US 11,747,221 B2
Electrical multi-directional force sensor
Andre Fehling, Sundern (DE); Matthias Seifert, Bochum (DE); Alexander Kaul, Hagen (DE); Michael Bleckmann, Schwerte-Ergste (DE); Kai Brensel, Witten (DE); and Guido Huperz, Olpe (DE)
Assigned to Kostal Automobil Elektrik GmbH & Co. KG, Luedenscheid (DE)
Filed by KOSTAL Automobil Elektrik GmbH & Co. KG, Luedenscheid (DE)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/396,915.
Application 17/396,915 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2020/056469, filed on Mar. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 001 769.2 (DE), filed on Mar. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0364373 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. G01L 1/14 (2006.01); G01D 5/24 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 1/144 (2013.01) [G01D 5/2403 (2021.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multidirectional force sensor comprising:
a sensor pin movable in at least two actuation directions;
a cloverleaf-shaped sensor plate integrally connected to a plurality of strip-shaped support elements, the cloverleaf-shaped sensor plate having a plurality of sensor plate wings oppositely situated in pairs, each strip-shaped support element having an end portion with an opening, wherein the cloverleaf-shaped sensor plate and the strip-shaped support elements are cut free in one piece from a rectangular metal plate in directions of diagonals of the rectangular metal plate with the sensor plate wings being between the strip-shaped support elements;
a circuit board; and
the cloverleaf-shaped sensor plate is connected to the sensor pin to move relative to the circuit board in correspondence with movement of the sensor pin.