Stretchable Capacitive Sensor Assembly That Prevents Conductor Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing athletic/fitness monitoring systems are limited in feedback and coaching capabilities, often bulky, and not integrated into athletic equipment, with garment sensors prone to cracks that reduce accuracy due to stretchability issues.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive sensor system with a stretchable substrate, serpentine conductor assemblies, and redundancy members to absorb stress and prevent crack formation, integrated into garments for accurate data collection during athletic activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If garment sensors are made stretchable to fit and move with the body, then adaptability and comfort are improved, but cracks and fissures develop in the sensor layers reducing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into multiple independent sensor elements arranged in arrays. Each element can deform independently, reducing stress concentration and preventing crack propagation across the entire sensor, thereby maintaining accuracy while enabling stretchability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures including flexible substrates with embedded conductive traces and sensor elements. These composite constructions provide both mechanical flexibility for stretching and electrical integrity for accurate sensing, resolving the contradiction between stretchability and reliability.
2Measurement precision
If existing fitness monitoring systems use separate equipment like smart phones or smart watches, then measurement capabilities are achieved, but device complexity and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensing functions (motion, position, physiological parameters) directly into the garment itself, combining what were previously separate monitoring devices into a unified wearable system. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensorized garment serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both clothing and a comprehensive fitness monitoring device, eliminating the need for separate smartphones or watches. This multi-functionality approach reduces device complexity while preserving measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitive sensor may include a stretchable substrate, a first conductor assembly disposed on the substrate, a second conductor assembly disposed on the substrate and above the first conductor, and a redundancy member coupled to the one of the conductor assemblies. A capacitive sensor may include a first serpentine conductor assembly disposed on the substrate and having first and second terminal ends coupled to the substrate, a second serpentine conductor assembly disposed above and overlapping the first conductor assembly and having first and second terminal ends coupled to the substrate, wherein each of the terminal ends of the first conductor assembly is offset from the corresponding terminal ends of the second conductor assemblies. A sensor system may include a stretchable sensor, an electronics module coupled to the stretchable sensor, and a strain relief member extending from the stretchable sensor and coupling to the electronics module.