A parallel ring-ring capacitive proximity sensor for detection of approaching conductor

Abstract

Purpose To solve the problem of low sensitivity of traditional capacitive proximity sensor, this paper aims to propose a novel capacitive sensor for detection of an approaching conductor. Design/methodology/approach Five capacitive proximity sensors with different structures are designed and the performance is compared with the traditional capacitive sensor. The impacts of geometrical parameters on the performance of the proposed capacitive sensor are studied. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the proposed capacitive sensor to an approaching conductor with different sizes is discussed. Also, how the designed capacitive sensor is sensitive to the lateral placement of the approaching object is analyzed. Findings Several capacitive proximity sensor structures have been designed and analyzed. It is found that the capacitive sensor with the top small ring-bottom large ring structure shows stronger electric field distribution around the top electrode and higher sensitivity to the approaching conductor than other sensors. Through further analysis of the proposed sensor, the results demonstrate that proposed capacitive sensor is effective for proximity object detection. Originality/value This paper proposes a novel capacitive proximity sensor with top small ring-bottom large ring structure. Compared with the traditional capacitive sensor, the proposed capacitive sensor is more sensitive to the approaching object. This would be helpful for the accurate detection of the approaching object. Also, the top and bottom electrodes are much smaller.

Highly Sensitive and Stable Multifunctional Self-Powered Triboelectric Sensor Utilizing Mo2CTx/PDMS Composite Film for Pressure Sensing and Non-Contact Sensing

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgency of containing the spread of bacteria and viruses, propelling non-contact sensors into the spotlight due to their capacity to transmit signals without physical contact [ 11 ]. Traditional non-contact sensors, such as inductive sensors, capacitive sensors, and photoelectric sensors, are not only costly but also reliant on batteries, limiting their applicability [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find a suitable energy-harvesting method to overcome the drawbacks of conventional power sources and provide a continuous and stable power supply to the sensors.…”