US 11,898,924 B2
Deformable sensor for simulating skin and other applications
Mirza Saquib Sarwar, Vancouver (CA); John D. W. Madden, Vancouver (CA); and Garth Eden Claire Preston, Delta (CA)
Assigned to The University of British Columbia, Vancouver (CA)
Filed by The University of British Columbia, Vancouver (CA)
Filed on May 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/315,213.
Application 17/315,213 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CA2019/051623, filed on Nov. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/768,840, filed on Nov. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0333164 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. G01L 5/165 (2020.01); G01L 1/14 (2006.01); G01V 3/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 5/165 (2013.01) [G01L 1/146 (2013.01); G01V 3/088 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor unit for detecting shear force applied to the sensor in a tangential direction that is generally tangential to an active surface of the sensor at a location where the shear force is applied, the sensor unit comprising:
a first deformable sheet comprising the active surface on one side of the first deformable sheet and a first inner surface on an opposing side of the first deformable sheet;
a second deformable sheet comprising a second inner surface on one side of the second deformable sheet;
wherein the first inner surface has a first inner surface normal vector oriented toward the second inner surface and is spaced apart from the second inner surface in a direction along the first inner surface normal vector;
wherein one of the first and second deformable sheets supports one or more electrically conductive sensor electrodes and the other one of the first and second deformable sheets supports an electrically conductive base electrode;
a plurality of bonded dielectric pillars, each bonded dielectric pillar extending between the first inner surface and the second inner surface and bonded to the first inner surface at a first one of bonded dielectric pillar ends and to the second inner surface at an opposing second one of bonded dielectric pillar ends;
wherein the plurality of bonded dielectric pillars are spaced apart from one another in one or more directions tangential to the first inner surface; and
one or more support dielectric pillars, each support dielectric pillar bonded to one of the first inner surface and the second inner surface at a bonded end of the support dielectric pillar and having a non-bonded end that is capable of translation relative to the other one of the first inner surface and the second inner surface;
wherein the one or more support dielectric pillars are spaced apart from each of the plurality of bonded dielectric pillars in one or more directions tangential to the first inner surface to thereby maintain a space between the first and second deformable sheets.