Capacitive Force Sensor Resilient Electrical Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capacitive force sensors face durability issues due to mechanical stress on electrical contacts during membrane deflection, leading to potential failure of the integral connection between the membrane and base bodies.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive force sensor design featuring two spacers loosely supporting the membrane body, allowing for displacement and decoupling of electrical contact from mechanical stress, with electrical brackets providing a resilient attachment to the base body, ensuring durable and robust mechanical and thermal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the membrane body is integral connected to the planar base body (e.g., via solder connection), then electrical contact is ensured, but mechanical stress during membrane deflection compromises connection durability
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical bracket is divided into distinct functional segments: a bottom portion for soldering to the base body, a resilient portion with bend for mechanical flexibility, and an upper portion for electrical contact. This segmentation allows each segment to handle its specific function independently, preventing stress concentration at the solder joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient portion of the electrical bracket acts as an intermediary element between the rigid base body and the flexible membrane body. It mediates the mechanical stress by absorbing deflection movements through its bend, protecting the solder connection from direct mechanical stress while maintaining electrical continuity.
2Stress or pressure
If the membrane body is loosely supported on the planar base body via spacers, then mechanical stress on electrical contacts is reduced, but electrical contact stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical bracket is designed with inherent flexibility through its bend, allowing it to dynamically adapt to membrane deflections. The resilient portion can elastically deform to accommodate membrane movement while maintaining continuous electrical contact, providing both mechanical stress relief and contact stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical bracket's geometry is optimized with specific curvature radius and thickness parameters in the resilient portion. These parameter changes enable the bracket to exhibit appropriate flexibility - soft enough to follow membrane deflection but rigid enough to maintain stable electrical contact under varying mechanical conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures reliable and repeated changes in measuring capacity with improved durability and reduced mechanical stress on electrical connections, preventing total failure and excessive heat input during soldering.
Implementation Method 1
capacitive force sensor with a planar base body as well as a planar, resilient and/or resiliently supported membrane body... the first and second electrodes define a first precision capacitor with measuring capacity changing depending on the effect of force F
Implementation Method 2
the membrane body comprises a specific resilient flexibility, it responds to effect of force by deflection... a planar, resilient and/or resiliently supported membrane body... to allow displacement, such as deflection, in the area between the den spacers upon effect of force F
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a capacitive force sensor. The capacitive force sensor includes a planar base body, a supported membrane body, two spacers disposed spaced apart to each other, where the membrane body abuts the planar base body via the spacers, and wherein a cavity is formed between the membrane body and the planar base body to allow displacement or deflection of the membrane body under a force onto the membrane body in the area between the spacers. The membrane body forms a first electrode and, a second electrode is provided on the planar base body, wherein the first and second electrode define a first precision capacitor with changing measuring capacity depending on the force. An electrical bracket extends from each of the spacers for electrically contacting the first electrode and forms a bend between each of the associated spacer and a bottom of the base body.