Capacitive Sensor Elastic Supports Overlapping Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional force/torque sensors using strain gauges face challenges such as increased manufacturing costs and durability issues due to adhesive hardening over time, and require multiple optical components, making them difficult to manufacture and costly.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive sensor design featuring an upper and lower block with overlapping electrodes and elastic supports that deform under external forces, allowing for accurate sensing of 6-axis forces/torques through capacitance variations, reducing manufacturing complexity and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If strain gauges are attached to an elastic body using adhesive, then force/torque measurement is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and durability decreases due to adhesive hardening over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive layer from the sensor structure, extracting the problematic element that causes durability issues. The strain gauges are directly bonded to the elastic body without requiring adhesive, eliminating the hardening and degradation problems associated with adhesive materials over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the strain gauge attachment process with the elastic body structure itself, creating an integrated design where the strain gauges are directly coupled to the elastic body. This integration eliminates the need for separate adhesive layers and simplifies the manufacturing process while improving long-term reliability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple optical components are used for strain measurement, then measurement capability is enhanced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex optical measurement systems with a simpler mechanical-electrical measurement approach using strain gauges and capacitance sensing. This substitution maintains measurement capability while dramatically reducing the number of components and simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from optical properties to electrical properties (capacitance and resistance). By measuring capacitance variations between electrodes instead of using optical components, the system achieves equivalent measurement precision with far fewer and simpler components.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple capacitive sensor structure is used, then manufacturing difficulty is reduced, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional elastic body that simultaneously provides mechanical support and capacitive sensing capabilities. The same elastic body structure that supports the sensor also serves as one of the capacitive electrodes, eliminating the need for separate components and enabling accurate 6-axis force/torque measurement through capacitance variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining conductive materials (for electrodes) with elastic materials (for the deformable body). This composite design allows the elastic body to function both as a mechanical element that deforms under load and as an electrical element that forms part of the capacitive sensing system, achieving both manufacturing simplicity and measurement precision.
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 capacitive sensor achieves reduced manufacturing difficulty, improved durability, and enhanced accuracy in sensing 6-axis forces/torques, while maintaining a simple structure.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic deformation part connected to the first support column and the second support column and elastically deformed by an external force acting on at least one of the upper block and the lower block
Implementation Method 2
at least one second electrode fixed to the lower block such that at least a part of the second electrode and the first electrode overlap
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitive sensor includes an upper block; a lower block; a plurality of elastic supports for elastically supporting the upper block and the lower block; upper vertical electrodes formed to have faces perpendicular to the bottom surface of the upper block; lower vertical electrodes formed to have faces perpendicular to the top surface of the lower block and disposed to face the upper vertical electrodes such that at least parts of the lower vertical electrodes overlap with the upper vertical electrodes; and an electronic circuit including the upper vertical electrodes and the lower vertical electrodes as parts of the circuit and outputting a signal corresponding to changes in capacitances between the upper vertical electrodes and the lower vertical electrodes caused by a force or a torque applied to at least one of the upper block and the lower block.