Reducing movement and electrostatic interference in a non-resistive contact sensor assembly

Abstract

A non-resistive contact sensor assembly, includes a non-resistive contact sensor device, a first inner region of material in which the sensor device is surrounded or embedded, a boundary region, around the first inner region, that is at least partly comprised of a conducting material and that picks up electrical charge from the first inner region, a second inner region around the boundary region, an outer region around the second inner region, and at least one diode, disposed in the second inner region and connected between the boundary region through the second inner region to the outer region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-resistive contact sensor assembly, comprising:
 (a) a non-resistive contact sensor device;   (b) a first inner region of material in which the sensor device is surrounded or embedded;   (c) a boundary region, around the first inner region, that is at least partly comprised of a conducting material and that picks up electrical charge from the first inner region;   (d) a second inner region around the boundary region;   (e) an outer region around the second inner region; and   (f) at least one diode, disposed in the second inner region and connected between the boundary region through the second inner region to the outer region.   
     
     
         2 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner region, the second inner region, and the outer region includes a triboelectrically neutral or relatively neutral material. 
     
     
         3 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner region, the second inner region, and the outer region includes an elastic material that acts to hold the sensor device in place, thereby minimizing the likelihood of sensor movement against the object surface and leading, in turn, to less chance of contact electrification and movement artifacts. 
     
     
         4 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner region, the second inner region, and the outer region includes a biasing structure that acts to hold the sensor device in place, thereby minimizing the likelihood of sensor movement against the object surface and leading, in turn, to less chance of contact electrification and movement artifacts. 
     
     
         5 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the biasing structure includes a spring. 
     
     
         6 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner region, the second inner region, and the outer region includes material that is relatively triboelectrically matched to the surface of the object being measured, tested, or the like, thereby minimizing the chances that charge separation will occur when this region and the surface of the object may move together. 
     
     
         7 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner region, the second inner region, and the outer region includes material that is conductive, allowing for dissipation of any surface or external charge. 
     
     
         8 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing that is treated with an ionized liquid. 
     
     
         9 . A non-resistive contact sensor assembly, wherein the surface region of the entity where a sensor or sensors are housed may be separated from the rest of the surface of the entity using a conducting band, comprising:
 (a) a non-resistive contact sensor device, including a dry electrode component;   (b) a first region of material; and   (c) a second region of material, wherein at least part of the material is a conducting material;   (d) wherein the first region is walled off from the rest of the surface of the entity by the second region.   
     
     
         10 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the assembly is provided in a wearable form. 
     
     
         11 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the assembly is provided in the form of a belt or wrap to be worn around a portion of a human body. 
     
     
         12 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the assembly is provided in the form of a belt or wrap to be worn around the midsection of a human. 
     
     
         13 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a housing that is treated with an ionized liquid. 
     
     
         14 . A non-resistive contact sensor assembly, comprising:
 (a) a non-resistive contact sensor device, including a dry electrode component; and   (b) an electrostatic shield layer disposed over the sensor device.   
     
     
         15 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the electrostatic shield layer is a triboelectrically-neutral material. 
     
     
         16 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the electrostatic shield layer is a electrostatically-shielding material. 
     
     
         17 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the electrostatic shield layer extends out from the sensor on the surface of the entity being measured or tested. 
     
     
         18 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a conducting layer disposed over the electrostatic shield layer. 
     
     
         19 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the conducting layer extends out from the outer perimeters of the electrostatic shield layer to the surface of the entity. 
     
     
         20 . The non-resistive contact sensor assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a housing that is treated with an ionized liquid.