Area Pressure Sensor

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The patent describes a surface pressure sensor that utilizes intersecting optical fibers embedded in a sensor mat to detect and spatially resolve pressure applied to its surface. When pressure is applied, the fibers deform and a portion of the light being transmitted through the fibers is redirected and detected by optical sensors. This allows the system to identify the precise location and strength of the applied surface pressure in real time. The technology is designed to be flexible, scalable, and highly sensitive, with components that can be integrated into textiles or other flexible substrates.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Smart medical beds or mattresses for patient monitoring to prevent bedsores by detecting pressure distribution.
• Integration into wearable devices or smart clothing for motion, posture, or rehabilitation analysis.
• Industrial robotic grippers or automation systems for sensitive and spatially resolved contact/pressure detection.
• Touch-sensitive security mats for safety and presence detection in hazardous or MRI environments.
• Sports equipment or footwear to analyze and improve pressure distribution and movement.
• Automotive seating or interiors for passenger comfort and safety monitoring.
• Pressure-sensitive surfaces in consumer electronics, touch panels, or advanced user interfaces.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides high-resolution, real-time pressure mapping over a surface.
• Allows precise localization and measurement of both the magnitude and location of applied pressure.
• Offers great flexibility and scalability in terms of sensor size and resolution.
• Can be made with materials suitable for integration into textiles, making it unobtrusive and comfortable.
• Insensitive to electromagnetic interference, making the system suitable for environments like MRI rooms or areas with strong electromagnetic fields.
• Simple and cost-effective construction compared to previous designs by leveraging fiber optics without the need for complex intermediate layers.
• Suitable for safe operation in hazardous or explosive environments due to the absence of electrical sensing elements in the sensing surface.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a surface pressure sensor having a sensor mat (10), an optical fibre arrangement (20), an optical sensor unit (60) and an evaluation unit (110), wherein the optical fibre arrangement (20) has a column fibre arrangement (30) and a row fibre arrangement (40) having column fibres (31n) and row fibres (41n) which intersect at intersection points (51n) and provide an intersection point matrix (50). In the event of a force acting as a result of surface pressure, the fibres (31n, 41n) undergo deformation, thereby forming a light-transmitting touch contact surface (52). By means of the optical sensor unit (60), a light signal is introduced into each of the column fibres (31n) by the light source arrangement (70) of the optical sensor unit, and the transmitted portion of the light signal on the column fibres and the portion of the light signal coupled into the row fibres (41n) via the touch contact surfaces (52) are detected by column and row photosensor arrangements (80, 90, 100) of the optical sensor unit (60) and subsequently evaluated by the evaluation unit (110), and the distribution of the surface pressure is thus determined in a spatially resolved manner for each intersection point (51n). The invention also relates to a method for the spatially resolved detection of a surface pressure.