Pressure Sensor

Abstract

To provide a pressure sensor that can detect pressure, particularly a slight change in pressure of a fluid, and can also detect its flow direction.SOLUTION: A pressure sensor includes a pressure sensitive body and magnetic sensors. The pressure sensitive body is erected on the surface of the pressure sensor, and three or more magnetic sensors are arranged around the pressure sensitive body. The pressure sensitive body is an elongated elastic body having magnetic lines in a certain direction. The magnetic sensors detect deformation of the pressure sensitive body due to application of pressure as a change in magnetic field, thereby, a change in and a direction of pressure are detected. In addition, a pressure distribution sensor can be formed by arranging a plurality of pressure sensors in a matrix on a sheet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure sensor having the function of measuring the pressure of an air flow or liquid flow and detecting the direction of the flow, and to a pressure distribution sensor in which a plurality of such pressure sensors are arranged in a matrix. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a two-dimensional pressure distribution sensor capable of detecting minute pressure changes such as airflow is a pressure distribution sensor that is cut out of a flexible sheet, has multiple cantilever-type pressure sensors arranged on it, and detects pressure using a strain gauge formed on the cantilever support, as described in Patent Document 1. However, with a cantilever-type structure, it is not possible to detect the direction of the flow. Meanwhile, Non-Patent Document 1 reports an airflow sensor that detects the direction of airflow using artificial hair standing upright on a substrate. This sensor is structured so that when the artificial hair tilts due to wind pressure, one of the conductive channels of ionogel installed in three directions at the base of the artificial hair is compressed by the foot of the artificial hair's base, and the strength of the wind pressure and the direction of the airflow are detected from the change in conductivity of the ionogel channel due to compression. Ionogel is a gel containing ionic liquid, and it is necessary to apply an AC voltage to measure the resistance value. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the detection circuit is complicated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-135458 A [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Proceedings of 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (Robosoft) p.611-616(2019) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a pressure sensor that is capable of detecting pressure, in particular, detecting weak pressure changes in a fluid, and is also capable of detecting the direction of flow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present inventors have conducted extensive research and have been able to invent the following pressure sensor, etc. That is, the present invention relates to a pressure sensor, etc. having the following technical configuration.

[0007] [1] A pressure sensor including a pressure sensor and a magnetic sensor, the pressure sensor being characterized in that the pressure sensor is erected on a surface and three or more of the magnetic sensors are installed around the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is an elongated elastic body having magnetic field lines in a fixed direction. [2] The pressure sensor according to [1], characterized in that three or more of the magnetic sensors are installed on the same surface as the surface on which the pressure sensor is installed or on a surface separated by a certain gap. [3] The pressure sensor according to [1] or [2], wherein the magnetic sensor is a Hall element. [4] A pressure distribution sensor comprising a plurality of pressure sensors according to any one of [1] to [3] arranged in a matrix. [5] An operating device for an operating panel of an electronic device, comprising the pressure sensor according to any one of [1] to [3] or the pressure distribution sensor according to [4]. Effect of the Invention

[0008] In the pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention, the inclination of the elongated pressure sensor made of an elastic body containing a magnetized magnetic material due to an external force is detected by the magnetic sensor arranged around the pressure sensor through the change in the magnetic field, so that the pressure sensor and the magnetic sensor do not need to be in physical contact with each other. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1(b), even if the pressure sensor and the magnetic sensor are installed on different substrates and there is a space between the substrates, it can operate as long as the change in the magnetic field strength is within a detectable range. By utilizing this feature, for example, when detecting the flow of a liquid, it is possible to submerge only the pressure sensor in the liquid and install the magnetic sensor outside the vessel wall. In FIG. 4(a), the pressure sensor is attached to the inner wall of the reaction vessel and the magnetic sensor is installed outside the reaction vessel. Also, in FIG. 4(b), the pressure sensor is attached to the inner wall of the pipe. In this way, electrical components such as the magnetic sensor can be used without touching the liquid. In addition, by making the base material a flexible material, it is possible to attach it to a curved surface. For example, if it is used for the skin of a robot, it can be given the sense of touch and the ability to detect air currents and water currents.

[0009] Furthermore, this sensor can also be used for non-contact operation of the control panels of electronic devices such as computers and smartphones. The pressure distribution sensor can also detect the position of gas pressure changes (for example, when breathing), making it possible to use it as a non-contact touch sensor, which would allow you to move the cursor on a computer without using your hands. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2(a) is a three-dimensional view of a pressure sensor according to the present invention; (b) is a three-dimensional view of a pressure sensor in which a pressure sensor and a magnetic sensor are mounted on different substrates. [Diagram 2] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a change in a magnetic field vector and a change in a magnetic sensor output when a pressure sensitive body is deformed. [Diagram 3] A conceptual diagram showing the magnetic sensor output when four magnetic sensors are placed around a pressure sensor. (a) When a force is applied in the direction of magnetic sensor 3, (b) When a force is applied in the direction between magnetic sensors 3 and 4. [Figure 4] The pressure sensor and magnetic sensor are placed on different substrates, and the pressure sensor alone is placed in the liquid to monitor the flow rate and direction of the liquid. (a) shows an image of a stirring monitor in a reaction vessel, and (b) shows an image of a monitor of the flow rate and direction of the liquid in a pipe. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for reading the output voltage of a magnetic sensor. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure and dimensions of the body hair-type sensor produced in Example 1. [Figure 7] 1 shows evaluation data for the hair-type sensors produced in Examples 1 to 3. [Figure 8] 1 shows evaluation data for the hair-type sensor produced in Example 1. [Figure 9] 1 shows evaluation data for the hair-type sensor produced in Example 1. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a magnetic circuit used for magnetizing a pressure sensor that generates magnetic lines of force in all directions from the center line of the pressure sensor. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram showing a method for inserting a pressure sensitive element into a hole in the center of a magnetic circuit and magnetizing it. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an image of a non-contact user interface using a pressure sensor. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an image of a non-contact user interface using a pressure distribution sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The pressure sensor of the present invention is a pressure sensor including a pressure sensor and a magnetic sensor, and is characterized in that the pressure sensor is erected on a surface and three or more of the magnetic sensors are installed around the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is an elongated elastic body having magnetic lines of force in a fixed direction.

[0012] The pressure-sensitive body used in the present invention may be any self-supporting elongated shape with magnetic lines of force in a fixed direction, and may be of a fixed thickness, tapered, or of any complex shape. Rod or needle shapes are common, but the area of ​​the tip may be widened to increase the area that receives fluid pressure (wind pressure, water pressure, etc.), or a blade-like shape may be protruding. It may also be a hollow elongated body like a tube. An example of the pressure sensitive member is preferably a magnetic elastomer, but may also be a resilient magnetic wire.

[0013] The magnetic elastomer is an elastomer containing a magnetic filler, and examples of the magnetic filler include neodymium, ferrite, samarium cobalt, samarium-iron-nitrogen, etc. On the other hand, examples of the elastomer include silicone rubber, urethane rubber, natural rubber, chloroprene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, chlorinated polyethylene rubber, polyamide, polyethylene, etc.

[0014] The radiation direction of the magnetic field lines of the pressure sensitive body may be a magnetic field line oriented in a certain direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the elongated pressure sensitive body, and may be parallel to the longitudinal direction or at a certain angle, but is preferably a magnetic field line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Even if the magnetic field lines are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, it is most preferable that the magnetic field lines are oriented in all directions from the center line of the pressure sensitive body rather than a specific direction. Magnetic field lines pointing in all directions from the center line of the pressure sensitive element are advantageous for increasing the sensitivity of the sensor because the magnetic field is most likely to be incident on the magnetic sensor in a perpendicular direction.

[0015] In order to magnetize the magnet so that magnetic lines of force are emitted in all directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the elongated shape, one method is to use a radially oriented magnetic circuit as shown in Figure 10. The pressure-sensitive element used in the embodiment of the present invention was magnetized using a radially oriented magnetic circuit (Figure 10) so that magnetic field lines were emitted in all directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the elongated shape. Specifically, the magnetic elastomer we created was placed in the center of a ring-shaped magnetic circuit, and magnetized by applying a magnetic field from the circumferential direction (Fig. 11).

[0016] The pressure sensor of the present invention has three or more magnetic sensors disposed around the pressure sensitive body. Three or more magnetic sensors are necessary, preferably four or more. The greater the number of sensors, the higher the accuracy of the pressure sensor can be, but four sensors are usually sufficient.

[0017] The magnetic sensors may be arranged in any manner as long as the three-dimensional positional relationship of each sensor with respect to the longitudinal direction of the pressure sensor (direction of the magnetic lines of force) can be determined, but it is preferable to arrange them at equal angles and equal distances from the longitudinal direction of the pressure sensor. More specifically, it is preferable that three or more of the magnetic sensors are installed on the same surface as the surface on which the pressure sensor is installed or on a surface separated by a certain gap. The surface is not limited to a flat surface, but may be a curved surface without undulations such as a circumferential surface.

[0018] The surface on which the pressure sensitive element is provided is preferably a substrate. The substrate may be flexible or not. For example, various materials such as resin, glass, ceramic, metal, etc. may be used. Among them, resin sheets such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, polypropylene, polyethylene, tetrafluoroethylene, etc., and glass substrates are particularly suitable. The shape of the substrate is not particularly limited, but is usually a sheet or plate.

[0019] The magnetic sensor is a Hall element. The Hall element may be a commercially available electronic component, or may be made of a semiconductor suitable for the Hall element. Examples of semiconductors suitable for the Hall element include InSb, InAs, and GaAs.

[0020] A pressure sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1(a), a pressure sensor 10 is composed of a pressure sensor 3 placed on a substrate 1 and a magnetic sensor 2 placed around the pressure sensor. As another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1(b), there is a pressure sensor 11 composed of a pressure sensor 3 placed on a substrate 4, a magnetic sensor 2 placed on the substrate 1, and a spacer 5 placed between the substrates 4 and 1. In order to detect the direction in which pressure is applied, three or four magnetic sensors are required.

[0021] Figure 4 shows an example of the application of Figure 1(b). In Fig. 4(a), a pressure sensor is attached to the inner wall of the reaction vessel and a magnetic sensor is installed outside the reaction vessel. In Fig. 4(b), a pressure sensor is attached to the inner wall of the pipe. In this way, only the pressure sensor is submerged in the liquid and the magnetic sensor can be installed outside the vessel wall, and electrical components such as the magnetic sensor can be used without coming into contact with the liquid.

[0022] Next, the principle of pressure detection will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The pressure sensor is an elastic body (elastomer containing a magnetic material) that has magnetic lines in a fixed direction, so the tip bends when pressure is applied. The deformation of the pressure sensor changes the direction of the magnetic lines as shown in the conceptual diagram in FIG. 2. Meanwhile, the magnetic sensor installed around the pressure sensor is a Hall element, and outputs a voltage corresponding to the magnetic field strength in the direction perpendicular to the element surface. Therefore, when the tip of the pressure sensor bends in a direction approaching the magnetic sensor, the output voltage of the magnetic sensor increases, and conversely, when the tip of the pressure sensor bends in a direction away from the magnetic sensor, the output voltage of the magnetic sensor decreases. In this way, the magnitude of the pressure change from the pressure sensor to the magnetic sensor can be detected from the change in output voltage of each magnetic sensor.

[0023] Next, the mechanism for detecting the direction of pressure applied to this pressure sensor will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3(a) shows the change in the output voltage of each magnetic sensor when pressure is applied in the direction of magnetic sensor 3. In this case, the tip of the pressure sensor approaches magnetic sensor 3, so the output voltage of magnetic sensor 3 increases. Conversely, the tip of the pressure sensor moves away from magnetic sensor 1, so the output voltage decreases. On the other hand, for magnetic sensors 4 and 1, there is no change in the distance from the tip of the pressure sensor, so there is no change in the output voltage. FIG. 3(b) shows the case when pressure is applied in the direction between magnetic sensors 3 and 4. In this case, the output voltages of magnetic sensors 3 and 4 increase equally because they approach the tip of the pressure sensor, and the output voltages of magnetic sensors 1 and 2 decrease equally because they move away from the tip of the pressure sensor. In this way, the direction of pressure can be detected from the change in the output voltage of each magnetic sensor.

[0024] The method for reading the output voltage of a magnetic sensor will be explained with reference to FIG. 5. The magnetic sensor is a Hall element. The operating principle of the Hall element will be explained with reference to FIG. 5(a). The cross-shaped object 2 in the figure is the Hall element, which is composed of high-mobility semiconductor crystals such as InSb, InAs, and GaAs, and electrodes. When a current is passed in the X-axis direction using an external power source 22 and a magnetic field is applied in the Z-axis direction, a Lorentz force is applied to the carrier particles carrying the current, bending their direction of travel. This creates a potential difference V in the Y-axis direction. H This is the Hall voltage. The Hall voltage is expressed by the following equation (1). V H =R H IB / D (1)

[0025] Here, R H is the Hall constant, I is the current, B is the magnetic flux density, and D is the thickness of the sample. From this equation, the Hall voltage V H It can be seen that is proportional to the magnetic flux density B. Commercially available Hall elements are devices incorporating an amplifier and other components. Figure 5(b) shows the connection between the Hall element (DRV5053 manufactured by Texas Instruments) used in Example 1 and an external circuit. When an external power supply VCC is connected and a magnetic field is applied in the direction of 21 in the figure, a voltage corresponding to the magnetic field strength is generated (V OUT It is output from the V OUT The output voltage of the terminal is 1.0V when the magnetic field strength is 0, and when the N pole approaches, the voltage increases with a proportional constant of +23mV / mT. On the other hand, when the S pole approaches, the voltage decreases with a proportional constant of -23mV / mT (from the Texas Instruments DRV5053 spec sheet). OUT The terminal can be connected to a microcontroller's AD converter terminal, a data logger, or a digital multimeter to read the voltage.

[0026] Next, the pressure distribution sensor will be described. The pressure distribution sensor can be used by arranging a plurality of pressure sensors 10 or 11 on the same substrate. The structure and use of the pressure distribution sensor will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a pressure distribution sensor in which 4×4=16 pressure sensors 10 are arranged. There are four column conductors VS1 to VS4 vertically and four row conductors VG1 to VG4 horizontally, and transistors are provided at the intersections. The row conductors are connected to the gate electrodes of the transistors, and the column conductors are connected to the source electrodes of the transistors. Furthermore, the drain electrodes are connected to the V CC This makes it possible to operate only the hair sensor at the intersection point. The V of the four magnetic sensors of the hair sensor OUT The terminals are connected to data read lines 1 to 4, respectively, allowing the output voltages of the four magnetic sensors to be read simultaneously.

[0027] The pressure sensor of the present invention is capable of detecting the direction and strength of a force applied to a pressure sensitive body, and can be used as a sensor for detecting the force applied when in contact with an object or the pressure applied from a fluid and its direction. The pressure distribution sensor is capable of detecting the position where the force is applied and the pressure distribution, in addition to the direction and strength of the force applied to the pressure sensitive body. The pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention can detect any force applied to a pressure sensitive element, but are particularly suitable for detecting the direction and strength of a fluid flow by bringing the fluid into contact with the pressure sensitive element. The fluid may be a liquid flow such as an air flow or a water flow, or a powder flow.

[0028] The pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention can be used as an operating device for an operation panel of an electronic device. Touch panels are widely used as operation panels for electronic devices, mainly in digital information devices, such as smartphones, personal computers, game machines, mobile information terminals, car navigation systems, video door phones, digital audio players, copy machines, fax machines, ATMs at financial institutions such as banks, ticket vending machines at stations and restaurants, information terminals at convenience stores, etc. The pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention can be used as the operation panels for these electronic devices.

[0029] One example of the use of the pressure sensor of the present invention is the movement of a cursor displayed on the operation panel of an electronic device. Conventionally, a contact-type user interface such as a cross key, joystick, or touchpad has been used to move the cursor on the operation screen, but by using the pressure sensor of the present invention, the pressure sensor can detect the direction and strength of the airflow and move the cursor without contact. Furthermore, since the pressure distribution sensor of the present invention can detect position, it can be used in a cursor movement method for moving the cursor on the display screen of an electronic device by moving the position where the airflow is applied and detecting the direction of the airflow movement.

[0030] Any means may be used to generate the airflow, and examples of such means include the movement of the palm of one's hand, a flat object such as a fan, a fan, blowing on the object, a spray, an air pump, a jet from a syringe, etc. Also, a liquid flow may be used as long as it is a fluid other than an airflow.

[0031] User interfaces using a single pressure sensor are effective for simple operations such as scrolling a screen or operating an ATM or ticket machine. On the other hand, user interfaces using a pressure distribution sensor with multiple pressure sensors can detect the position where force is applied, making them effective when precise and complex operations are required, such as moving a cursor to any position on a screen or drawing on a computer, and can function similarly to a touch panel as a non-contact operation panel.

[0032] The pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention can be operated without contact, and taking advantage of this feature, they are suitable for use in operating equipment operated by an unspecified number of users (such as ATMs and ticket machines), as well as user interfaces for environments where it is difficult to operate electronic devices by touching them, such as medical settings, kitchens, and construction sites.

[0033] Examples of applications taking advantage of the non-contact characteristics of the pressure sensor and pressure distribution sensor of the present invention will be given below. Figure 12 shows an example of an application where the pressure sensor is used to operate electronic devices such as smartphones, personal computers, game consoles, etc. Figure 13 shows an image of an example of an application where the pressure distribution sensor is used to operate electronic devices such as smartphones, personal computers, game consoles, etc. If devices such as personal computers equipped with such a user interface were to become reality, users in situations where they cannot move their hands freely or users with hand disabilities would be able to operate the device (such as a personal computer) by simply blowing on it.

[0034] Next, other uses of the pressure distribution sensor will be described. Pressure distribution sensors can observe the direction of fluid flow in addition to pressure distribution, so for example they can be immersed in liquid to observe the distribution of the direction of liquid flow. In addition, because they can be formed on flexible substrates, they are suitable for attachment to curved surfaces. For example, if they are used on the skin of a robot, they can be given the sense of touch or the ability to detect air and water currents.

[0035] The pressure sensor of the present invention can be applied to various sensing applications other than just pressure sensors depending on the design of the pressure sensor. For example, it can be applied to chemical sensors and biosensors that interact with the force, sound waves, and static electricity received when the pressure sensor comes into contact with an object, as well as specific chemical substances. EXAMPLES

[0036] The present invention will be further described with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0037] 1. Creating a Pressure Sensor The pressure sensor used in the examples was produced as follows.

[0038] (Preparation of pressure-sensitive element) [Pressure sensor 1] 24g of neodymium powder (MQP15-7, manufactured by Magnequench, particle size 5μm) and 6g of urethane resin (Exseal Jinhada no Gel, Inc.) (hardener concentration 5%) were mixed. This was poured into a mold and hardened in an oven at 80°C for 2 hours. A micropipette tip was used as the mold. [Pressure sensor 2] The conditions are the same as those for pressure sensor 1, except that the hardener concentration is 7.5%. [Pressure sensor 3] The conditions are the same as for pressure sensor 1, except that the hardener concentration is 10%.

[0039] The compositions of the magnetic elastomers in the pressure sensors 1 to 3 are shown in Table 1 below. [Table 1]

[0040] (Magnetization process) The pressure sensitive element used in the examples was magnetized using a radially oriented magnetic circuit (FIG. 10) so that magnetic lines of force were emitted in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the elongated shape. Specifically, the magnetic elastomer was placed in the center of a ring-shaped magnetic circuit and magnetized by applying a magnetic field from the circumferential direction (Figure 11). The magnetization time was 1 minute, and the applied magnetic field was 3T. The pressure sensitive element thus magnetized was removed from the mold and cut with a cutter at a position 15 mm from the tip.

[0041] (Installation of pressure sensor) The magnetized magnetic elastomer was fixed to the center of a glass substrate (5 cm square, 0.5 mm thick) using an adhesive (Aron Alpha).

[0042] (Installation of magnetic sensors) Four Hall elements (DRV5053, manufactured by Texas Instruments, sensitivity: -23mV / mT Typ) were soldered to the vertices of a square on a universal board (manufactured by Akizuki Electronics Co., Ltd., material: FR-4) with a distance of approximately 12.5 mm between elements on the same diagonal.

[0043] (Laminated) On the universal board on which the magnetic sensor was mounted, silicone rubber (10 mm□t5 mm) was placed at the vertices of a 5 cm square as shown in Figure 6(a), and the glass substrate shown in Figure 6(b) on which the pressure sensor was mounted was laminated on top of that to create the substrate-separated type pressure sensor shown in Figure 1(b).

[0044] 2. Evaluation of pressure detection characteristics of pressure sensor The pressure detection characteristics were evaluated using the three types of pressure sensors (pressure sensors 1 to 3) prepared above.

[0045] (Evaluation method) Pressure was applied to the pressure sensor with a digital force gauge in the direction of a specific one of the four magnetic sensors. The force applied to the pressure sensor and the output voltage of the magnetic sensor were recorded. A mountain-shaped attachment was used for the digital force gauge, and the height of the digital force gauge was adjusted so that the tip of the attachment came into contact with a position 5 mm from the tip of the pressure sensor. By moving the digital force gauge horizontally to adjust the magnitude of the force applied to the pressure sensor, output voltages when various forces were applied could be obtained.

[0046] (Evaluation Results) The results of evaluating the hair-type sensor and its pressure detection characteristics using pressure sensors 1 to 3 were compared. OUT The relationship between pressure and force is shown in Figure 8. From this result, it can be seen that the softer the pressure sensor (pressure sensor 1), the higher its sensitivity to weak forces.

[0047] (Evaluation of detection characteristics of pressure direction) The output voltage of each sensor, indicated by square numbers 1 to 4, was recorded when a force was applied in the direction shown in the plan view at the top of Figure 9 using the pressure sensor of pressure sensitive body 1. In Figure 9(a), a force was applied in the direction of magnetic sensor number 3, and in Figure 9(b), a force was applied in the direction midway between magnetic sensors number 3 and number 4. The results are shown in the graph at the bottom of Figure 9, and show the same tendency as explained above using Figure 3. From these results, it was confirmed that the direction of pressure can be detected using this sensor. [Industrial Applicability]

[0048] The pressure sensor of the present invention can be used as a sensor for detecting a force applied when in contact with an object or a pressure applied from a fluid, and the direction of the force. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1 Substrate 1 2 Magnetic Sensor 3 Pressure sensor 4. Substrate 2 5 Spacer 6 Reaction vessel 7 Stirring propeller 8 Piping 10 Hair sensor (common board type) 11 Hair sensor (substrate-separated type) 21 Magnetic field 22 DC power supply 23 Microcomputer 30 Ring-shaped magnetic circuit 31 slots 32 Magnet 33 Center hole 34-inch 35 Magnetic elastomer 40 Electronic devices equipped with hair sensors as user interfaces 41 Palm 42 Wind flow caused by moving the palm 43 Hair Sensor 44 LCD screen 45 Cursor 50 Electronic device equipped with a pressure distribution sensor as a user interface 51 LCD screen 52 Pressure distribution sensor

Claims

1. A pressure sensor including a pressure sensor and a magnetic sensor for detecting a pressure or a flow direction of a fluid, The pressure sensor is characterized in that the pressure sensor is arranged such that the pressure sensor is set upright on a surface and the magnetic sensor is placed around the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor is an elongated elastic body having at least magnetic lines of force in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pressure sensor, and the magnetic sensor detects changes in the magnetic field caused by the magnetic lines of force when the elongated elastic body is tilted by the fluid.

2. 2. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein three or more of the magnetic sensors are installed on the same surface as the surface on which the pressure sensor is installed or on a surface separated by a certain gap from the surface on which the pressure sensor is installed.

3. 3. The magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor is a Hall element. pressure sensor.

4. A pressure distribution sensor comprising a plurality of pressure sensors according to any one of claims 1 to 3 arranged in a matrix.

5. 5. An operating device for an operating panel of an electronic device, comprising the pressure sensor according to claim 1 or the pressure distribution sensor according to claim 4.

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