Elastomeric particle having an electrically conducting surface, a pressure sensor comprising said particles, a method for producing said sensor and a sensor system comprising said sensors

Abstract

A compression treatment device includes a pressure sensor system. The pressure sensor system includes at least one sensor cluster positioned relative to a body part, wherein each sensor cluster includes a plurality of pressure sensor elements. Further, each sensor cluster includes at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in parallel with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements, and at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in series with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements.

1 - 150 . (canceled) 
     
     
         151 . A compression treatment device comprising:
 one or more layers configured to apply pressure to a body part, wherein the one or more layers comprise at least a carrier layer; and   a pressure sensor system, wherein the pressure sensor system comprises at least one sensor cluster, wherein each sensor cluster comprises a plurality of pressure sensor elements distributed over at least a portion of the carrier layer, and further wherein each sensor cluster comprises:
 at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in parallel with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements, and 
 at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in series with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements. 
   
     
     
         152 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein the one or more layers comprise at least one layer associated with one or more actuators configured to provide compression to the body part. 
     
     
         153 . The compression treatment device of  claim 152 , wherein the at least one layer associated with the actuator comprises at least one layer forming a part of an inflatable bladder configured to provide compression to the body part. 
     
     
         154 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein the device further comprises only two external connections for each sensor cluster to provide signal information therefrom. 
     
     
         155 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein at least the carrier layer comprises a flexible material to form about the body part for measuring pressure applied thereto. 
     
     
         156 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein the carrier layer forms a part of a laminated structure. 
     
     
         157 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein the one or more layers comprise one or more smoothing layers positioned on one or both sides of the carrier layer to smooth stresses occurring at an interface between the plurality of pressure sensor elements and surroundings thereof before such stresses reach the plurality of pressure sensor elements. 
     
     
         158 . The compression treatment device of  claim 151 , wherein the one or more layers comprise at least one smoothing layer positioned between the carrier layer and the body part when the compression treatment device is worn by a user to smooth stresses occurring at an interface between the plurality of pressure sensor elements and the body part. 
     
     
         159 . The compression treatment device of  claim 158 , wherein the at least one smoothing layer comprises a layer formed of at least one of microcellular foam structure, rubber, and non-woven fabric. 
     
     
         160 . The compression treatment device of  claim 158 , wherein the at least one smoothing layer is 5 to 10 times the thickness of the carrier layer. 
     
     
         161 . A compression treatment device to apply pressure to a body part, wherein the compression treatment device comprises:
 at least one layer of flexible material to form about the body part; and   a pressure sensor system, wherein the pressure sensor system comprises at least one sensor cluster positionable relative to the body part when the at least one layer of flexible material is worn and forms about the body part, wherein each sensor cluster comprises at least three spaced apart pressure sensor elements, and further wherein each sensor cluster comprises:
 at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in parallel with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements, and 
 at least one pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements connected in series with another pressure sensor element or group of pressure sensor elements. 
   
     
     
         162 . The compression treatment device of  claim 161 , wherein the device further comprises at least one layer associated with one or more actuators configured to provide compression to the body part. 
     
     
         163 . The compression treatment device of  claim 162 , wherein the at least one layer associated with the actuator comprises at least one layer forming a part of an inflatable bladder configured to provide compression to the body part. 
     
     
         164 . The compression treatment device of  claim 161 , wherein the device further comprises only two external connections for each sensor cluster to provide signal information therefrom. 
     
     
         165 . The compression treatment device of  claim 161 , wherein the device further comprises one or more smoothing layers positioned on one or both sides of the plurality of pressure sensor elements to smooth stresses occurring at an interface between the plurality of pressure sensor elements and surroundings thereof before such stresses reach the plurality of pressure sensor elements. 
     
     
         166 . The compression treatment device of  claim 161 , wherein the device further comprises at least one smoothing layer positioned between the carrier layer and the body part when the compression treatment device is worn by a user to smooth stresses occurring at an interface between the plurality of pressure sensor elements and the body part. 
     
     
         167 . The compression treatment device of  claim 166 , wherein the at least one smoothing layer comprises a layer formed of at least one of microcellular foam structure, rubber, and non-woven fabric. 
     
     
         168 . The compression treatment device of  claim 161 , wherein each sensor cluster comprises pressure sensor elements forming a circuit, a reduced equivalent circuit of which substantially comprises a polygon network element.