Fabric sensor and method and apparatus for manufacturing same

Abstract

The invention discloses a fabric sensor. The fabric sensor comprises carrier cloth; the electrode assemblies are arranged on the carrier cloth, each electrode assembly comprises an electrode top-layer base material, a pressure-sensitive material, an electrode and an electrode bottom-layer base material which are sequentially stacked, and the electrode comprises two electrode parts which are arranged on the same surface of the electrode bottom-layer base material and are separated from each other; the wire layer is arranged between the pressure-sensitive materials of the electrode assemblies and the electrodes, the wire layer comprises a first wire set and a second wire set, and one electrode part of each electrode is electrically connected with one first wire in the first wire set; and the other electrode part of each electrode is electrically connected with one second lead in the second lead set. A corresponding method for manufacturing the fabric sensor, an apparatus and a cushion comprising the fabric sensor are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of flexible sensor technology, and more specifically, to a fabric sensor, a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same, and a cushion comprising the fabric sensor. Background Technology

[0002] As a crucial area that occupants spend a significant amount of time in, the automotive cabin places stringent demands on the performance of flexible pressure sensors. On one hand, the sensors must possess excellent durability to withstand long-term, frequent pressure changes; on the other hand, to adapt to large-scale applications, their manufacturing processes must also meet the requirements of cost control and high production efficiency. Therefore, how to rapidly develop and mass-produce a flexible pressure sensor that combines high reliability, excellent mechanical properties, and reasonable cost has become a key technological challenge in the design of intelligent automotive cabins.

[0003] Some existing fabric sensors use a wire-crossing structure to form pressure sensing points, but the measurement area of ​​this structure is usually limited to a small contact area. This point-contact design is prone to uneven stress distribution under force, resulting in large fluctuations in the measurement signal, poor repeatability, and difficulty in meeting the requirements of high accuracy. In addition, in order to maintain the soft feel of the fabric surface, the water-resistant layer on the sensor surface is often made very thin (e.g., less than 0.06 mm), which sacrifices its waterproof performance to some extent.

[0004] In view of this, it is desirable to provide an improved fabric sensor. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, some concepts that will be further described in the following detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a fabric sensor is provided, comprising: a carrier fabric; a plurality of electrode assemblies disposed on the carrier fabric, each electrode assembly comprising, in sequence, a top electrode substrate, a pressure-sensitive material, an electrode, and a bottom electrode substrate, wherein the electrode comprises two electrode portions spaced apart from each other disposed on the same surface of the bottom electrode substrate; and a wire layer disposed between the pressure-sensitive material and the electrodes of the plurality of electrode assemblies, the wire layer comprising a first wire set and a second wire set, wherein one electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a first wire in the first wire set, and the other electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a second wire in the second wire set.

[0007] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first wire set and the second wire set have one or more intersections, and the fabric sensor further includes insulating material disposed at each intersection.

[0008] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate of each electrode assembly completely encapsulate the corresponding pressure-sensitive material and electrode, and both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of waterproof material.

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the two electrode portions of each electrode are interdigitated structures and are distributed in a mirror-image staggered manner.

[0010] According to a further embodiment of the invention, each electrode assembly has wiring independent of the first and second conductor sets.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the fabric sensor further includes a top waterproof layer and a bottom waterproof layer located on the top and bottom surfaces of the fabric sensor, respectively.

[0012] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the pressure-sensitive material in each electrode assembly is fixed to the top electrode substrate by stitching or bonding, the electrode is glued to the bottom electrode substrate, and the top electrode substrate is fused to the bottom electrode substrate by hot pressing or ultrasonic welding.

[0013] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, both the first wire assembly and the second wire assembly are made of conductive fiber wires and are fixed to the corresponding electrodes by stitching.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the carrier fabric is a non-woven fabric or a woven fabric with an elongation between 10% and 20%, and both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of high-density woven fabric with an elongation of less than 1% for the bottom electrode substrate.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing the aforementioned fabric sensor is provided, comprising: fixing a pressure-sensitive material of each electrode assembly to the lower surface of a corresponding electrode top substrate; fixing an electrode of each electrode assembly to the upper surface of a corresponding electrode bottom substrate and fixing the lower surface of the electrode bottom substrate to a carrier fabric; arranging a wire layer on the electrodes of a plurality of electrode assemblies, the wire layer comprising a first wire set and a second wire set, wherein one electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a first wire in the first wire set, and another electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a second wire in the second wire set; and fixing the electrode top substrate of each electrode assembly together with the pressure-sensitive material to the carrier fabric, wherein the wire layer is located between the pressure-sensitive material and the electrodes of the plurality of electrode assemblies.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the first conductor set and the second conductor set have one or more intersections, and the method further includes: providing an insulating material at each intersection.

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate of each electrode assembly completely encapsulate the corresponding pressure-sensitive material and electrode, and both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of waterproof material.

[0018] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the two electrode portions of each electrode are interdigitated structures and are distributed in a mirror-image staggered manner.

[0019] According to a further embodiment of the invention, each electrode assembly has wiring independent of the first and second conductor sets.

[0020] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: providing a top surface waterproof layer on the top surface of the fabric sensor; and providing a bottom surface waterproof layer on the bottom surface of the fabric sensor.

[0021] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, both the first wire assembly and the second wire assembly are made of conductive fiber wires and are fixed to the corresponding electrodes by stitching.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing a fabric sensor is provided, comprising: a control unit; and an execution unit, wherein the control unit is configured to send instructions to the execution unit to cause the execution unit to perform the aforementioned method for manufacturing a fabric sensor.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, a cushion is provided that includes the aforementioned fabric sensor.

[0024] These and other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The features, essence, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which provide a detailed description. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are consistently used. It should be noted that the described drawings are schematic and non-limiting. Some components in the drawings may be enlarged and are not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electrode structure of a fabric sensor in the prior art.

[0027] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the electrode assembly of a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a plan view of a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is an exemplary flowchart of a method for manufacturing a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 This is an exemplary block diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a view of a cushion including a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of this disclosure. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Furthermore, the various aspects described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0034] For resistive sensing textiles, the sensing mechanism is mainly based on the change in resistance under external force. When an external force is applied, the internal resistance of the yarn changes or the contact resistance between the yarns changes, and these changes in resistance can cause changes in the measured resistance. Contact resistance refers to the resistance between two physically contacting conductors. According to Holm's theory, for two contacting bodies, the contact resistance can be expressed as formula (1): (1) in, This represents the contact resistance between two contacting objects; H and H represent the resistivity and hardness of the objects, respectively (assuming the two objects are made of the same material); n represents the number of contact points in the contact area (on a macroscopic scale, the contact surface is actually composed of many individual contact points); F represents the applied contact force. This represents a constant parameter.

[0035] As shown in equation (1), the contact resistance is inversely proportional to the contact force F and the number of contacts n. As external pressure is applied to the resistive sensing textile, the contact force F and the number of contacts n increase, and the contact resistance decreases accordingly. By accurately measuring the contact resistance, the corresponding external pressure can be determined.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electrode structure of a fabric sensor in the prior art.

[0037] Some existing fabric sensors use an electrode structure composed of intersecting wires, with the intersection points formed by the orthogonal directions of the warp and weft threads, thus creating pressure points. For example... Figure 1 As shown in the upper part 1(a), the electrode structure of the prior art fabric sensor includes a top wire electrode, a bottom wire electrode, and a pressure-sensitive material, wherein the top wire electrode extends along the warp direction and the bottom wire electrode extends along the weft direction, thereby forming intersections that constitute pressure-sensitive points. During measurement, the corresponding pressure is determined by measuring the resistance at each pressure-sensitive point.

[0038] In existing fabric sensors, the top and bottom conductive electrodes are sewn onto the pressure-sensitive material using thread. For example... Figure 1 As shown in the lower half of 1(b), the intersections are stitched with thread, resulting in a small contact area and the influence of the thread. The contact area is typically only 1 mm². The conductor is only 1mm in size, so uneven force distribution during measurement can lead to measurement errors. Furthermore, the presence of sewing threads on the conductor surface causes uneven force distribution, resulting in poor repeatability under the same load and making it unsuitable for scenarios requiring high-precision measurements.

[0039] In addition, because fabric sensors need to keep their surfaces soft, the thickness of the surface water-resistant layer is generally small, less than 0.06 mm. The membrane has high water permeability, which leads to poor water resistance of fabric sensors.

[0040] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art, this invention proposes an improved fabric sensor. The original electrode structure of the fabric sensor is improved, and a new electrode structure is designed. This electrode structure can increase the contact area and improve the waterproof performance by increasing the local thickness.

[0041] The following will combine Figures 2-7 Detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention is provided below. For ease of distinction and description, the electrode structure proposed in this invention will be referred to as an "electrode assembly" to differentiate it from the simple "electrode structure" of traditional cross-wiring. Accordingly, Figure 2A schematic diagram of the electrode assembly of a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown in the upper part 2(a), the electrode assembly of the present invention includes a top electrode substrate 202, a pressure-sensitive material 204, an electrode 206, and a bottom electrode substrate 208 stacked sequentially. As can be seen from the figure, the electrode includes two electrode portions spaced apart from each other.

[0043] In various embodiments of the present invention, the two electrode portions of the electrode are disposed on the same surface of the electrode substrate, such as... Figure 2 The lower half, 2(b), is shown. Specifically, the electrodes in the electrode assembly can be glued to the upper surface of the corresponding electrode substrate. The lower surface of the electrode substrate can then be fixed to the carrier fabric ( Figure 2 (Not shown in the image). Next, conductive fibers can be sewn onto the electrodes, thereby stitching the two electrode portions together with the electrode substrate. Alternatively, pressure-sensitive material can be fixed to the lower surface of the electrode top substrate by stitching or bonding, and the electrode top substrate can be fused to the electrode bottom substrate by hot pressing or ultrasonic welding.

[0044] also, Figure 2 The diagram also shows that each electrode portion of electrode 206 has an interdigitated structure, and the two electrode portions are staggered in a mirror-like arrangement. This layout makes the overall electrode layout flat and compact, and effectively expands the conductive area of ​​the electrode. Specifically, the interdigitated structure not only maximizes the contact area of ​​the electrode without increasing the external size of the electrode, but also distributes stress evenly under force, avoiding measurement errors caused by local stress concentration. The mirror-like staggered arrangement of the two electrode portions further ensures that the change in contact area between the two electrodes under pressure is more uniform and predictable, thereby improving the sensor's response characteristics and measurement stability. In addition, this structural design is also conducive to achieving higher positioning accuracy and consistency during manufacturing, making it suitable for high-precision mass production.

[0045] It should be understood that, although Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a single-fingered structure and a mirrored misaligned distribution of electrodes, but this is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation of the invention. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can select multi-fingered structures (e.g., bifingered or trifingered structures) or other suitable electrode structures, such as serpentine, grid, or wavy continuous or discontinuous structures, based on specific design requirements, manufacturing processes, and application scenarios. Furthermore, the distribution of the two electrode portions can be non-mirrorized, asymmetrical, or other spatial arrangements, as long as effective spacing between the electrode portions is achieved and good electrical and mechanical properties are maintained.

[0046] In the electrode assembly of the present invention, the pressure-sensitive material completely covers both electrode portions. The entire area covered by the pressure-sensitive material constitutes the effective pressure-sensitive area. This design ensures that regardless of where an external force is applied to the electrode assembly, as long as the pressure can be transmitted to the pressure-sensitive material, a change in resistance will occur and be detected by both electrode portions. Therefore, the electrode assembly of the present invention can achieve a wider range and more stable pressure sensing.

[0047] The electrode assembly formed in this way has a very smooth surface, resulting in uniform force during measurement. At the same time, the contact method changes from point contact in existing technologies to surface contact, greatly improving measurement repeatability.

[0048] In some embodiments, the electrode substrate can be made of a material with high hardness to ensure that no bending deformation occurs locally.

[0049] In some embodiments, the top electrode substrate 202 and the bottom electrode substrate 208 of the electrode assembly can both be made of waterproof material, completely encapsulating the corresponding pressure-sensitive material 204 and the electrode 206. In this way, the local thickness can be increased, thereby improving the waterproof performance.

[0050] Through the optimized design of the electrode structure described above, not only has a fundamental shift in contact method from point contact to surface contact been achieved, effectively solving the core problems of uneven stress and poor repeatability in traditional structures, but also, through the full-encapsulation design of the pressure-sensitive material and electrodes by the top and bottom electrode substrates, the local structural thickness and waterproof performance are significantly improved while ensuring the soft touch of the fabric sensor surface. To further improve the overall functionality and usability of the fabric sensor, this invention also systematically integrates the overall structure of the fabric sensor, as described below. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The complete composition of the fabric sensor and the structure of each component are described in detail.

[0051] Figure 3 A plan view of a fabric sensor 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0052] from Figure 3 As can be seen, the fabric sensor 300 mainly includes carrier fabric 302, electrode bottom substrate 304, electrode 306, pressure-sensitive material 308, electrode top substrate 310, first wire assembly 312, insulating material 314, second wire assembly 316, bottom waterproof layer 318, top waterproof layer 320, ventilation hole 322, insulating reinforcement layer 324, riveting point 326, conductive material 328, and wire harness 330.

[0053] To gain a more intuitive understanding of the components of the fabric sensor 300, Figure 4 A perspective view of the fabric sensor is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 4 An exploded three-dimensional diagram is used for ease of reading and understanding. The spacing and layering order of the components in the diagram are only for clearly demonstrating their structure and do not constitute a limitation on their actual spatial location, thickness, or interlayer distance. Some components may be coplanar, partially overlapping, or integrally molded in the actual product. For example, the bottom electrode substrate and the carrier fabric, or the top waterproof layer and the top electrode substrate, may be tightly bonded together due to heat pressing or gluing. Therefore, Figure 4 The interlayer separation state shown should not be interpreted as a limitation on the fabric sensor structure of the present invention.

[0054] In various embodiments of the present invention, the carrier fabric 302 is a non-woven or woven fabric with a certain degree of elasticity. The elongation of the carrier fabric 302 is between 10% and 20%. Both the electrode bottom substrate 304 and the electrode top substrate 310 are made of high-density woven fabric, and the elongation of the electrode bottom substrate is less than 1%.

[0055] The first conductor set 312 includes multiple first conductors, and one electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to one of the first conductors in the first conductor set 312. The second conductor set 316 includes multiple second conductors, and another electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to one of the second conductors in the second conductor set 316. For example, the first conductor set 312 may be made of conductive fiber optic wire, routed in a linear fashion, thereby connecting to one electrode portion of the electrode (e.g., ...). Figure 2 The second conductor assembly 316 can be made of conductive fiber wire, which is routed in a linear fashion to form a conductive path with the other electrode portion (e.g., the right electrode portion closer to the right side of the electrode). Figure 2 The left electrode portion (closer to the left side) is connected to form a conductive path.

[0056] In some cases, the first wire set 312 and the second wire set 316 have one or more intersections. In such cases, the fabric sensor 300 may include insulating material 314 disposed at each intersection, thereby insulating the first wire set 312 and the second wire set 316 from each other at the intersection.

[0057] When there is no intersection between the first wire assembly 312 and the second wire assembly 316, the fabric sensor 300 does not need to be equipped with insulating material. In this way, costs can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first wire assembly 312 and the second wire assembly 316 are both made of conductive fiber wires and are fixed to the electrode 306 of the corresponding electrode assembly by stitching.

[0059] In various embodiments of the present invention, each electrode assembly is independent of the wiring routing of the first wire assembly 312 and the second wire assembly 316. This means that the electrode assembly and the wire layer are designed separately, with the electrode only electrically connected to the corresponding wire through designated connection points, and the routing and layout of the wires are not limited by the shape of the electrode. This independent routing design can effectively reduce crosstalk during signal transmission and improve the electrical isolation between sensing points. At the same time, it is also beneficial to optimize wiring space and avoid mechanical stress concentration or local thickness increase caused by wire crossing or overlapping. In addition, this design improves flexibility, allowing the electrode layout and wire path to be adjusted according to the actual application scenario, and can adapt to different installation spaces and functional requirements. Furthermore, independent routing also facilitates subsequent maintenance and troubleshooting; even if individual wires are damaged, they can be repaired or replaced individually without affecting the integrity of the overall electrode assembly.

[0060] The bottom waterproof layer 318 and the top waterproof layer 320 are located on the bottom and top surfaces of the fabric sensor 300, respectively. In some embodiments, the bottom waterproof layer 318 and the top waterproof layer 320 may be made of TPU or other suitable waterproof materials.

[0061] In some embodiments, one or more ventilation holes 322 may also be arranged between the electrode assemblies. The design of the ventilation holes helps improve the breathability and heat dissipation performance of the fabric sensor, avoiding localized heat accumulation or moisture retention due to prolonged pressure or changes in ambient temperature and humidity, thereby enhancing the user comfort and long-term stability of the fabric sensor. It should be understood that... Figure 3 The ventilation hole layout shown is merely an illustrative example, and its location, number, and size are not intended to limit the invention. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust the arrangement of the ventilation holes according to specific application scenarios, sensor sizes, installation locations, and environmental requirements to achieve better ventilation and heat dissipation.

[0062] A connection area is also provided at the edge of the fabric sensor 300, through which all wires of the first wire assembly 312 and the second wire assembly 316 are connected to the external component 332. Specifically, the connection area includes an insulating reinforcement layer 324, a riveting point 326, a conductive material 328, and a wire harness 330. The conductive material 328 is disposed on the surface of the insulating reinforcement layer 324, and the riveting point 326 is fixed to the surface of the conductive material 328 by cold pressing.

[0063] It should be noted that, Figure 3 The specific structure of the connection area shown (including the insulation reinforcement layer, riveting points, conductive materials, and wire harness components) is merely an exemplary embodiment, intended to clearly demonstrate the connection mechanism between the wire and external components. In actual design and manufacturing, the implementation of the connection area is not limited to... Figure 3The structure is shown in the figure. For example, the connection method can adopt various electrical connection methods such as welding, plugging, spring contacts, and conductive adhesive bonding; the insulation and fixing structure can also be adapted to the actual use environment, assembly process and reliability requirements. Therefore, those skilled in the art can make reasonable changes to the specific composition and implementation of the connection area without departing from the concept of the present invention.

[0064] External component 332 is a signal acquisition, processing, or transmission module for the fabric sensor, used to receive and process signals from the electrode assembly and convert them into pressure data that can be recognized by the user or system. In practical applications, external components may include, but are not limited to: (1) a connector for achieving a reliable electrical connection between the fabric sensor and the subsequent processing device; (2) a signal processing module for converting the analog resistance signal output by the electrode into a digital signal and performing noise suppression and signal enhancement; and (3) a communication module for transmitting data to other devices and / or systems.

[0065] Through the reliable connection between the connection area and the external component 332, the fabric sensor of the present invention can achieve efficient conversion from physical pressure to usable data and be flexibly integrated into various systems to meet the functional requirements of various scenarios.

[0066] The fabric sensor of this invention, through structural optimization and material improvement, achieves significant improvements in several key performance indicators compared to existing fabric sensors: (1) Significantly improved measurement repeatability: Traditional point contact sensors have a small contact area and uneven force distribution, resulting in a measurement repeatability error of less than 20%. This invention effectively expands the contact area of ​​the pressure sensing region by changing the point contact to a surface contact structure, making the force distribution more uniform, thereby improving the repeatability to less than 5% and significantly enhancing the consistency and reliability of the measurement.

[0067] (2) Significantly enhanced water resistance: In the point contact structure, the most prominent point is the weakest point during encapsulation, resulting in a liquid permeability of up to 5% within 4 hours. This invention effectively blocks liquid permeation without increasing the overall thickness by increasing the local thickness of each electrode component, thereby reducing the overall permeability to 1‰.

[0068] (3) Improved single-point accuracy and anti-crosstalk capability: In traditional processes, electrodes and conductors use the same material for through-line routing, which easily causes signal crosstalk between points, with a crosstalk rate of about 10%. This invention adopts an independent routing design, with the electrode assembly and conductors being independent of each other, effectively suppressing signal interference and controlling the crosstalk between points to below 2%, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of single-point measurement.

[0069] (4) Flexible material selection and excellent durability: Unlike conventional printed electrode processes, the fabric sensor of this invention allows for the use of different materials for the electrodes and wires. For example, the wires can be made of materials with excellent durability and tensile strength, such as stainless steel composite fibers, which are far superior to the silver fibers used in traditional printing. They can maintain stable performance under long-term use and mechanical stress, thus extending the service life of the sensor.

[0070] These improvements make the fabric sensor of the present invention particularly suitable for applications requiring high water resistance, measurement repeatability, and long-term reliability, such as pressure monitoring in automotive cabins.

[0071] Figure 5 This is an exemplary flowchart of a method 500 for manufacturing a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fabric sensor may be as described above. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The fabric sensor described.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown, method 500 begins at step 505. In step 505, the pressure-sensitive material of each electrode assembly is fixed to the lower surface of the corresponding electrode top substrate.

[0073] For example, pressure-sensitive material can be fixed to the lower surface of the electrode top substrate by stitching or bonding.

[0074] In step 510, the electrode of each electrode assembly is fixed to the upper surface of the corresponding electrode substrate and the lower surface of the electrode substrate is fixed to the carrier fabric.

[0075] For example, electrodes can be fixed to the upper surface of the corresponding electrode substrate using adhesive bonding. The lower surface of the electrode substrate can be fixed to the carrier fabric using adhesive bonding or stitching. Before fixing the lower surface of the electrode substrate to the carrier fabric, the positions on the carrier fabric where the electrode assemblies will be placed can be designed. Then, the lower surface of the electrode substrate can be fixed to the corresponding positions on the carrier fabric where the electrode assemblies will be placed.

[0076] In step 515, a wire layer is arranged on the electrodes of the plurality of electrode assemblies. The wire layer includes a first wire set and a second wire set, and one electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a first wire in the first wire set, and the other electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a second wire in the second wire set.

[0077] As mentioned above, both the first and second conductor sets can be made of conductive fiber wires and routed in a guided manner, then fixed to the corresponding electrodes by stitching, thereby connecting with the corresponding electrode portions of the electrodes to form a conductive path. For example, the first conductor set can be connected to one electrode portion of the electrode (e.g., ...). Figure 2 The right electrode portion (closer to the right side) is electrically connected, and the second set of wires can be connected to the other electrode portion (e.g., Figure 2 The left electrode portion (closer to the left side) is electrically connected. Of course, the above connection method is merely an example and not a limitation. In practice, the first set of wires can also be connected to... Figure 2 The left electrode portion is electrically connected, and the second wire assembly can also be connected to... Figure 2 The right electrode portion is electrically connected.

[0078] When arranging the conductor layers, the first and second conductor assemblies can be fixed to the electrodes using conductive fiber threads (such as stainless steel composite fibers) through sewing. The electrode material can be pure nickel composite fiber, whose excellent oxidation resistance and conductivity ensure stable signal transmission. The sewing thread used in the sewing process can be made of polyester, which has high tensile strength and abrasion resistance, making it suitable for long-term fixation of textile structures.

[0079] Before routing the wires in the first and second wire sets, the wire paths can be planned first to minimize wire crossings between the two sets. For example, if the number of electrode components is small and they are widely distributed with large intervals between them, this space can be fully utilized for separate routing, thereby avoiding wire crossings. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Taking the wiring method shown as an example, the first set of conductors can extend from each electrode assembly to the right side of the carrier fabric, and then extend downwards to the connection area; the second set of conductors extends directly downwards from each electrode assembly to the bottom of the carrier fabric and enters the connection area. Through this type of path planning, the wiring of all conductors can be completed without crossing.

[0080] If the electrode assemblies are densely arranged and numerous, or if the spacing between the electrode assemblies is small and space is limited, inevitably leading to intersections of the wires, insulation measures must be taken at the intersection locations. Specifically, insulating material (such as an insulating adhesive layer or insulating sheet) can be placed at each intersection to insulate the first wire assembly from the second wire assembly at the intersection, thereby avoiding signal interference or short circuits.

[0081] In step 520, the top electrode substrate of each electrode assembly, together with the pressure-sensitive material, is fixed to the carrier fabric, wherein the conductor layer is located between the pressure-sensitive material and the electrode of the multiple electrode assemblies.

[0082] In some embodiments, the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate can be fused together by hot pressing or ultrasonic welding, thereby fixing the top electrode substrate together with the pressure-sensitive material onto the carrier fabric.

[0083] In some embodiments, the top and bottom electrode substrates of each electrode assembly completely encapsulate the corresponding pressure-sensitive material and electrode, thereby increasing the local thickness at the electrode location. Simultaneously, both the top and bottom electrode substrates are made of waterproof material. This further enhances waterproof performance.

[0084] In some embodiments, method 500 may further include: providing a top surface waterproof layer on the top surface of the fabric sensor and providing a bottom surface waterproof layer on the bottom surface of the fabric sensor. Figure 5 (Not shown in the image).

[0085] In some embodiments, method 500 may further include: arranging one or more ventilation holes between the electrode assemblies. Figure 5 (Not shown in the image).

[0086] In some embodiments, method 500 may further include: setting a connection area at the edge of the fabric sensor, wherein all wires of the first wire set and the second wire set are connected to an external component through the connection area. Figure 5 (Not shown in the image).

[0087] It should be noted that Figure 5 The steps and their order shown are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. In actual manufacturing, those skilled in the art can adjust, combine, split, or omit the order of each step, or add other steps, depending on specific production conditions, material properties, or process requirements, as long as the fabric sensor structure of the present invention is ultimately obtained. For example, although... Figure 5 In this paper, step 505 is shown to be executed before step 510, but in practice, the execution order of these two steps can be switched or they can be executed simultaneously.

[0088] exist Figure 5 After the manufacturing process shown is completed, to facilitate the large-scale and automated implementation of the above steps, this invention further proposes a matching device. Accordingly, Figure 6 An exemplary block diagram of an apparatus 600 for manufacturing a fabric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0089] like Figure 6 As shown, device 600 may include control unit 605 and execution unit 610. Control unit 605 and execution unit 610 may be directly or indirectly connected to or communicate with each other on one or more buses 615.

[0090] In various embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 605 is configured to send instructions (e.g., via bus 615) to the execution unit 610 to cause the execution unit 610 to perform the aforementioned method 500 for manufacturing a fabric sensor.

[0091] Although Figure 6 The diagram illustrates specific units of device 600, but it should be understood that these units are merely exemplary and not limiting. In different implementations, one or more of these units may be combined, split, removed, or additional units may be added.

[0092] Figure 7 A view of a pad including a fabric sensor is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] As an example, Figure 7 The image shows a cushion in a car seat. Fabric sensors can be integrated into different functional areas of the seat, such as: a first fabric sensor 702 located in the headrest, a second fabric sensor 704 located in the backrest, a third fabric sensor 706 located in the side wing, a fourth fabric sensor 708 located in the seat cushion, and a fifth fabric sensor 710 located in the side wing of the seat cushion. These sensors can have different shapes and sizes (such as rectangular, elliptical, etc.) to adapt to the human contact characteristics and pressure distribution requirements of each area. For example, smaller sensors can be used in the headrest and side wing areas where the contact area is smaller; while larger sensors with denser electrode assembly can be arranged in the seat cushion and backrest areas where greater pressure is exerted and the contact area is wider.

[0094] It should be noted that, although Figure 7 The typical layout of fabric sensors in a cushion is illustrated using a car seat as an example, but the cushion of this invention is not limited to this application scenario. In practical applications, such cushions integrating fabric sensors are also suitable for other occasions requiring pressure distribution monitoring or interaction, such as smart mattresses, smart yoga mats, medical rehabilitation mats, etc. In different application scenarios, the number, shape, layout, and electrode assembly density of the fabric sensors can be flexibly adjusted according to specific functional requirements. Therefore, the fabric sensor of this invention and the cushion it constitutes not only have significant practical value in the automotive cabin scenario but can also be widely extended to multiple fields such as health monitoring, smart homes, and sports rehabilitation, demonstrating good universality and application prospects.

[0095] The detailed description above, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes examples but does not represent all examples that can be implemented or fall within the scope of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary" are used in this specification to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and do not imply "superiority or superiority over other examples."

[0096] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the use of these phrases may refer to more than one embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0097] It should be understood that any reference to elements in this document, such as "first" or "second," generally does not limit the number or order of these elements. Rather, these designations are used herein as a convenient way to distinguish two or more elements or instances of elements. Therefore, references to the first and second elements do not imply that only two elements are permitted or that the first element must somehow precede the second element.

[0098] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, and the universal principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be granted the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein references to the singular form of an element, unless specifically stated otherwise, are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents of the various aspects of the invention described throughout are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

[0099] It should also be noted that these embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as sequential processes, many of these operations can be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0100] While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and components described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements that will be apparent to those skilled in the art can be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A fabric sensor, comprising: Carrier fabric; Multiple electrode assemblies are arranged on the carrier fabric. Each electrode assembly includes a top electrode substrate, a pressure-sensitive material, an electrode, and a bottom electrode substrate stacked in sequence. The electrode includes two electrode portions spaced apart from each other and disposed on the same surface of the bottom electrode substrate. as well as A conductive layer is disposed between the pressure-sensitive material and the electrodes of the plurality of electrode assemblies. The conductive layer includes a first set of conductive wires and a second set of conductive wires. One electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a first conductive wire in the first set of conductive wires, and the other electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a second conductive wire in the second set of conductive wires.

2. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second sets of wires have one or more intersections, and the fabric sensor further includes insulating material disposed at each intersection.

3. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each electrode assembly has a top electrode substrate and a bottom electrode substrate that completely encapsulate the corresponding pressure-sensitive material and electrode, and both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of waterproof material.

4. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each electrode has two interdigitated portions that are misaligned in a mirror image.

5. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each electrode assembly has its own wiring independent of the first and second conductor sets.

6. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a top waterproof layer and a bottom waterproof layer located on the top and bottom surfaces of the fabric sensor, respectively.

7. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure-sensitive material in each electrode assembly is fixed to the top electrode substrate by stitching or bonding. The electrode is glued to the bottom electrode substrate. The top electrode substrate is fused to the bottom electrode substrate by hot pressing or ultrasonic welding.

8. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first and second wire sets are made of conductive fiber wires and are fixed to the corresponding electrodes by stitching.

9. The fabric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier fabric is a non-woven or woven fabric with an elongation between 10% and 20%. Both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of high-density woven fabric, and the elongation of the bottom electrode substrate is less than 1%.

10. A method for manufacturing a fabric sensor according to any one of claims 1-9, comprising: The pressure-sensitive material of each electrode assembly is fixed to the lower surface of the corresponding electrode top substrate; The electrodes of each electrode assembly are fixed to the upper surface of the corresponding electrode substrate, and the lower surface of the electrode substrate is fixed to the carrier fabric. A conductive layer is disposed on the electrodes of the plurality of electrode assemblies. The conductive layer includes a first set of conductive wires and a second set of conductive wires. One electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a first conductive wire in the first set of conductive wires, and the other electrode portion of each electrode is electrically connected to a second conductive wire in the second set of conductive wires. The electrode top substrate of each electrode assembly, together with the pressure-sensitive material, is fixed to the carrier fabric, wherein the conductive layer is located between the pressure-sensitive material and the electrode of the plurality of electrode assemblies.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first conductor set and the second conductor set have one or more intersections, and the method further includes: providing an insulating material at each intersection.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Each electrode assembly has a top electrode substrate and a bottom electrode substrate that completely encapsulate the corresponding pressure-sensitive material and electrode, and both the top electrode substrate and the bottom electrode substrate are made of waterproof material.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Each electrode has two interdigitated portions that are misaligned in a mirror image.

14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Each electrode assembly has its own wiring independent of the first and second conductor sets.

15. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: A top waterproof layer is provided on the top surface of the fabric sensor; as well as A waterproof layer is provided on the bottom surface of the fabric sensor.

16. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Both the first and second wire sets are made of conductive fiber wires and are fixed to the corresponding electrodes by stitching.

17. An apparatus for manufacturing a fabric sensor, comprising: Control unit; as well as An execution unit, wherein the control unit is configured to send instructions to the execution unit to cause the execution unit to perform the method of any one of claims 10-16.

18. A cushion comprising the fabric sensor according to any one of claims 1-9.

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