In one aspect the invention provides a soft electronic component having a signal electrode and one or more shielding electrodes overlapping the signal electrode to shield the signal electrode, wherein the soft electronic component is arranged to provide one or more signal-coupling regions in which the signal electrode is exposed by the one or more shielding electrodes to allow capacitive coupling of the signal electrode to a signal electrode of another component, wherein the one or more shielding electrodes are arranged to provide one or more shield-coupling regions to allow the capacitive coupling of a shielding electrode to the other component, and wherein the coupling region is covered by a dielectric material.
G01L 1/14 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
G01L 5/04 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands
G01L 9/12 - Measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elementsTransmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means by making use of variations in capacitance
One aspect of the invention provides an interconnect between a stretchable electronic element and a circuit on a rigid or flexible printed circuit board (PCB Circuit), the stretchable electronic element is operable to be mechanically coupled to a substrate which deforms, and the stretchable electronic element will deform with the substrate and may or may not change an electrical characteristic as a result, the stretchable electronic element comprising one or more electrical pathways; the PCB Circuit configured to communicate electronically with the stretchable electronic element and comprising at least one circuit board extending from the stretchable electronic element to an electrical circuit on the PCB Circuit; wherein the interconnect comprises an electrical coupling between the electrical pathways of the stretchable electronic element and the PCB Circuit; and wherein the interconnect simultaneously prevents the connection between the stretchable electronic element from failing when the stretchable substrate is stretched in normal operation, minimizes the bulk of support material required to support the interconnect, and minimizes any reduction in the stretch capabilities of the stretchable substrate.
H01G 5/18 - Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by mechanical means, e.g. by turning a shaftProcesses of their manufacture using variation of distance between electrodes due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping
In one aspect the invention provides a sensing apparatus comprising a set of N capacitive sensors connected over a single physical channel provided by two terminals, the apparatus comprising : a sensing array having a first capacitive sensor and N- 1 parallel capacitive sensors each connected in parallel with first capacitive sensor, each capacitive sensor having electrodes separated by a dielectric to provide a capacitance which is able to vary with deformation to provide sensing, the array having a set of N-1 resistances each being in series with a respective one of the N- 1 parallel capacitive sensors; a solution module operable to determine the capacitance of each capacitive sensor by finding solutions for a vector function equating reactance measured at the two terminals to an analytical model for impedance and/or reactance of the circuit seen at the two terminals, wherein the analytical model comprises N capacitances, each connected in parallel with each other, and comprises N series resistances each connected in series with a respective capacitance.
G01R 27/26 - Measuring inductance or capacitanceMeasuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance methodMeasuring loss factorMeasuring dielectric constants
G01B 7/16 - Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge
4.
A STRETCH SENSOR WITH AN IMPROVED FLEXIBLE INTERCONNECT
In one embodiment the invention provides an interconnection component operable to interconnect a stretchable sensing component and cable for a sensing circuit. The interconnection component has a flexible circuit board comprising conductive regions to electrically connect to conductive layers of a sensor component overlaying the circuit. The flexible circuit board of one embodiment comprises engagement features to allow the sensor cast over the component to engage the flexible circuit board.
G01L 1/14 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
G01B 7/16 - Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge
5.
AN ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE WITH IMPROVED CONNECTION
In one aspect the invention provides an electromechanical device having a conductive component which is stretchable and having a conductive lead to connect the component to an electrical circuit. The conductive lead may be arranged as threaded through the component at multiple locations on the component layer to integrate the lead with the component. Aspects provide a laminated capacitor formed of elastic material with first and second elastic electrode layers. The conductive lead may comprises an inner conductor and an outer conductor arranged to cover the inner conductor. A length of exposed inner conductor is arranged threaded through the first component and an exposed length the outer conductor is arranged threaded through the second conductive component.
H01G 5/18 - Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by mechanical means, e.g. by turning a shaftProcesses of their manufacture using variation of distance between electrodes due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping
H01G 4/00 - Fixed capacitorsProcesses of their manufacture
In one aspect the invention provides an electrical sensor having an electrical capacitance which varies with mechanical deformation to allow instrumenting of deformation by a connected electric circuit, the sensor comprising conductive material separated by dielectric material and operable to deform and change in capacitance with deformation of the capacitor, the capacitor arranged to have a structure of a twisted plane wherein the capacitor is supported in that arrangement by support material.
G01L 7/16 - Measuring the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by mechanical or fluid pressure-sensitive elements in the form of pistons
7.
A METHOD OF FABRICATION OF LAMINATES OF ELASTIC MATERIAL SUITABLE FOR DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER SENSING
In one aspect the invention provides a method of fabricating a laminate of flexible and compliant layers of material, such as used to provide a dielectric elastomer sensor. According to the method a flexible and compliant layer of material which is affixed to a substrate to avoid strain during processing is bonded to another layer of flexible and compliant material and released from the substrate to form a laminate. The layer of flexible and compliant material affixed to the substrate may be inspected prior to bonding.
B32B 7/02 - Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties
B32B 7/06 - Interconnection of layers permitting easy separation
B32B 27/06 - Layered products essentially comprising synthetic resin as the main or only constituent of a layer next to another layer of a specific substance
Aspects of the present invention provide a sensor configuration in which a stretchable capacitor is formed using stretchable fabrics such that the fabrication of the sensor can readily be integrated into the fabrication of a wearable item. The sensor may be capacitive and consist of two or more fabric electrodes electrically isolated from each other by an electrically insulating fabric dielectric. In one particular aspect the present invention provides a sensor having a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric arranged to isolate the electrodes so as to provide a sensing capacitance across the electrodes, wherein one or more of the first electrode, second electrode and dielectric comprises a fabric which is capable of deforming to change the sensing capacitance.
G01D 5/24 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying capacitance
G01R 27/26 - Measuring inductance or capacitanceMeasuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance methodMeasuring loss factorMeasuring dielectric constants
9.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A SOFT AND FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT TO A CONNECTOR
The invention can provide a flexible and compliant circuit formed from multiple layers of material which includes at least one support material bonded to a surface of the circuit. This support material defines functional apertures capable of receiving at least one tooth of a clamping connector so that the flexible and compliant circuit can be mechanically and electrically connected to another electrical circuit.
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