Method for producing a strain gauge device

1. A method for producing a strain gauge device ( 10 ), said method comprising the steps of:

producing a band ( 12 ) having an upper side ( 14 ), an underside ( 16 ), defining a tensioning direction (L) running in the longitudinal direction of the band ( 12 ) and having flexibility in a measuring zone ( 36 ),

producing a sensor ( 22 ) comprising at least one elongate measuring strand ( 30 ) changing electrical resistivity in dependence of the strain and arranging the sensor ( 22 ) without pre-tension at or in the band such that the measuring strand ( 30 ) runs at least almost in the tensioning direction from one end to the other end of the measuring zone ( 36 ),

changing the shape of the band ( 12 ) at least in the measuring zone ( 36 ) into a retaining working shape ( 58 ); and

stretching the measuring strand ( 30 ) to an amount of pre-tension, whereat the amount of pre-tension defines a lower limit of a working range of the sensor ( 22 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of arranging the sensor ( 22 ) at a distance to a bending line ( 60 ) of the band ( 12 ) towards the upper side ( 14 ) and thereafter, for changing the shape of the band ( 12 ) in the retaining working shape ( 58 ), bending the band ( 12 ) at least in the measuring zone ( 36 ) along the longitudinal direction (L) in a direction towards the underside ( 16 ) so that thereafter the sensor ( 22 ) is arranged radially outwardly of the bending line ( 60 ).

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of mounting the sensor ( 22 ) to the upper side ( 14 ) of the band ( 12 ), then, for changing the shape of the band ( 12 ) in the retaining working shape ( 58 ), bending the band ( 12 ) at least in the measuring zone ( 36 ) along the longitudinal direction (L) in a direction towards the underside ( 16 ) so that thereafter the sensor ( 22 ) is arranged radially outwardly of the bending line ( 60 ).

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising producing the band ( 12 ) at least in the measuring zone ( 36 ) with a curve along the longitudinal direction (L) directed towards the upper side ( 14 ).

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising stretching the band ( 12 ) in the longitudinal direction (L) at least in the measuring zone ( 36 ) for changing the shape of the band in the retaining working shape ( 58 ).

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming stiffened or reinforced regions ( 38 ) in the band ( 12 ) or on the upper side ( 14 ) of the band ( 12 ) adjacent the measuring zone ( 36 ) and attaching the sensor ( 22 ) exclusively to these reinforced regions ( 38 ).

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising attaching the sensor ( 20 ) area-wide to the band ( 12 ).

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising producing the band ( 12 ) as a cell array structure ( 40 ), in the measuring zone ( 36 ) the cells ( 42 ) having at most the same stiffness than outside the measuring zone ( 36 ).

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising producing the cells ( 42 ) in the measuring zone ( 36 ) with a larger cell size than a cell size outside the measuring zone ( 36 ).

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising producing the cells ( 42 ) having a similar shape in and outside the measuring zone ( 36 ).

11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising producing the cells ( 42 ) having in the measuring zone ( 36 ) a different shape than outside the measuring zone ( 36 ).

12. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising producing the cell array structure ( 40 ) in a honeycomb or an auxetic form.

13. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising producing the cells ( 42 ) in the measuring zone ( 36 ) with a larger cell size than a cell size outside the measuring zone 936 ), the thickness of the walls of the cells being at least almost equal.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising arranging an electronic unit ( 20 ) in or on the band ( 12 ) and connecting the sensor ( 22 ) and the electronic unit ( 20 ) by means of electrical connecting lines ( 26 ).

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising producing the band ( 12 ) and the sensor ( 22 ) via a 3-D printing or layered manufacturing method.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring strand ( 30 ) is stretched to an amount of pre-tension between 7% and 00%.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 22 ) a material is used that comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and carbon black particles in the amount of 40 wt-%-55 wt-%.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 22 ) a material is used that comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and graphene or nanotubes particles in the amount of 2 wt-%-10 wt-%.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 12 ) a material is used that comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and electrical conductive particles in the amount of 40 wt-% to 55 wt-%.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 12 ) a material is used that is a mixture of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and electrical conductive particles.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the electrical conductive particles are particles of a metal or other inorganic material.

22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the electrical conductive particles are either copper, silver, indium tin oxide, or fluorine tin oxide.

23. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) is produced with a thickness equal to or less than 0.7 mm.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) has a thickness of at least approximately 0.3 mm.

25. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring strand ( 30 ) of the sensor is produced with a width between 0.1 mm and 2 mm and a length between 7 mm and 20 mm.

26. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) is produced as to have at least two measuring strands ( 30 ) arranged at least approximately parallel over the length of the measuring zone ( 36 ) and electrically connected in series.

27. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) is produced as to have a reversible flexibility of at least 100/150.

28. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the band ( 12 ) is produced as to have flexibility following the sensor ( 22 ) on both sides, as seen in the tensioning direction and the longitudinal direction (L), for at least approximately 10 mm.

29. The method according to claim 1 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 22 ) a material is used that is a mixture of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and carbon black particles in the amount of 40 wt-%-55 wt-%.

30. The method according to claim 1 , wherein for the production of the sensor ( 22 ) a material is used that is a mixture of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and graphene or nanotubes particles in the amount of 2 wt-%-10 wt-%.

31. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring strand ( 30 ) of the sensor is produced with a width between 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm, and a length between 8 mm and 15 mm.

32. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) is produced as to have two measuring stands ( 30 ) connected at one end by means of a common connecting strand ( 32 ) so that the sensor ( 22 ) has the shape of an U.

33. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 22 ) is produced as to have a reversible flexibility of at least 100/250.

34. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising producing the band ( 12 ) as a cell array structure ( 40 ), in the measuring zone ( 36 ) the cells ( 42 ) having a lower stiffness than outside the measuring zone ( 36 ).