Sensor device
The invention is a sensor device comprising a carrier element ( 24 ), at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) arranged on the carrier element ( 24 ), at least one light detecting element ( 22 ) arranged on the carrier element ( 24 ), a cover layer ( 12 ) reflecting at least one part of the light emitted by the light emitting element ( 20 ) to the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ), and at least one transparent filler element ( 16, 18 ) filling at least partly the space between the carrier element ( 24 ) and the cover layer ( 12 ) and being made of a flexible material.
1. A sensor device comprising
a carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ),
at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) arranged on the carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ),
at least one light detecting element ( 22 ) arranged on the carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ), and
a cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 45 , 52 , 68 ) reflecting at least one part of the light emitted by the light emitting element ( 20 ) to the at least one light detecting element,
characterised by
further comprising a first filler element ( 16 , 16 ′) arranged between a second filler element ( 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) and the cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 45 , 52 , 68 ),
wherein the second filler element ( 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) surrounds the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) and the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ), and the first filler element ( 16 , 16 ′) and the second filler element ( 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) have different refractivities, said filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) being transparent, said filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) filling at least partly the space between the carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ) and the cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 45 , 52 , 68 ), and said filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) being made of flexible materials.
2. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that a common second filler element ( 18 ) is arranged for the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) and the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ).
3. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that separate second filler elements ( 30 ′, 30 ″) are arranged for the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) and the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ).
4. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) are made of an incompressible material.
5. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that a directing element ( 21 , 23 ) is arranged around the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) and/or the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ).
6. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that an optical cable is connected to the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) and/or the at least one light detecting element ( 22 ).
7. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising a flat cover layer ( 52 , 68 ) and the filler elements have a shape matched to the layer.
8. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising at least three light detecting elements ( 22 ) arranged around the at least one light emitting element ( 20 ).
9. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising at least one light emitting element ( 20 ) being capable of emitting infrared light and at least one light detecting element ( 22 ) being capable of detecting infrared light.
10. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising a flexible cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 52 ).
11. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising a light reflecting layer ( 14 , 46 , 54 ′) arranged along the cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 45 , 52 , 68 ).
12. The device according to claim 11 , characterised in that the filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) fill up the space between the cover layer ( 12 , 42 , 45 , 52 , 68 ) and the carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ), or the space between the light reflecting layer ( 14 , 46 , 54 ′) and the carrier element ( 24 , 38 , 43 , 57 ).
13. The device according to claim 11 , characterised by comprising a dome-shaped cover layer ( 12 , 45 ), a dome-shaped light reflecting layer ( 14 , 46 ) and the filler elements ( 16 , 16 ′, 18 , 30 ′, 30 ″) have a shape matched to the layers.
14. The device according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising a stiff cover layer ( 45 , 68 ) and furthermore a flexible ring ( 48 , 70 ) is attached to the edge of the cover layer ( 45 , 68 ).
15. The device according to claim 14 , characterised in that a protruding stiff object ( 72 ) is attached to the stiff cover layer ( 45 , 68 ).