486 results about "Capacitive electrodes" patented technology

Input devices which include a capacitive force sensor, along with methods of making and using such, are provided. The input device includes a structural component having first and second substantially opposing sides, a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the first side of the structural component, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region, a first capacitive electrode located on the second side of the structural component, the first capacitive electrode being configured to capacitively couple to a second capacitive electrode that is separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas and moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode, and a biasing member configured to be physically coupled to the structural component such that a force associated with the user input causes a change in a separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes based on the force.

A differential non-contact sensor system for measuring biopotential signals is described. The sensor is a low-noise, non-contact capacitive sensor system to measure electrical voltage signals generated by the body comprising two capacitive electrodes and outputting a differential signal.

The electronic apparatus includes a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is temporarily placed adjacent the charger. The portable electronic device includes a device data communication unit and an associated battery, and a pair of device capacitive electrodes, defining a device conductive footprint, to receive a charging signal to charge the battery. The charger includes a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, and an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base. A charger controller selectively drives only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery. A charger data communication unit communicates with the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes, e.g. by modulating data onto the charging signal.

A method of pumping fluid including the steps of providing an electrokinetic pump comprising a pair of double-layer capacitive electrodes having a capacitance of at least 10⁻² Farads/cm² and being connectable to a power source, a porous dielectric material disposed between the electrodes and a reservoir containing pump fluid; connecting the electrodes to a power source; and moving pump fluid out of the reservoir substantially without the occurrence of Faradaic processes in the pump. The invention also includes an electrokinetic pump system having a pair of double-layer capacitive electrodes having a capacitance of at least 10⁻² Farads/cm²; a porous dielectric material disposed between the electrodes; a reservoir containing pump fluid; and a power source connected to the electrodes; the electrodes, dielectric material and power source being adapted to move the pump fluid out of the reservoir substantially without the occurrence of Faradaic processes in the pump.

A capacitive touch switch having a printed circuit board and capacitive electrode provided on a surface of the printed circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board is interposed between a transparent planar light guide and the electrode, the planar light guide being attached to a first face of a transparent cover whose second face is adapted to be touched by the user, a light source being connected to the printed circuit board and being able to convey light to the planar light guide.

A liquid crystal panel (2) includes scanning signal lines (31) for supplying scanning signals to gate electrodes (20) of TFTs (14), and data signal lines (32) for supplying data signals to data electrodes (24) of TFTs. The liquid crystal panel further includes auxiliary capacitive electrode pads (27a) for use in forming auxiliary capacitance and an auxiliary capacitive lines (33) so as not to generate a capacitive bond with the scanning signal lines. The liquid crystal panel is driven at a rewriting frequency of a screen of not more than 30 Hz. As a result, the liquid crystal panel can be driven at a low consumption power while maintaining a desirable display quality of the liquid crystal panel.

A wireless (e.g., radio) system and method for automatic water level maintenance of, e.g., a swimming pool utilizing capacitive liquid level sensing. A reference electrode allows water level sensing independent of the water chemistry or temperature. Capacitive electrodes having areas larger than the reference electrode sense various liquid levels when the liquid covers an area of any sensing electrode equal to the area of the reference electrode. Averaging is incorporated to filter out effects of wind or other disturbances. Upon sensing a given condition, the transmitter transmits a sensed condition to a remote receiver for control of valves and pumps for changing the water level in the pool. The receiver includes safety timers for filling and emptying to protect against equipment failure or communications faults. User selectable identification allows identical such radio systems to operate within proximity to each other. Power saving features are used to extend battery life.

The invention relates to the technical field of touching, in particular to a capacitive touching structure, an embedded touch screen, a display device and a scanning method of the display device. The number of wires in the self-capacitance touching structure is decreased, and the probability of occurrence of the problems that the narrow frame design is not facilitated and a touch blind area is large is decreased to a certain degree. The capacitive touching structure comprises a plurality of self-capacitance electrodes which are arranged on the same layer, area electrodes, first wires, second wires and touch detection chips, wherein the self-capacitance electrodes are located in at least two areas contained by the surface of a film where the self-capacitance electrodes are located respectively; the area electrodes are located in the areas respectively, and the area electrodes and the self-capacitance electrodes are located on the same layer; the first wires are connected with the self-capacitance electrodes, and each first wire is connected with at least two self-capacitance electrodes which are located in different areas respectively; the second wires are connected with the area electrodes, and the area electrodes located in the areas are electrically connected with the different second wires; the touch detection chips are connected with the first wires and the second wires.

A rechargeable energy storage device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment the energy storage device includes an air electrode providing an electrochemical process comprising reduction and evolution of oxygen and a capacitive electrode enables an electrode process consisting of non-faradic reactions based on ion absorption/desorption and/or faradic reactions. This rechargeable energy storage device is a hybrid system of fuel cells and ultracapacitors, pseudocapacitors, and/or secondary batteries.

A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer (400) is adapted to use lateral axis vibration of the drive mass (210) to generate non-planar oscillations of a coupling mass (220) in response to Coriolis forces created from in-plane rotational acceleration, which in turn generate non-planar motions of a symmetric teeter-totter sense mass (230) which are detected as a capacitive difference signal by capacitive electrodes (403, 404) formed on the substrate (402) below the sense mass (230).

The invention discloses a capacitive touch sensor having a patterned microstructure array. The capacitive touch sensor is formed by fingerprint-shaped surface micro-protrusion, an upper capacitive electrode substrate, an upper capacitive electrode, a two-dimensional sine micro-protrusion dielectric layer, a lower capacitive electrode and a lower capacitive electrode substrate which are laminated from the top to the bottom in turn. The fingerprint-shaped surface micro-protrusion is used for receiving external force stimulation. The upper and lower capacitive electrode substrates are used as structural support. The series connection direction of the electrode pole pieces of the upper and lower capacitive electrodes are orthogonally arranged, and the upper and lower capacitive electrodes and the two-dimensional sine micro-protrusion dielectric layer form the capacitor body of the sensor together. After the upper surface of the fingerprint-shaped surface micro-protrusion is affected by external force stimulation, the change of capacitance is sensed by the capacitor body and the size and the direction of the force are acquired through conversion. The problem of high sensitivity real-time detection of the sensor for multidimensional force can be solved, and the sensor can be applied to the field of artificial limbs and surgical manipulators having high requirement of sensitivity.

A capacitive pressure sensor includes a electrically conductive, generally piston shaped diaphragm with a flexible base wall configured to deflect under pressure. The diaphragm is generally U-shaped in cross section. The base wall includes an upper, flat sensing surface which acts as a capacitive electrode. The diaphragm further includes a step around a radially-outermost perimeter which is elevated from the flat sensing surface. A sensing electrode body is located on top of the step and creates a capacitive sensing cavity between the sensing surface and the bottom surface of the electrode body. On the bottom surface of the electrode body is formed a center, circular electrode and a ring electrode that surrounds the center electrode. The center electrode and the sensing surface form a variable capacitor which changes with pressure and the ring electrode and the sensing surface form a reference capacitor. A circuit determines a differential capacitance between the variable capacitor and the reference capacitor and generates a pressure signal indicative of the fluid pressure applied to the diaphragm. A spring ring holds the sensing electrode body against the diaphragm when assembled. The diaphragm can be a machined metal part or a sheet metal cup. The sensing electrodes and signal generating circuit can take the form of a hybrid circuit.

Disclosed is a novel three-axis capacitive-type accelerometer implemented on SOI wafer. The accelerometer consists of four springs, one proof mass, four pairs of gap-closing sensing electrodes (each pair of gap-closing sensing electrode containing one movable electrode and one stationary electrode), and several metal-vias as the electrical interconnections. The movable electrodes are on the proof mass, whereas the stationary electrodes are fixed to the substrate. The three-axis accelerometer has five merits. (1) The sensitivity of the accelerometer is improved since the proof-mass is increased by containing both device and handling silicon layers; (2) The sensitivity is also improved by the gap-closing differential capacitive sensing electrodes design; (3) The parasitic capacitance at bond pad is reduced by the existing of metal-vias between the device Si layer and handling Si layer; (4) The sensing gap thickness is precisely defined by the buried oxide of SOI wafer; (5) The stationary sensing electrodes anchored to the substrate also act as the limit stops to protect the accelerometer.

An accelerometer is fabricated as a MEMS device and includes an array of capacitive electrode plates mechanically coupled to a common proof mass. The proof mass is constrained to move or vibrate in the plane parallel to the first array of plates. The capacitance between the first array of plates is measured with respect to additional arrays of capacitive plates inter-digitated in a comb like pattern.

A method and apparatus is provided for collecting reservoir data. The method includes providing one or more electromagnetic sources for generating an electromagnetic field in a reservoir and providing one or more electromagnetic sensors equipped with capacitive electrodes. The electromagnetic source is located separately from the electromagnetic sensor. The electromagnetic sensor may either be located within a well or at the surface, is capable of measuring the electromagnetic field in three dimensions, and may be isolated from the well fluids. The data collected by the electromagnetic sensors can be used to create a model of the oil reservoir, including the water saturation.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a plasma reactor has a capacitive electrode driven by an RF power source, and the electrode capacitance is matched at the desired plasma density and RF source frequency to the negative capacitance of the plasma, to provide an electrode plasma resonance supportive of a broad process window within which the plasma may be sustained.

The invention discloses a capacitive relative humidity sensor based on graphene oxide. The humidity sensor is characterized by comprising a substrate (1), an oxide layer (2), a heating strip (3) and an insulating layer (4) that are successively arranged on the substrate (1) from bottom to up. The humidity sensor also comprises a first capacitance electrode (5), a second capacitance electrode (6), passivation layers (7) and humidity sensitive mediums (8). The first capacitance electrode (5) and the second capacitance electrode (6) are arranged on the insulating layer (4) respectively and are equipped with a passivation layer (7) respectively; and the sensitive mediums (8) are arranged between the first capacitance electrode (5) and the second capacitance electrode (6), and also arranged above the first capacitance electrode (5) and the second capacitance electrode (6). According to the invention, sensor reliability is increased; technology steps are simple; and graphene oxide is employed as the humidity sensitive medium. Therefore, the sensor has advantages of high sensitivity, fast response speed and low hysteresis.

A vibrational gyroscope includes a piezoelectric ring having a central opening, and a hemispherical resonator having a central opening and mounted over the opening of the central opening of the piezoelectric ring. A plurality of electrodes delivers a voltage to the piezoelectric ring. A plurality of electrodes provides signal readout that corresponds to angular velocity. The hemispherical resonator can be glued to the piezoelectric ring. The hemispherical resonator preferably vibrates in the third vibration mode. A plurality of capacitive electrodes can be located at nodes and at antinodes of the vibration of the hemispherical resonator, and provide a signal readout that corresponds to the angular velocity. The piezoelectric ring is segmented, non-segmented, or includes an outer segmented portion and an inner non-segmented portion. The inner non-segmented portion can be used to excite the resonator into a vibration mode, and the outer segmented portion provides a readout signal and is used to adjust the vibration of the resonator. The piezoelectric ring includes a conductive coating used to conduct excitation voltage to the piezoelectric ring.

An implantable device is described for detecting an expansion which is an elastic deformation of an intracorporeal vessel wall. The device comprises a support structure which contains dielectric polymer, has surface elasticity and can be applied directly or indirectly to the vessel wall, which provides at least one capacitive electrode arrangement, of which the assignable electrical capacitance can be influenced by an elastic deformation of the support structure. The electrode arrangement includes at least two electrodes each consisting of an electrically conductive polymer. The electrodes each define at least one side an intermediate space that influences the electrical capacitance of the electrode arrangement. The space is filled with the dielectric polymer of the support structure.

The invention discloses a method and device for storing bioelectrical energy by virtue of a capacitive anode. The device comprises an anode chamber, a cathode chamber and an ion exchange membrane, wherein the anode chamber and the cathode chamber are divided by the ion exchange membrane, and the anode of the anode chamber adopts a capacitive electrode; electricity generating bacteria and organic matters are added into the anode chamber to form a MFC (Microbial Fuel Cell) anode chamber. The electrode decorated with a super capacitor material is put in the MFC anode chamber, a built-in capacitance system is formed in the cell, and an electricity storing process of electricity generating bacteria bioelectricity in the anode chamber is realized under the condition of an open circuit. A load circuit is accessed, the device externally discharges, and the discharge of the stored bioelectricity can be realized. Meanwhile, the bioelectricity stored under the condition of the open circuit of the decorated anode is utilized to realize the promotion of the transient output power of an MFC when the circuit accessing the device is connected.