Conductive Knitted Fabric Pressure Sensor Surface Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure-sensitive sensors face issues with unstable contact states and high material costs due to point- or line-contact measurements, leading to low reproducibility and difficulty in producing large-sized sensors with flexible, comfortable designs.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-sensitive sensor comprising a conductive cloth with a mixture of conductive carbon black and a binder resin, combined with intersecting knitted electrode cloths to achieve stable surface contact and enhanced measurement accuracy, while reducing material costs through the use of carbon black instead of noble metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If point- or line-contact measurement is used in conventional pressure-sensitive sensors, then the contact resistance increases and contact state becomes unstable, but this leads to large fluctuation of resistance values and low reproducibility of pressure-sensitive resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from point- or line-contact measurement (0D/1D contact) to surface contact between two knitted fabric surfaces (2D contact). The first and second knitted fabrics contact each other across their entire surfaces, creating multiple simultaneous contact points that stabilize the electrical connection and eliminate the instability inherent in point or line contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the measurement function into the fabric structure itself by making both knitted fabrics conductive. Instead of separate contact points, the entire fabric surfaces participate in the electrical contact, combining mechanical flexibility with electrical measurement functionality across the full contact area.
2Measurement precision
If conductive noble metal particles are plated on cloth for pressure measurement, then measurement capability is achieved, but material cost becomes highly increased and processing steps become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive noble metal particles with inexpensive conductive carbon black as the conductive material in the knitted fabrics. This substitution dramatically reduces material cost while maintaining the pressure measurement capability through the conductive properties of carbon black.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the electrical conductivity parameter of the knitted fabrics by incorporating conductive carbon black into the fabric structure during manufacturing. This allows the fabrics to be conductive without requiring subsequent plating processes, simplifying manufacturing while achieving the desired electrical properties.
3Measurement precision
If conductive noble metal particles are plated on cloth, then pressure measurement is enabled, but the cloth is damaged by chemical treatments and material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive properties are built into the knitted fabrics during their initial manufacturing process rather than being added later through chemical plating treatments. This preliminary incorporation of conductive carbon black eliminates the need for damaging chemical pretreatments such as oil removal, catalytic agent application, and surface activation.
4Measurement precision
If conventional plating facilities are used for cloth treatment, then conductive coating is achieved, but the size of the cloth is restricted by facility size making large-sized sensor production difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing approach from post-production plating to in-process incorporation of conductive materials during fabric fabrication. This allows fabrics of any size to be manufactured with conductive properties, eliminating the size constraints imposed by plating facility dimensions.
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 enables consistent pressure measurement over a wide range with improved accuracy and flexibility, allowing for large-sized sensors that are comfortable and cost-effective to produce.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure-sensitive sensor, which comprises: a conductive cloth having a mixture of conductive carbon black and a binder resin applied thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure-sensitive sensor is capable of measuring pressure distribution over a wide range, measuring pressure consistently in a state of surface contact, and enhancing pressure measurement accuracy in each area of intersection. A pressure-sensitive sensor includes a conductive cloth having a mixture of conductive carbon black and a binder resin applied thereto, a first-electrode cloth disposed on a first-surface of the conductive cloth, and a second-electrode cloth disposed on a second-surface of the conductive cloth, wherein areas of intersection between the first-electrode cloth and second-electrode cloth are formed so as to have a matrix structure, courses or wales of the first-electrode cloth are arranged so as to be parallel or orthogonal to courses or wales of the conductive cloth, and courses or wales of the second-electrode cloth are arranged so as to be parallel or orthogonal to the courses or wales of the conductive cloth.