US 12,339,180 B2
Combined flexible tactile sensors
Jae-Won Choi, Copley, OH (US); and Md. Omar Faruk Emon, Hamden, CT (US)
Assigned to THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON, Akron, OH (US)
Filed by Jae-Won Choi, Copley, OH (US); and Md. Omar Faruk Emon, Hamden, CT (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/076,290.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/286,284, filed on Dec. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175900 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G01L 1/18 (2006.01); B82Y 15/00 (2011.01); B82Y 40/00 (2011.01)
CPC G01L 1/18 (2013.01) [B82Y 15/00 (2013.01); B82Y 40/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tactile sensor comprising:
a first insulating layer having a first and second major surface formed from a non-conductive material;
a first sensing layer comprising a first conductive soft polymer material and a first electrically conductive strip located within the first sensing layer, and wherein said first sensing layer is positioned above said first insulating layer;
a second sensing layer comprising a second conductive soft polymer material and second and third electrically conductive strips separated by the second conductive soft polymer material and arranged within a first plane located within the second sensing layer, where the first and second electrically conductive strips are separated by the first conductive soft polymer and are arranged within a second plane transverse to the first plane and wherein said second sensing layer is positioned above said first sensing layer;
a second insulating layer formed from a non-conductive material positioned above said second sensing layer; and
wherein the first conductive soft polymer material has a first intrinsic conductivity, wherein the second conductive soft polymer material has a second intrinsic conductivity, wherein the first and second intrinsic conductivities are different, wherein both the first and second electrically conductive strips are connected to a first impedance measuring device, wherein both the second and third electrically conductive strips are connected to a second impedance measuring device.