Abstract:
A load transducer for sensing longitudinal tension includes a pair of deformable members with spaced-apart central portions, the spacing between which varies as a function of the longitudinal tension applied to the ends of the deformable members. The plates of a variable parallel plate capacitor are carried by insulating supports attached to each of the central portions. Alignment rods maintain the plates in parallel alignment. A circuit produces an output signal with a frequency proportional to the tension sensed by the draft sensor.
Abstract:
A transducer having six degrees of freedom is provided for converting forces and moments applied to a movable member, particularly to the movable arm of a robot, into electrical signals. The transducer includes a cylindrical body which is intended to be connected to the movable member and whose lateral surface has two axially spaced portions each provided with four equiangularly spaced metal plates. A cylindrical casing is resiliently supported about the body and provided on its inner surface with two substantially semi-cylindrical metal plates arranged facing the plates carried by the body in such a way as to define therewith a narrow interspace and to constitute eight capacitors. The capacitances of these capacitors depend on the relative positions of the plates of the casing and the plates of the body. The transducer also includes detectors connected to the plates of the body and of the casing. The detectors are arranged to measure the capacitance of each of the capacitors and to provide, on the basis of this measurement, electrical signals indicative of the forces and the moments applied to the movable member.
Abstract:
A load transducer includes a hollow body and a movable control element mounted in the body and extending through the body to an external surface of the body so that an external mechanical load can be applied to the control element to move the control element in one direction. Resilient means separate from the control element urges the control element in the opposite direction such that, in use, the control element is displaced by an amount dependent on the magnitude of the applied load. Coupled to the control element is a variable capacitor including a first electrode supported by a first carrier member in which the first carrier member is mounted so that the carrier members are capable of relative sliding movement in a direction perpendicular to a pair of parallel mutually presented surfaces of the electrodes. The carrier members are arranged so that movement of the control element serves to impart said relative sliding movement to the carrier members, whereby the distance between said electrode surfaces varies in accordance with the magnitude of the applied load but said surfaces remain in parallel, spaced relationship so that the capacitance of said capacitor varies with the applied load.
Abstract:
A method for stabilizing the conductance of conversion of mechanical displacements into an electric signal of a capacitance transducer incorporated into a bridge circuit consists, according to the invention, in controlling the supply voltage of the capacitance transducer and thus keeping constant the total current of two capacitors of the capacitance transducer, which is being measured continuously. A device for effecting the proposed method comprises two measuring current transformers whose primary windings, together with the series-connected capacitors of the capacitance transducer, make up two arms of a measuring bridge, the other two arms of that bridge being made up by resistors; a capacitor connected to the diagonal of the measuring bridge; a second capacitor connected to the circuit of series-connected secondary windings of the two measuring current transformers; an alternating voltage amplifier connected to the second capacitor; a demodulator connected to the alternating voltage amplifier; a stabilized direct-current voltage source and a comparator, the latter being connected to the demodulator and the stabilized direct-current voltage source and, via a direct-current voltage amplifier, to a servomotor which is mechanically coupled, via a reduction gear, to an output voltage regulator of a harmonic oscillator.
Abstract:
A load detection device includes: a load sensor including at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode disposed so as to cross the first electrode, and a dielectric body present between the first electrode and the second electrode; a detection circuit configured to detect change in a voltage in a crossing position between the first electrode and the second electrode; a connector configured to connect the first electrode and the second electrode to the detection circuit; and a control circuit configured to control the detection circuit, and configured to detect a load applied at the crossing position, based on change in a voltage detected by the detection circuit. The control circuit executes control of detecting a combination of, out of the plurality of terminals of the connector, the terminals to which the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively connected.
Abstract:
A pressure detection module and an electronic device are provided. The pressure detection module includes: a first electrode, a second electrode, a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and at least two solder fixing parts. A first surface of the first circuit board is fixed to an inner surface of a force input area of the housing. A second surface of the first circuit board is fixed to a first surface of the first electrode. A first surface of the second circuit board is fixed to a second surface of the second electrode. Two end sides of the second surface of the first circuit board and two end sides of the first surface of the second circuit board are disposed opposed to each other through the at least two solder fixing parts. Thereby, the pressure detection module does not require a bracket and has a small thickness.
Abstract:
Measurement apparatus, for generating a first output signal indicative of a measurand, comprises: a first oscillator circuit and a second oscillator circuit, each oscillator circuit being arranged to generate a respective oscillating output signal and comprising at least a respective first component having a property determining a respective output frequency of the respective oscillating output signal; a sensor for sensing said measurand, the sensor comprising said first component of the first oscillator circuit, said property of said first component of the first oscillator circuit being dependent upon said measurand; and circuitry arranged to receive said oscillating output signals and generate said first output signal, said first output signal being indicative of a number of cycles of one of the first and second oscillating output signals in a time period determined by a period of the other of said first and second oscillating output signals.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring pressure and/or humidity, and to a method for measuring pressure and/or humidity. The apparatus comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity, wherein the sensor comprises at least one capacitor comprising at least two electrodes that are arranged, in particular, in a horizontal direction along and on an, in particular, flexible support material relative to one another. At least one dielectric layer is arranged between the electrodes. The invention is characterised in that at least one at least partially liquid-permeable and/or liquid-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in some places on a side, facing away from a support material, of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer. The at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer are thus then arranged between the support material and the moisture layer in a transverse direction. In this way, a capacitance is at least partially changed by the liquid at least partially hitting the dielectric layer, wherein a processing unit is designed and provided to measure and/or store this change, so as to create a capacitive moisture sensor.