| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 324660000 | With variable electrode area | 16 |
| 20090091336 | Capacitive Position Sensor - A method of manufacturing a non-contacting position sensor is disclosed. A sensor manufactured with the disclosed geometry, will typically obtain position resolutions of 1 part in 8*N*2 | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090167325 | PULSED CAPACITANCE MEASURING CIRCUITS AND METHODS - Capacitance measuring circuits and methods apply electrical charge pulses to ramp voltage signals across a voltage threshold, and use the number of pulses to determine the capacitance. Capacitances at multiple locations can be measured by storing a pulse counter value in a register associated with each voltage signal channel as that voltage signal crosses the threshold. Effects of electrode resistance on the capacitance measurements can be mitigated by using charge pulses to ramp the voltage signals and waiting for signal quiescence between pulses. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090206845 | CAPACITIVE SENSING APPARATUS DESIGNS - A capacitive sensing apparatus includes a plurality of electrically conductive sensing elements that have widths that vary and lengths that traverse a sensing region. The sensing elements include a first sensing element including a first variable-width portion and a second variable-width portion that in combination produce a combined first sensor signal, a second sensing element including a third variable-width portion and a fourth variable-width portion that in combination produce a combined second sensor signal, and a third sensing element including a fifth variable-width portion and a sixth variable-width portion that in combination produce a combined third sensor signal. The first, third and fifth variable-width portions are arranged in a first pattern and the second, fourth and sixth variable-width portions are arranged in a second pattern, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are bilaterally symmetrical about a median that is substantially equidistant from opposite edges of the sensing region. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090289641 | Area-variable type capacitive displacement sensor having mechanical guide - An area-variable type capacitive displacement sensor includes: a stationary element; a movable element; an elastic member for providing a force biasing one of the stationary element and the movable member towards a remaining one thereof in a direction perpendicular to a driving direction so that the stationary element and the movable member are maintained in close contact with each other; a power supply; and a signal detecting circuit. The sensor further includes a guide means for correcting an initial alignment error and reducing an operation alignment error between the stationary element and the movable element. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100019779 | POTENTIAL MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A potential measurement apparatus for measuring a surface potential of an object of measurement detects a change in electric charge induced at a detection electrode due to electrostatic induction by changing a distance between the detection electrode and the object of measurement in accordance with a predetermined period, using a neutral distance as reference, as a signal representing a change in electric current. The potential measurement apparatus includes a first detection unit for detecting a signal representing a fundamental period of the change in electric current and a signal representing a second harmonic period, a second detection unit for detecting information representing a capacitance between the detection electrode at the neutral distance and the object of measurement and an arithmetic unit for computationally obtaining information on the surface potential of the object of measurement, with eliminating an influence of the neutral distance and the capacitance, according to an outcome of detection of the first detection unit and an outcome of detection of the second detection unit. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100148801 | CAPACITANCE-TYPE ENCODER - A capacitance-type encoder capable of obtaining position data of a movable element with low power-consumption. The capacitance-type encoder comprises a stator, a movable element arranged to confront the stator, an excitation device and a signal processing device. The stator has at least three excitation-electrode sets electrically independent from each other, each set constituted of excitation electrodes arranged cyclically and electrically connected with each other so that a predetermined number of excitation-electrode groups are formed. The movable element has connection electrodes having the same number as the excitation-electrode groups. The excitation device applies excitation signals to the excitation-electrode sets periodically in a predetermined sequence. The signal processing device determines which one of divided regions of one cycle of arrangement of the excitation electrodes the movable element is positioned in based on a combination pattern of detection signals generated in the connection electrodes. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100176821 | ACOUSTIC SENSOR - A vibrating electrode plate | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100194407 | MEMS sensor - The MEMS sensor according to the present invention includes: a substrate made of a silicon material, having a recess dug down from the surface thereof; a fixed electrode made of a metallic material, arranged in the recess and fixed to the substrate; and a movable electrode made of a metallic material, arranged in the recess to be opposed to the fixed electrode and provided to be displaceable with respect to the fixed electrode. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20110001493 | FLUIDIC ELECTROSTATIC ENERGY HARVESTER - One embodiment of the present invention relates to a variable capacitor that operates without moving mechanical parts. In this capacitor electrically conductive electrodes are separated by an enclosed chamber filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can freely vary its position within the chamber. The capacitance of the device will vary as position of the conductive material changes due to external mechanical motion (ex: rotation, vibration, etc.) of the device. Other embodiments of this device are also disclosed. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20120092029 | SENSOR ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTACTLESS DETERMINATION OF THE INSTANTANEOUS ANGULAR POSITION OF A SHAFT - An exemplary sensor arrangement is disclosed for contactless determination of the instantaneous angular position of a shaft which has a transmitter, which is arranged thereon such that they rotate together and interacts with at least one pick-up, which is installed in a fixed position with respect thereto, for determining the angular position of the shaft. The fixed-position pick-up is formed by a first and a second circular disk, which are aligned plane-parallel with respect to one another and each have a central hole for guiding the shaft. The first disk is subdivided into four equal circular segments which are in the form of mutually isolated electrodes. The second disk is in the form of an opposing electrode with respect to the first disk. The transmitter is arranged as a solid dielectric, which is in the form of a disk, between the two disks and essentially has the form of a semicircle which is rigidly connected to the shaft. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20130093437 | CAPACITOR SENSOR CAPABLE OF CONTROLLING SENSITIVITY - There is provided a capacitor sensor capable of controlling sensitivity, wherein the capacitor sensor measures the magnitude and direction of a shear force applied to the sensor, as well as the magnitude of a normal force applied on the surface of the sensor, and consists of a single cell including a pattern electrode capable of varying its shape to control the sensitivity of the sensor. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130141119 | Substantially Edgeless Touch Sensor - In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a plurality of drive electrodes made of conductive material, a plurality of sense electrodes made of conductive material, and a plurality of edges. Each of the drive electrodes and each of the sense electrodes are coupled to at least one track. The tracks are located along only one of the plurality of edges of the touch sensor. | 06-06-2013 |
| 20130241577 | CAPACITANCE TYPE SENSOR - A capacitance type sensor includes a sensor body part having a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode, which are arranged to face a detection object. The first detection electrode and the second detection electrode are arranged in a partially overlapping manner to form an overlap section. An area size of the overlap section between the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode decreases when the sensor body part deforms from a pressure exerted onto the sensor body part, in comparison to the area size of the overlap section when the sensor body part is in a normal state without deformation. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20140197851 | APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - An apparatus including a sensor array, configured to produce an array output value in response to an environmental stimulus, and a controller, the sensor array including a plurality of sensors and a common output terminal connected to the respective outputs of the sensors, each sensor having first and second electrodes configured to output a respective sensor output value in a particular environment based on the areas of the first and second electrodes and/or the spacing therebetween, the controller configured to control which of the sensors are connected to the common output terminal using respective switches to vary the effective area and/or spacing of the sensor array such that the array output value at the common output terminal, based on the contribution of the respective sensor output values of the connected sensors, is held at a reference value. | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140218054 | Electrode Configuration, Hand-Held Device as Well as Method for the Detection of a Touch of a Hand-Held Device - An electrode configuration for a capacitive sensor device of a hand-held device for the touch detection of a user has at least one transmitting electrode, at least one receiving electrode and at least one first field measuring electrode. The electrode configuration enables a detection of the position of the hand-held device relative to the body of a user. A method for the detection of a touch of a hand-held device by a user can also be provided, wherein the method is adjusted to detect the position of the hand-held device relative to the body of a user. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20150015277 | CAPACITIVE ROTARY POSITION ENCODER - Some embodiments may include a capacitive rotary position encoder for the absolute determination of a rotary position about a rotary spindle. The rotary position encoder may include a transceiver unit, comprising a first arrangement of N electrically conductive, capacitive sensitivity areas which are embodied as angle segments over a defined angle range, which are distributed uniformly over the circumference, an electrically conductive reference area and an evaluation circuit, by means of which an electrical capacitance value between the reference area and one of the sensitivity areas is determinable. In some embodiments the sensitivity areas and the reference area are embodied as conductor track structures on a first electronics printed circuit board. A counterpart may be situated opposite the transceiver unit and rotatable relative thereto about the rotary spindle and may include a reference coupling area arranged opposite the reference area, and an arrangement of electrically conductive code areas connected thereto. | 01-15-2015 |
