Methods and systems for distributed temperature and pressure sensing comprising a polymer fiber
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a scarcity of flexible fiber materials that can be readily fabricated using thermal drawing methods to provide fully-distributed pressure and temperature mapping, especially for smart textile and wearable applications, with a need for multi-material fibers capable of embedded copper electrodes for electrical reflectometry interrogation.
Innovation Solution
The development of multi-material fibers with embedded copper electrodes, fabricated through thermal drawing, allowing for distributed temperature and pressure sensing using electrical reflectometry, featuring a supporting material surrounding electrodes with an inter-electrode space that is continuous with the supporting material, enabling simple one-end or two-end connections for multi-point detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical fiber sensing systems are used for distributed sensing, then high resolution and sensitivity are achieved, but bulky optical instruments are required making them unsuitable for smart textile or wearable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical fiber sensing systems with electrical sensing systems using conductive polymer fibers. The mechanical/optical instrumentation is substituted with electrical measurement techniques, enabling distributed sensing without bulky optical equipment while maintaining measurement precision through electrical property variations in the polymer material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sensing parameter from optical properties to electrical properties. By utilizing variations in electrical conductivity, resistance, or capacitance of the polymer fiber in response to environmental stimuli, the system achieves distributed sensing with simpler, more compact electrical instrumentation suitable for wearable applications.
2Ease of manufacture
If thermal drawing technique is used for polymer fiber fabrication, then multi-materials can be co-drawn inside polymer matrix enabling flexible fiber-based sensors, but fully-distributed temperature or pressure sensing capability is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite polymer fibers by co-drawing multiple materials during thermal drawing, including conductive fillers, reinforcing fibers, and functional polymers. This composite structure enables both the flexibility and manufacturability of thermal drawing while achieving fully-distributed sensing capability through the synergistic properties of the combined materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs multi-functional polymer fibers that simultaneously provide structural support, flexibility, and distributed sensing capabilities for both temperature and pressure. The fiber integrates multiple functions within a single component, achieving full distributed sensing while maintaining ease of manufacture through thermal drawing.
3Measurement precision
If conventional distributed sensing systems are implemented, then independent readings from multiple locations are provided, but the systems are not compatible with smart textile or wearable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible polymer fibers as the sensing element, replacing rigid conventional sensing systems. The fiber's flexibility and textile-compatible properties enable integration into smart clothing and wearable applications while maintaining multi-point distributed detection capability through variations in electrical properties along the fiber length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes conventional rigid distributed sensing systems with flexible polymer-based electrical sensing systems. This replacement maintains multi-point detection capability while improving adaptability to wearable applications through the use of soft, flexible materials that can be integrated into textile structures.
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
These fibers enable high-resolution, flexible sensing of temperature and pressure, providing spatially distributed measurements with improved sensitivity and compatibility for smart textile and wearable applications, enhancing the versatility of smart clothing and other industrial products.
Implementation Method 1
the inter-electrode space comprises the supporting material and is continuous with the supporting material surrounding the two electrodes
Implementation Method 2
the two electrodes are separated by an inter-electrode space; wherein the inter-electrode space comprises the supporting material
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the disclosure relates to multi-material fibers capable of distributedly measuring temperature and pressure in which the methods comprise a thermal drawing step, and the methods of fabricating the disclosed fibers. The fibers can be utilized in methods of temperature and pressure mapping or sensing comprising electrical reflectometry for interrogation. Further disclosed are devices comprising a disclosed fiber with the multi-point detection capability with simple one-end connection. Also disclosed are articles, e.g., smart clothing, wound dressing, robotic skin and other industrial products, comprising a disclosed fiber or a fabric comprising a disclosed fiber. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.