Multi-Layer Textile Pressure Sensor with Varying Elastic Moduli
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional single-layer textile pressure sensors and strain sensors have limited sensing ranges due to restricted minimum and maximum sensing pressures or tensions, respectively, which restrict their ability to respond to a wide range of pressures or tensions.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor comprising multiple stacked units with varying elastic moduli and conductive particle densities, and a strain sensor with connected units of different tension elastic moduli and conductive particle densities, allowing for a wider sensing range by optimizing the stacking or connecting order based on these properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-layer textile pressure sensor structure is used, then the device complexity is low, but the sensing pressure range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is divided into multiple layers, with each layer having different elastic moduli and conductive particle densities. This segmentation allows each layer to respond to different pressure ranges, collectively expanding the overall sensing pressure range from limited to wide-spanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-layer two-dimensional structure to a multi-layer three-dimensional stacked structure. By adding the vertical dimension with multiple layers of varying properties, the sensor achieves expanded sensing capability across different pressure magnitudes.
2Measurement precision
If the pressure elastic modulus is reduced to increase pressure sensitivity, then the minimum sensing pressure decreases, but the maximum sensing pressure also decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Different layers of the pressure sensor are assigned different local qualities - specifically, different elastic moduli and conductive particle densities. This allows each layer to be optimized for specific pressure ranges, with softer layers detecting low pressures and stiffer layers detecting high pressures, thereby resolving the trade-off between sensitivity and maximum pressure capability.
3Measurement precision
If the amount of conductive particles is increased to enhance pressure sensitivity, then the minimum sensing pressure decreases, but the maximum sensing pressure also decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by varying the conductive particle density across different layers. Layers with higher conductive particle density provide enhanced sensitivity for low-pressure detection, while layers with lower conductive particle density maintain functionality for high-pressure detection, thus expanding the overall sensing range.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-layer structure with different elastic moduli is used to expand sensing range, then the sensing pressure range increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer structure segments the sensing function across multiple layers, each with tailored elastic moduli. While this increases structural complexity, it enables the sensor to detect a wide range of pressures that a single-layer structure cannot detect, making the complexity worthwhile for the expanded functionality.
5Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-layer structure with varying conductive particle densities is used to expand sensing range, then the sensing pressure range increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive particle density is segmented across different layers, with each layer having an optimized density for its specific pressure detection range. This segmentation strategy expands the sensing pressure range while managing structural complexity through systematic layer design.
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 proposed solution enables pressure sensors to detect both minimum and maximum pressures effectively, and strain sensors to sense both minimum and maximum tensions, thereby expanding their sensing ranges and improving their performance.
Implementation Method 1
when the pressure is applied to the textile pressure sensor, the pressure is sensed using a phenomenon in which the conductive particles in the fiber move and a resistance changes according to a change in distance between the conductive particles
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in a vertical direction, a strain sensor for sensing tension in a horizontal direction, and a method for manufacturing the sensors. The disclosed pressure sensor includes a plurality of pressure sensor units stacked in multiple layers, and at least one of a pressure elastic modulus and an amount of conductive particles per unit area of each of the plurality of pressure sensor units is different from each other.