a filling portion 42. The fixing portion 41 surrounds a repair cavity 43 and the filling portion 42 is disposed in the repair cavity 43. The filling portion 42 is conductive, and the orthographic projection of the filling portion 42 on the substrate 10 overlaps at least partially with the orthographic projection of the electrode portion 31 on the substrate 10. The filling portion 42 can be connected to the electrode portion 31.

[0037] The flexible sensor 100 in this embodiment can be bent and stretched. Optionally, the substrate 10 can be a flexible substrate, such as silicone, with a thickness of 50 μm, to match the mechanical properties of skin and reduce motion artifacts. This application does not impose any special limitations on the specific material of the substrate 10, as long as it is flexible and meets the requirements for stretching and other uses.

[0038] Optionally, a signal processing layer 20 and an electrode layer 30 are provided on the substrate 10. The electrode portion 31 in the electrode layer 30 needs to be connected to the signal processing layer 20. The electrode portion 31 can be a metal conductor and is configured as a circular electrode point structure. This application does not make any special limitation on the specific material and structure of the electrode portion 31. The signal processing layer 20 can be a signal processing circuit or other structure, used to connect to the electrode portion 31 and perform data processing on the electrical signals obtained from the electrode portion 31.

[0039] When in use, the electrode part 31 in the electrode layer 30 needs to be in contact with the human skin. The electrode part 31 conducts the electrical signal at the skin position, and then the signal processing layer 20 at the bottom of the electrode part 31 performs data processing. This allows for the real-time acquisition of the person's motion parameter information, thus smoothly realizing the human-computer interaction process.

[0040] In this embodiment, a self-healing layer 40 is provided on at least one side of the electrode layer 30. The main function of the self-healing layer 40 is to repair the conductivity of the broken electrode part 31. Specifically, a fixing part 41 is formed in the self-healing layer 40 to enclose and form a repair cavity 43. The repair cavity 43 is mainly used to accommodate the filling part 42 and corresponds vertically to the electrode part 31. It should be noted that the filling part 42 in this embodiment is conductive and in contact with the electrode part 31, while the fixing part 41 is insulating to insulate and isolate the filling part 42. This application does not make any special limitation on the specific materials of the filling part 42 and the fixing part 41.

[0041] When the electrode part 31 breaks, since the filling part 42 is conductive and connected to the electrode part 31, the filling part 42 can cover the broken position of the electrode part 31. In other words, the two broken parts of the electrode part 31 can be connected through the middle filling part 42, thereby restoring the conductivity of the electrode part 31 and ensuring that the electrode part 31 always has conductivity even if it breaks.

[0042] Therefore, during the use of the flexible sensor 100, the electrical signal can be transmitted from the skin to the electrode part 31. Even if the electrode part 31 is broken, it can continue to conduct through the filling part 42 connected to it, and the electrical signal can be transmitted to the signal processing layer 20 for processing to obtain information such as the user's motion parameters.

[0043] This application provides a flexible sensor 100 and a motion sensing device. By providing a self-healing layer 40 in the flexible sensor 100, the filling portion 42 in the self-healing layer 40 is made conductive and correspondingly connected to the electrode portion 31 in the electrode layer 30. When the electrode portion 31 is cracked or broken, it can be connected through the filling portion 42 in contact with it. That is, the filling portion 42 is used to connect the broken position of the electrode portion 31, thereby restoring the overall conductivity of the broken electrode portion 31, reducing the failure risk after the electrode portion 31 breaks, and timely repairing the conductivity of the electrode portion 31. This ensures the effective transmission of the acquired electrical signal, extends the overall service life of the flexible sensor 100, and gives it better safety performance, providing a reliable guarantee for the safe and stable operation of the flexible sensor 100.

[0044] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The number of electrode parts 31 is multiple, and the multiple electrode parts 31 are arranged at intervals. The fixing part 41 surrounds and forms multiple repair cavities 43, and each repair cavity 43 is provided with a filling part 42. Each filling part 42 is provided in the thickness direction corresponding to each electrode part 31.

[0045] In this embodiment, multiple electrode portions 31 are provided in the electrode layer 30. At this time, the multiple electrode portions 31 are spaced apart and arranged in an insulated manner. For the self-repair of each electrode portion 31, multiple repair cavities 43 can be provided in the self-repair layer 40 to correspond to the multiple electrode portions 31. That is, the repair cavities 43 are provided one-to-one with the electrode portions 31, thereby satisfying the self-repair requirements of each electrode portion 31.

[0046] Optionally, the fixing part 41 provided in the self-healing layer 40 can enclose and form a plurality of repair cavities 43. Each repair cavity 43 is used to accommodate a conductive filling part 42. Since there is a filling part 42 corresponding to the position of each electrode part 31, when any electrode part 31 is broken, there is a corresponding filling part 42 that can connect and repair the broken position, so that the electrode part 31 can restore its conductivity in time.

[0047] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the electrode portion 31 on the substrate 10 is located within the orthographic projection of the filling portion 42 on the substrate 10, as shown in the figure. The electrode portion 31 can be configured as a circular electrode point structure, and the repair cavity 43 can be configured as a rectangular frame structure. The filling portion 42 disposed in the repair cavity 43 forms a corresponding rectangular structure. In this embodiment, each filling portion 42 needs to completely cover the corresponding electrode portion 31. When any position of the electrode portion 31 is broken, the filling portion 42 can always connect and repair any position of the electrode portion 31, realizing full coverage repair of the electrode portion 31 and having better repair guarantee capability. This application does not impose special limitations on the specific structural form of the electrode portion 31 and the filling portion 42, as long as it can provide a stable and reliable repair capability for the electrode portion 31.

[0048] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By providing filling portions 42 in multiple repair cavities 43 to correspond with multiple electrode portions 31, the repair requirements of multiple electrode portions 31 are met, and the conductivity of each electrode portion 31 can be ensured in real time, providing a reliable and continuous guarantee for the effectiveness of the flexible sensor 100.

[0049] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 Multiple electrode portions 31 are arranged at intervals in the first direction X and the second direction Y. The self-healing layer 40 includes multiple first fixing portions 41a and multiple second fixing portions 41b. The multiple first fixing portions 41a extend along the first direction X and are spaced apart in the second direction Y. The multiple second fixing portions 41b extend along the second direction Y and are spaced apart in the first direction X. The first fixing portions 41a and the second fixing portions 41b intersect and enclose to form a repair cavity 43.

[0050] It should be understood that when multiple electrode portions 31 are provided in the electrode layer 30, multiple repair cavities 43 and filling portions 42 need to be provided in the self-healing layer 40 to correspond to the multiple electrode portions 31. Optionally, when multiple electrode portions 31 are arranged in the first direction X and the second direction Y respectively, the self-healing layer 40 needs to be provided with repair cavities 43 arranged in the same way to correspond to them, and the filling portions 42 provided in the repair cavities 43 are used to connect and repair the electrode portions 31.

[0051] Optionally, the self-healing layer 40 is provided with a first fixing part 41a and a second fixing part 41b intersecting each other, such that the first fixing part 41a and the second fixing part 41b together enclose a plurality of repair cavities 43. The first fixing part 41a and the second fixing part 41b have different extension directions and arrangement directions, which are not limited in this application.

[0052] Optionally, the multiple electrode portions 31 are arranged in an array, and the self-healing layer 40 includes a rectangular grid structure. The filling portion 42 is disposed in the rectangular grid of the self-healing layer 40, as shown in the figure. In this embodiment, the self-healing layer 40 is formed according to the arrangement of the multiple electrode portions 31. Setting it as a grid structure is only one feasible implementation method to correspond to the arrayed electrode portions 31.

[0053] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By arranging multiple electrode portions 31 in an array, multiple repair cavities 43 are formed by the first fixing portion 41a and the second fixing portion 41b, corresponding to the electrode portions 31. This allows for the simultaneous repair of multiple electrode portions 31, resulting in a more regular overall structure of the self-repairing layer 40, which is easier to process.

[0054] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The flexible sensor 100 includes a first self-healing layer 40a and a second self-healing layer 40b. The first self-healing layer 40a is disposed between the electrode layer 30 and the signal processing layer 20, and the second self-healing layer 40b is disposed on the side of the electrode layer 30 away from the first self-healing layer 40a.

[0055] Optionally, in this embodiment, self-healing layers 40 are respectively provided on both sides of the electrode layer 30. This is mainly because cracks may appear on the surface of both sides of the electrode portion 31 during the application of the flexible sensor 100. In this embodiment, the first self-healing layer 40a and the second self-healing layer 40b can repair both sides of the electrode portion 31 at the same time, ensuring that both sides of the electrode portion 31 always have conductivity.

[0056] Optionally, the repair cavity 43 in the self-healing layer 40 can be understood as an exposed hole structure of the electrode portion 31. In this case, the filling portion 42 can be disposed in the repair cavity 43 to fully cover the electrode portion 31, achieving contact and conduction between the filling portion 42 and the electrode portion 31. Alternatively, the electrode portion 31 can be configured with a peripheral thickness greater than the central thickness, and the filling portion 42 in the self-healing layer 40 corresponding to the electrode portion 31 protrudes at the central position, thereby contacting the central recessed position of the electrode portion 31, shortening the sensing distance of the electrode portion 31, and ensuring the sensing effect of the electrode portion 31. It is understood that regardless of the structure of the electrode portion 31, in this embodiment, it is always necessary to contact the filling portion 42 in the self-healing layer 40 with the electrode portion 31 to achieve vertical conduction of the structure, and this application is not limited in this respect.

[0057] Specifically, the filling portion 42 of the first self-healing layer 40a contacts the lower surface of the electrode portion 31. When cracks may occur on the lower surface of the electrode portion 31 due to repeated folding, the filling portion 42 can promptly connect to the crack, ensuring that the lower surface of the electrode portion 31 is conductive. The filling portion 42 of the second self-healing layer 40b contacts the upper surface of the electrode portion 31. When cracks may occur on the upper surface of the electrode portion 31 due to sweat eroding the electrode portion 31 when in contact with the user's skin, the filling portion 42 can promptly connect to the crack, ensuring that the upper surface of the electrode portion 31 is conductive.

[0058] Optionally, the flexible sensor 100 also includes a protective layer 50, which is disposed on the side of the substrate 10 away from the signal processing layer 20. The hardness of the protective layer 50 is greater than that of the substrate 10. This is mainly because the substrate 10 of the flexible sensor 100 is mainly made of flexible material, which makes it easy to fold and perform other operations. In order to prevent the substrate 10 of the flexible sensor 100 from being directly exposed to the external environment and damaged, a protective layer 50 can be further disposed on the outside of the substrate 10.

[0059] The protective layer 50 can fully cover the substrate 10, preventing the substrate 10 from directly contacting the external environment and forming an isolation and protection for the substrate 10. Optionally, in this embodiment, the specific material of the protective layer 50 is not specially limited, as long as its hardness is greater than that of the substrate 10, so as to have the ability to protect the substrate 10 and reduce the risk of damage to the outside of the flexible sensor 100.

[0060] Optionally, the flexible sensor 100 further includes an encapsulation layer 60, which is disposed on the side of the second self-healing layer 40b away from the electrode layer 30 and covers the second self-healing layer 40b. In this embodiment, the encapsulation layer 60 is further disposed on the second self-healing layer 40b, and the encapsulation layer 60 can serve as a contact layer with the skin.

[0061] Considering the user's comfort when using the flexible sensor 100, this embodiment sets an encapsulation layer 60 to contact the skin. Optionally, the encapsulation layer 60 has waterproof and breathable functions and can be made of PDMS, PU, ​​TPU or porous silicone. Its thickness can be set to 10-50μm. This application is not limited to this, as long as it can improve the user's comfort.

[0062] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By providing a first self-healing layer 40a and a second self-healing layer 40b on both sides of the electrode layer 30, both sides of the electrode portion 31 can be repaired simultaneously. This satisfies the situation where cracks occur on both sides of the electrode portion 31 at the same time, and achieves more sufficient and effective conductivity repair, providing a reliable guarantee for the conductivity effectiveness of the electrode portion 31.

[0063] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 The filling portion 42 in the second self-healing layer 40b is provided with a through hole 44 that penetrates through itself, and a portion of the electrode portion 31 is exposed at the through hole 44.

[0064] Considering that users need to contact the electrode part 31 with the skin during use, this embodiment repairs the upper surface of the electrode part 31 using the second self-healing layer 40b, and also exposes part of the electrode part 31 by using the through hole 44 opened on its filling part 42, so that the skin can contact the exposed electrode part 31 at the through hole 44.

[0065] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the electrode portion 31 on the substrate 10 and the orthographic projection of the through hole 44 on the substrate 10 are both circular. The radial dimension of the through hole 44 is smaller than the radial dimension of the electrode portion 31. This is mainly because although the electrode portion 31 needs to be exposed at the location of the through hole 44, the electrode portion 31 cannot be completely exposed. Otherwise, the filling portion 42 cannot contact the electrode portion 31 and complete the repair function of the electrode portion 31.

[0066] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the through hole 44 on the substrate 10 is located within the orthographic projection of the electrode portion 31 on the substrate 10. In other words, in this embodiment, the space of the through hole 44 can be fully utilized, which can make the skin make sufficient contact with the electrode portion 31 at the position of the through hole 44, and can also not affect the coverage and repair of the electrode portion 31 by the filling portion 42.

[0067] Of course, this application does not impose any special limitation on the relative size relationship between the through hole 44 and the electrode part 31. For example, it is also feasible to make the radial dimension of the through hole 44 larger than the radial dimension of the electrode part 31, so that there is a local overlap between the two. In this embodiment, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the sufficiency of the contact between the user's skin and the electrode part 31, as well as the repair effectiveness of the electrode part 31 by the filling part 42, to ensure that both functions can be achieved and the effect is optimized.

[0068] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By providing a through hole 44 at the filling part 42, a portion of the electrode part 31 is exposed. This not only restores the conductivity of the electrode part 31 but also ensures that the electrode part 31 can contact the skin through the through hole 44. This provides a certain position for skin contact, thereby enabling more accurate acquisition of electrical signals at the skin location, resulting in higher sensing accuracy and providing a precise and reliable guarantee for subsequent signal processing.

[0069] As an optional embodiment, the filling portion 42 includes a first medium and a second medium, the first medium surrounding the second medium, the first medium being thermosensitive and the second medium being conductive, the first medium being configured to drive the second medium to gather or disperse, and the filling portion 42 being connected to the electrode portion 31 through the second medium.

[0070] Optionally, the first medium includes a thermosensitive hydrogel, and the second medium includes metal nanoparticles. In this embodiment, the filling part 42 is composed of the first medium and the second medium. Specifically, the conductivity of the second medium is used to connect with the electrode part 31 that generates cracks.

[0071] The term "thermosensitive" refers to the change in motion of the first medium in response to temperature. For example, when the first medium is a thermosensitive hydrogel, it contracts when it comes into contact with human skin and reaches body temperature. This causes the metal nanoparticles of the second medium to become closer together, thus increasing the conductivity of the second medium. When the first medium leaves the skin and is below body temperature, the gel swells, and the metal particles of the second medium become farther apart, thus reducing the conductivity of the second medium.

[0072] Optionally, the fixing part 41 is absorbent and includes silicone. In this embodiment, the fixing part 41 is absorbent. In addition to using the fixing part 41 to form a repair cavity 43 to repair the electrode part 31, the water absorption of the fixing part 41 can also be used to drain the internal moisture. The fixing part 41 acts as a water absorption channel to draw out the moisture, thereby reducing the influence of internal moisture on the conductivity of the electrode part 31.

[0073] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By setting the filling part 42 as a first medium and a second medium, the thermal sensitivity of the first medium and the conductivity of the second medium are used to complete the self-adjustment function of the conductivity of the filling part 42. It can automatically adjust the overall conductivity of the filling part 42 according to the temperature change of the surrounding environment after contact with human skin, thereby more effectively completing the repair process of the conductivity of the electrode part 31, improving the user experience of using the flexible sensor 100, and providing a guarantee for the sustainable use of the electrode part 31.

[0074] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figures 6 to 9 The electrode portion 31 includes a first sub-portion 31a and a second sub-portion 31b stacked together. One of the first sub-portion 31a and the second sub-portion 31b is connected to the signal processing layer 20. The second sub-portion 31b has a lower hardness than the first sub-portion 31a and both are conductive.

[0075] Optionally, the first sub-part 31a is connected to the signal processing layer 20, and the second sub-part 31b is disposed on the side of the first sub-part 31a away from the signal processing layer 20. The first sub-part 31a can be made of rigid material, and the second sub-part 31b can be made of flexible material. Both need to be made to be conductive.

[0076] In this embodiment, the flexible sensor 100 is often subjected to bending and crushing operations. In order to reduce the risk of cracks in the electrode part 31, the flexibility of the second sub-part 31b is used to form a buffer protection for the electrode part 31. The second sub-part 31b can absorb some of the bending stress, thereby fundamentally reducing the possibility of cracks in the electrode part 31.

[0077] Optionally, the first sub-part 31a can be a radial rigid high-conductivity main framework, whose main function is to transmit current. It is composed of laser-induced graphene (LIG) or metal nanowires with a linewidth of 10-20 μm and a radial wire angle of 5°-15°. The second sub-part 31b can be a ring-shaped hyperelastic sub-framework used to connect the gaps in the main framework of the first sub-part 31a. It is composed of a hyperelastic composite material such as liquid metal and silicone (tensile strength > 500%), which can absorb local strain energy, confine the cracks in the first sub-part 31a within micron-scale units, maintain local conductivity, and suppress their propagation from the structural source.

[0078] It is understandable that the first sub-part 31a in the electrode part 31 is prone to cracking. The second sub-part 31b, which is stacked on the first sub-part 31a, can not only buffer the entire electrode part 31, but also continue to conduct electricity at the broken part of the first sub-part 31a, thus avoiding the situation of partial power failure in the first sub-part 31a. The second sub-part 31b can also carry current, thereby avoiding the broken part of the first sub-part 31a, so that the entire electrode part 31 always has conductivity.

[0079] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By setting the electrode portion 31 in a stacked structure of a first sub-part 31a and a second sub-part 31b, the overall flexibility of the electrode portion 31 is improved while retaining its rigidity and conductivity. This allows for timely buffering of bending of the electrode portion 31, releasing stress and preventing local stress concentration from the source. This provides better protection for the electrode portion 31, reduces the risk of crack propagation, and ensures the conductivity of the electrode portion 31 at all times, thus improving the overall service life of the flexible sensor 100.

[0080] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 10The second sub-part 31b includes a buffer body 1 and a connector 2. The connector 2 surrounds the buffer body 1. The hardness of the buffer body 1 is less than that of the first sub-part 31a. The second sub-part 31b is connected to the first sub-part 31a through the connector 2. The connector 2 is conductive.

[0081] This embodiment further defines the specific structure of the second sub-part 31b, which is formed by the adapter 2 surrounding the buffer body 1. Optionally, the buffer body 1 may be made of silicone material, and the adapter 2 may be made of liquid metal coating. That is to say, the flexibility of the second sub-part 31b is provided by the buffer body 1, and the conductivity of the second sub-part 31b is provided by the adapter 2. This application does not impose any special limitation on the specific structure of the second sub-part 31b, as long as it can meet the requirements of hardness and conductivity of the second sub-part 31b.

[0082] Optionally, for the molding of the second sub-part 31b, a conductive coating of liquid metal for the adapter 2 is fabricated on the outer surface of the silicone layer of the cured or semi-cured buffer 1, avoiding the problem of poor conductivity in the mixed fabrication process. Furthermore, the electrode part 31 can be formed by laser direct writing onto a PI substrate to create the main framework of the LIG first sub-part 31a; then, the secondary mesh of the second sub-part 31b is obtained by screen printing the liquid metal hyperelastic composite material, resulting in the final electrode part 31 structure.

[0083] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By setting the second sub-part 31b as a buffer body 1 and an adapter body 2, the flexibility and elasticity of the second sub-part 31b are ensured, as well as its conductivity, thus meeting the requirement of conductive connection with the first sub-part 31a. This not only fundamentally alleviates the problem of easy breakage of the electrode part 31, but also ensures the conductivity effectiveness of the electrode part 31 at all times, making the flexible sensor 100 have better application effects and service life.

[0084] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figures 6 to 9 The first sub-part 31a includes a plurality of conductors 31c, at least partially connected and having gaps between them, and the second sub-part 31b is at least connected between adjacent conductors 31c and its orthographic projection on the substrate 10 is located in the gap.

[0085] Optionally, the multiple conductors 31c in the first sub-part 31a are made of rigid material. Connecting the multiple conductors 31c to each other not only makes the whole part conductive, but also disperses stress by utilizing the gaps between them, avoiding stress concentration and helping to mitigate the risk of breakage of the electrode part 31.

[0086] In this embodiment, a second sub-part 31b needs to be connected in the gap between multiple conductors 31c. The second sub-part 31b can not only use its own elasticity and flexibility to buffer the bending of the electrode part 31, but also use its own conductivity to conduct electricity to adjacent conductors 31c, so as to prevent the problem of power failure after the conductor 31c cracks.

[0087] For example, when the electrode part 31 is repeatedly bent on the main skeleton of the conductor 31c of the first sub-part 31a and microcracks are generated, the force at the crack is transferred to the superelastic material of the sub-skeleton of the nearby second sub-part 31b. Since the superelastic material has excellent tensile properties, the conductivity is basically unaffected. At the same time, through the function of the self-repairing layer 40 triggered by body temperature, the cracks of the main skeleton of the first sub-part 31a of the electrode part 31 are repaired by the filling part 42, thereby improving the overall bending life.

[0088] Optional, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the electrode section 31 can be configured such that one end of a plurality of conductors 31c is connected to a single point and the other end extends in a direction away from each other. That is, the first sub-section 31a can be configured as a radial structure, which is beneficial for releasing bending stress. The conductors 31c can be composed of laser-induced graphene (LIG) or metal nanowires with a line width of 10-20 μm and a radial conductor angle of 5°-15°. The second sub-section 31b includes a spiral structure or a concentric ring structure. The above-mentioned structure of the second sub-section 31b can effectively connect the gaps between adjacent conductors 31c, which not only helps to improve the overall buffering performance of the electrode section 31, but also ensures the conductivity between adjacent conductors 31c, thereby extending the service life of the electrode section 31. This application does not make special limitations on the specific structure of the second sub-section 31b, as long as it meets the above-mentioned requirements for conductivity and buffering.

[0089] Optional, such as Figure 8 As shown, another structural form of electrode part 31 is provided. In this case, multiple conductors 31c are connected in a spiral shape, and the second sub-part 31b is inserted in the gap between adjacent conductors 31c. The whole also forms a spiral structure. This application does not make special limitations on the specific connection angle and positional relationship between the second sub-part 31b and the conductors 31c, as long as the insertion requirements of the second sub-part 31b are met.

[0090] Optional, such as Figure 9As shown, multiple conductors 31c can also intersect to form a grid structure. The grid space between them can also release stress in time. The second sub-part 31b intersects obliquely in the above-mentioned grid structure to fully cover the multiple conductors 31c. The specific intersection angle can be referenced by the top corner of the grid. This application does not make any special limitation on the specific structural form of the first sub-part 31a. The first sub-part 31a can be set into a variety of different stress relief structures according to the requirements.

[0091] It is understandable that, regardless of the specific structure of the electrode part 31, it needs to correspond with the filling part 42 in the upper and lower self-healing layers 40 so that the filling part 42 can form sufficient contact with the electrode part 31, mainly with the first sub-part 31a, to ensure that the filling part 42 can be used to connect and conduct the electrode part 31 in time when a break occurs at the position of the electrode part 31. For example, when the size of the electrode part 31 of the above different structural types is large, it is necessary to appropriately increase the coverage area of ​​the filling part 42 to correspond with the electrode part 31. This application does not make any special limitation on the specific area and size of the electrode part 31 and the filling part 42.

[0092] This application provides a flexible sensor 100. By configuring the first sub-part 31a as a structure of multiple conductors 31c, gaps are formed between them, which helps to release bending stress. At the same time, the second sub-part 31b is connected in the gap, which not only improves the overall buffering capacity, but also ensures the overall conductivity of the electrode part 31, fundamentally delaying the generation of cracks in the electrode part 31, and providing a reliable guarantee for the safety performance of the flexible sensor 100.

[0093] This application provides a motion sensing device, including the flexible sensor 100 as described in any of the preceding claims. Optionally, the motion sensing device can be a device for interpreting human movement intentions, such as devices in the fields of rehabilitation medicine, prosthetic limb control, and human-computer interaction.

[0094] This application provides a flexible sensor and a motion sensing device. By setting a self-healing layer in the flexible sensor, the filling portion in the self-healing layer is made conductive and correspondingly connected to the electrode portion in the electrode layer. When the electrode portion is cracked or broken, it can be connected through the filling portion in contact with it. That is, the filling portion is used to connect the broken position of the electrode portion, thereby restoring the overall conductivity of the broken electrode portion, reducing the failure risk after the electrode portion breaks, and timely repairing the conductivity of the electrode portion. This ensures the effective transmission of the acquired electrical signal, extends the overall service life of the flexible sensor, and makes it have better safety performance, providing a reliable guarantee for the safe and stable operation of the flexible sensor. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0095] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flexible sensor, characterized in that, include: Base; A signal processing layer is disposed on one side of the substrate; An electrode layer is disposed on the side of the signal processing layer opposite to the substrate, and the electrode layer includes an electrode portion connected to the signal processing layer; A self-healing layer is disposed on at least one side of the electrode layer in its thickness direction. The self-healing layer includes a fixing part and a filling part. The fixing part encloses a repair cavity and the filling part is disposed in the repair cavity. The filling part is conductive. The orthographic projection of the filling part on the substrate overlaps at least partially with the orthographic projection of the electrode part on the substrate. The filling part is capable of being connected to the electrode part.

2. The flexible sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of electrode portions is multiple, and the multiple electrode portions are arranged at intervals between each other. The fixing portion surrounds and forms multiple repair cavities, and each repair cavity is provided with a filling portion. Each filling portion is provided in the thickness direction corresponding to each electrode portion. The orthographic projection of the electrode portion onto the substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the filling portion onto the substrate.

3. The flexible sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plurality of electrode portions are arranged at intervals in a first direction and a second direction respectively. The self-healing layer includes a plurality of first fixing portions and a plurality of second fixing portions. The plurality of first fixing portions extend along the first direction and are spaced apart in the second direction. The plurality of second fixing portions extend along the second direction and are spaced apart in the first direction. The first fixing portions and the second fixing portions intersect and enclose to form the repair cavity. The plurality of electrode portions are arranged in an array, the self-healing layer includes a rectangular grid structure, and the filling portion is disposed in the rectangular grid of the self-healing layer.

4. The flexible sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible sensor includes a first self-healing layer and a second self-healing layer. The first self-healing layer is disposed between the electrode layer and the signal processing layer, and the second self-healing layer is disposed on the side of the electrode layer opposite to the first self-healing layer. Preferably, the flexible sensor further includes a protective layer disposed on the side of the substrate opposite to the signal processing layer, and the hardness of the protective layer is greater than that of the substrate; Preferably, the flexible sensor further includes an encapsulation layer disposed on the side of the second self-healing layer opposite to the electrode layer, and the encapsulation layer covers the second self-healing layer.

5. The flexible sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filling portion of the second self-healing layer is provided with a through hole that penetrates itself, and a portion of the electrode portion is exposed at the through hole; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the electrode portion on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the through hole on the substrate are both circular, and the radial dimension of the through hole is smaller than the radial dimension of the electrode portion; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the through hole on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the electrode portion on the substrate.

6. The flexible sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filling portion includes a first medium and a second medium, the first medium surrounds the second medium, the first medium is thermosensitive and the second medium is conductive, the first medium is configured to drive the second medium to gather or disperse, and the filling portion is connected to the electrode portion through the second medium; Preferably, the first medium comprises a thermosensitive hydrogel, and the second medium comprises metal nanoparticles.

7. The flexible sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode portion includes a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion stacked together. One of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion is connected to the signal processing layer. The hardness of the second sub-portion is less than that of the first sub-portion, and both are conductive. Preferably, the first sub-part is connected to the signal processing layer, and the second sub-part is disposed on the side of the first sub-part opposite to the signal processing layer.

8. The flexible sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second sub-part includes a buffer body and a connector body. The connector body surrounds the buffer body. The hardness of the buffer body is less than that of the first sub-part. The second sub-part is connected to the first sub-part through the connector body. The connector body is conductive. The buffer body is made of silicone, and the adapter body has a liquid metal coating.

9. The flexible sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first sub-part includes a plurality of conductors, which are at least partially connected and have gaps between them, and the second sub-part is at least connected between adjacent conductors and its orthographic projection on the substrate is located in the gaps.

10. A motion sensing device, characterized in that, Including the flexible sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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