Contact sensors and methods for making same

Abstract

Disclosed herein are novel contact sensors. The contact sensors disclosed herein include a conductive composite material formed of a polymer and a conductive filler. In one particular aspect, the composite materials can include less than about 10 wt % conductive filler. Thus, the composite material of the contact sensors can have physical characteristics essentially identical to the polymer, while being electrically conductive with the electrical resistance proportional to the load on the sensor. The sensors can provide real time dynamic contact information for joint members under conditions expected during use.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A contact sensor, comprising:
 a plurality of polymer sensor sheets, each polymer sensor sheet having selected spaced conductive portions integrally formed therein, wherein adjacent polymer sensor sheets are stacked such that portions of the conductive portions therein the sensor sheets overlap and create an array of sensing points at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets, and   means for determining the pressure applied at least one sensing point of the array of sensing points,   wherein the conductive portion of each polymer sensor sheet is formed from a pressure sensitive conductive composite material that comprises an electrically conductive filler and a polymeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The contact sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a data acquisition terminal, wherein each spaced conductive portion is in communication with the data acquisition terminal. 
     
     
         3 . The contact sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive portions of each polymer sheet form conductive stripes extending the substantial length of the polymer sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The contact sensor of  claim 3 , wherein the conductive stripes in one sensor sheet are oriented substantially perpendicular to the conductive portions of an adjacent sensor sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The contact sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to selectively connect one conductive stripe of an underlying polymer sheet to a voltage source and one conductive stripe of the overlying polymer sheet to a current-to-voltage circuit to measure the current through the sensing point formed at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets. 
     
     
         6 . The contact sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to measure the current at each sensing point of the array of sensing points. 
     
     
         7 . The contact sensor of  claim 3 , wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to process the current measurements at at least one sensing point to determine the pressure that is applied at each sensing point. 
     
     
         8 . The contact sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer sensor sheet is formed from a substantially inflexible composite material. 
     
     
         9 . The contact sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive potion of each polymer sheet is formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The contact sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric material used in the conductive and non-conductive portions are the same polymeric material. 
     
     
         11 . The contact sensor of  claim 10 , wherein the polymeric material is a thermoformable polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The contact sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of: ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyphenolyne sulfide (PPS), low density polyethylene (LDPE), or polyoxymethylene copolymer (POM). 
     
     
         13 . The contact sensor of  claim 9 , wherein a desired amount of conductive filler can range from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the pressure sensitive composite material. 
     
     
         14 . The contact sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive filler comprises carbon black. 
     
     
         15 . The contact sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure sensitive composite material further comprises ceramic fillers, aluminum oxide, zirconia, calcium, silicon, fibrous fillers, carbon fibers, glass fibers, and/or organic fillers. 
     
     
         16 . A contact sensor, comprising:
 a data acquisition terminal;   a plurality of polymer sensor sheets, each polymer sensor sheet having selected spaced conductive portions integrally formed therein, wherein each spaced conductive portion is in communication with the data acquisition terminal, wherein adjacent polymer sensor sheets are stacked such that portions of the conductive portions therein the sensor sheets overlap and create an array of sensing points at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets, wherein the conductive portion of each polymer sensor sheet is formed from a pressure sensitive conductive composite material that comprises an electrically conductive filler and a polymeric material,   wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to selectively connect one conductive stripe of an underlying polymer sheet to a voltage source and one conductive stripe of the overlying polymer sheet to a current-to-voltage circuit to measure the current through the sensing point formed at the overlapping portions of the stacked sensor sheets, and wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to determine the pressure applied to at least one sensing point of the array of sensing points based on the measured current.   
     
     
         17 . The contact sensor of  claim 16 , wherein the conductive portions of each polymer sheet form conductive stripes extending the substantial length of the polymer sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The contact sensor of  claim 17 , wherein the conductive stripes in one sensor sheet are oriented substantially perpendicular to the conductive portions of an adjacent sensor sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The contact sensor of  claim 16 , wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to measure the current at each sensing point of the array of sensing points. 
     
     
         20 . The contact sensor of  claim 19 , wherein the data acquisition terminal is programmed to process the current measurements at at least one sensing point to determine the pressure that is applied at each sensing point.