WO2018215979A1

WO2018215979A1 - Ventilated sensor mat

Info

Publication number: WO2018215979A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/053728
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arthur Fun Wah Wong
Original assignee: Tfe Hong Kong Limited
Priority date: 2017-05-26
Filing date: 2018-05-25
Publication date: 2018-11-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ventilated sensor mat, comprising a pressure sensing electronic component, a connector cable and a cover; the ventilation sensor mat further comprises a ventilation tube, the ventilation tube forms an air path from between the sealed area and outside environment after the cover is sealed, allowing air to enter and exit the sealed area solely through the ventilation tube. When a user exerts pressure on the cover and the electronic component, excess air can leave the cover through the ventilation tube, therefore ensuring the pressure sensing electronic component can properly detect that pressure is exerted.

Description

VENTILATED SENSOR MAT

The present invention relates to a sensor mat, in particular relates to a ventilated sensor mat.

Sensor mats performs a certain action through detection of pressure exerted on the mat. During prolonged use, waterproof and ventilation abilities largely determine the durability and reliability of the mat. If holes are opened on the mat or the mat is made using breathable materials such as fabric, ventilation is good but the mat is not waterproof and may be damaged during use. However, if the mat is sealed for waterproof ability, air inside the mat cannot exit the mat and affects detection ability of the mat, therefore compromising the reliability of the product. As such, a sensor mat that is waterproof and air passable at the same time is desired.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: sensor mats are unable to reliably operate when made to be waterproof.

The technical solution used to solve the technical problem is: a ventilated sensor mat, comprising a pressure sensing electronic component, a connector cable and a cover; the pressure sensing electronic component is disposed inside the cover; a first end of the connector cable is connected to the pressure sensing electronic component, a second end of the connector cable extends outside of the cover; characterized in that: the ventilation sensor mat further comprises a ventilation tube, a first end of the ventilation tube extends into the cover, a second end of the ventilation tube is disposed outside of the cover; the cover is sealed around a periphery thereof, forming a sealed area around the pressure sensing electronic component; the ventilation tube forms an air path from between the sealed area and outside environment after sealing, allowing air to enter and exit the sealed area solely through the ventilation tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover is made of a waterproof air-nonpermeable resilient material. In a preferred embodiment, the cover is formed by a top portion and a bottom portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the second end of the connector cable comprises an electrical connector for connecting to an alarm device.

In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the ventilation tube extends into the cover through a sealing point.

In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation tube and the connector cable extends side by side in a parallel configuration.

In a preferred embodiment, the pressure sensing electronic component comprises a top conductive plate and a bottom conductive plate, separated apart by a soft material; the soft material collapses when pressure is exerted on the cover causing the top conductive plate to contact the bottom conductive plate for sensing of pressure, the pressure sensing electronic component senses the contact and transmits a signal through the connector cable.

In a preferred embodiment, the sensor mat comprises two ventilation tubes disposed at opposite sides of the connector cable.

The advantage of the present invention is: the pressure sensing electronic component is sealed inside the cover, making the electronic component waterproof and hence improving the durability of the mat. At the same time, air can leave the sealed area through the ventilation tube. When a user exerts pressure on the cover and the electronic component, excess air can leave the cover through the ventilation tube, therefore ensuring the pressure sensing electronic component can properly detect that pressure is being exerted. Air can also reenter the cover through the ventilation tube when pressure is no longer exerted, to return the mat to its original state.

The present invention is further explained below with the reference drawings.

Fig.1

is an overall structural schematic diagram of a ventilated sensor mat of the present invention, showing a cross section of a connector cable and a ventilation tube.

Fig.2

is a cross section diagram of a ventilated sensor mat of the present invention.

Fig.3

is a cross section diagram of another embodiment of a ventilated sensor mat of the present invention.

Labels in the drawings: electronic component 10, cover 12, top cover 14a, bottom cover 14b, connector cable 16, electrical connector 18, ventilation tube 20, sealing point 22, top conductive plate 24a, bottom conductive plate 24b, soft material 26.

The present invention is hereby explained in detail with the reference drawings. The drawings are all simplified schematic diagrams and only illustrates the basic principles of the present invention, as such only structures relevant to the present invention are shown.

A first embodiment of the ventilated sensor mat as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a pressure sensing electronic component 10, a cover 12 and a connector cable 16. The pressure sensing electronic component 10 is disposed inside the cover 12. A first end of the connector cable 16 is connected to the pressure sensing electronic component 10, a second end of the connector cable extends outside of the cover 12, and comprises an electrical connector 18 for connecting to external components. The ventilated sensor mat also comprises a ventilation tube, a first end of the ventilation tube 20 extends into the cover 12, a second end of the ventilation tube 20 is disposed outside the cover 12.

The cover 12 is sealed around its periphery, forming a sealed area around the pressure sensing electronic component 10. After sealing, the first end of the ventilation tube 20 is inside the sealed area and the second end of the ventilation tube 20 is outside the sealed area, therefore forming an air path between the sealed area and outside environment, allowing air to enter and exit the sealed area through the ventilation tube 20.

In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation tube 20 and the connector cable 16 extends side by side in a parallel configuration. The ventilation tube 20 can be made in one piece with the connection cable 16 or glued thereto. In a further embodiment, the ventilation tube 20 is slightly shorter than the connector cable 16, so as to prevent connection to other components from affecting ventilation.

In a preferred embodiment, a waterproof breathable membrane can be coated on the second end of the ventilation tube 20. In a preferred embodiment, the second end of the ventilation tube 20 is sufficiently distanced away from the cover 12, e.g. 1-3 meters, minimizing the chance of liquid outside from entering the cover 12 through the ventilation tube 20.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover 12 is made of plastic, since plastic is waterproof and air-nonpermeable, and can be sealed together using existing methods such as hot melting or gluing. Plastic is also durable and easy to maintain, therefore is suitable for prolonged periods of use. In general, the ventilation tube 20 is also made of a resilient plastic or a same material as the jacket of the connector cable 16.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover 12 is made of a top portion 14a and a bottom portion 14b. The cover 12 generally has a flat profile, when placed in a lateral orientation, the product can detect a user pressing the top portion 14a towards the bottom portion 14b.

In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the ventilation tube 20 extends into the cover 12 at a sealing point. In a specific embodiment, the sealing point 22 is disposed at a corner of the cover 12. The sealing point 22 is slightly truncated at the corner to reduce the curvature of the cover 12for sealing, reducing the chance of air leaking from the sealing point 22 due to imperfect sealing. The sealing point 22 is disposed at a point farthest away from the center of the mat, minimizing the discomfort caused by the thickness and hardness of the sealing point 22 when the user presses on the cover 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the electrical connector 18 is connected to an alarm device or a monitor (not shown). The alarm device alerts nearby people if the pressure sensing electronic component 10 detects the cover 12 is not being pressed. The alert can be audio, vibration or optical signals, or communication signals to other devices.

In a preferred embodiment, the pressure sensing electronic component 10 is a contact based pressure sensor comprising a top conductive plate 24a and a bottom conductive plate 24b along the entire area or a majority of the top cover 14a and the bottom cover 14b respectively, separated by a soft material 26 such as foam, areas between soft material 26 are filled with air. The connector cable 16 is electrically connected to the top conductive plate 24a and the bottom conductive plate 24b. At an initial state where pressure is not detected, i.e. at ambient pressure, the top conductive plate 24a does not contact the bottom conductive plate 24b, and the circuit remains open. When pressure is exerted on the cover, the soft material 26 deforms and collapses, at the same time excess air leaves the cover 12 through the ventilation tube 20, causing the top conductive plate 24a to contact the bottom conductive plate 24b, closing the circuit. A signal will then be generated in response to the contact and transmitted through the connector cable 16 to the monitor or the electrical connector 18. Once pressure is no longer exerted, air will reenter the cover 12 through the ventilation tube 20 due to pressure difference between the environment and the cover 12, separating the top conductive plate 24a and the bottom conductive plate 24b, and returning the mat into the initial state. The electrical components of the sensor mat are merely used for sensing and do not alter the pressure inside the cover 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the top conductive plate 24a and the bottom conductive plate 24b are tightly glued or attached to the inside surface of the top cover 14a and the bottom cover 14b respectively.

In a preferred embodiment as shown in Fig. 3, the ventilation tube 20 is disposed at two opposite sides of the connector cable 16. Increasing the number of ventilation tube 20 directly improves ventilation efficiency, while keeping the size of the opening of each single ventilation tube 20 unchanged such that liquid or foreign objects will not enter the cover 12 more easily due to opening size increase. Placing the ventilation tube 20 at the two sides can also maintain the connector cable 16 to be in a generally flat and regular profile, therefore keeping sealing simple and straightforward. One skilled in the art can change the number of ventilation tubes, location, or size under the teachings of the present invention as desired for a certain purpose.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. One skilled in the art can perform various modifications and adjustments without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments as described, but is instead bound by the claims.

For example, the ventilation tube can be disposed at any location around the connector cable or can be separated from the connector cable. As long as operation of the electronic product remains normal, the ventilation tube can enter the cover in other suitable locations.

Claims

A ventilated sensor mat, comprising a pressure sensing electronic component, a connector cable and a cover; the pressure sensing electronic component is disposed inside the cover; a first end of the connector cable is connected to the pressure sensing electronic component, a second end of the connector cable extends outside of the cover; characterized in that: the ventilation sensor mat further comprises a ventilation tube, a first end of the ventilation tube extends into the cover, a second end of the ventilation tube is disposed outside of the cover; the cover is sealed around a periphery thereof, forming a sealed area around the pressure sensing electronic component; the ventilation tube forms an air path between the sealed area and outside environment after sealing, allowing air to enter and exit the sealed area solely through the ventilation tube.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the cover is made of a waterproof air-nonpermeable resilient material.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the second end of the connector cable comprises an electrical connector for connecting to an alarm device.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the first end of the ventilation tube extends into the cover through a sealing point.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the ventilation tube and the connector cable extends side by side in a parallel configuration.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the pressure sensing electronic component comprises a top conductive plate and a bottom conductive plate, separated apart by a soft material; the soft material collapses when pressure is exerted on the cover causing the top conductive plate to contact the bottom conductive plate for sensing of pressure, the pressure sensing electronic component senses the contact and transmits a signal through the connector cable.
The ventilated sensor mat according to claim 1, characterized in that: the sensor mat comprises two ventilation tubes disposed at opposite sides of the connector cable.