Pressure sensing mat

摘要

A pressure sensing sheet includes at least first, second, and third layers wherein the first and third layers each have conductive paths defined therein that are separated by nonconductive spacers. The orientation of the conductive paths of the first layer are transverse to the orientation of the conductive paths of the third layer. The second layer is made of material that has an electrical characteristic that changes with applied pressure, such as, but not limited to, piezoresistive or piezoelectric material. The first and/or third layers are made from multi-material sheets wherein a first type of material will repel conductive particles when subjected to an autocatalytic coating process, while the second type of material will bond with the conductive particles during the autocatalytic coating process. The use of different materials in the first and/or third layers facilitates the manufacturing of the conductive paths and nonconductive spacers.

主权项

1. A pressure sensing mat comprising:
a first layer of fabric having rows of electrically conductive strips separated by nonconductive spacers, said first layer of fabric being made of a first type of material and a second type of material, said first type of material being different from said second type of material, said first type of material and said second type of material being secured together in an end-to-end fashion wherein said first type of material is positioned at said nonconductive spacers and said second type of material is positioned at said conductive strips, wherein said first type of material repels a solution of conductive particles such that when said first type of material is bathed in the solution of conductive particles, said conductive particles do not adhere to said first type of material; a second layer of fabric that includes pressure sensing material; and a third layer of fabric having columns of electrically conductive strips separated by nonconductive spacers, wherein said second layer of fabric is positioned between said first and third layers of fabric.