A load sensing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a load sensing element including a pressure sensing portion, a housing that houses the load sensing element, and a pressing member supported by the housing, wherein the pressing member includes an elastic member that receives a load, a stiff pressing portion that is to come into contact with the pressure sensing portion, and an elastic supporting portion that supports the stiff pressing portion in the housing. When no load is applied to the pressing member, a gap is formed between the stiff pressing portion and the pressure sensing portion.

A method for determining the state of at least one sensor whose mechanical behaviour is nonlinear as a function of the amplitude of the pressure exerted against the sensor, the sensor and an electromechanical transducer being able to be coupled to a support, the method comprising the steps of: applying an electrical signal at a first amplitude to the terminals of the first electromechanical transducer, and determining a first set of values of a parameter characteristic of the electrical impedance of the first electromechanical transducer in response to the application of the electrical signal; applying the electrical signal at a second amplitude to the terminals of the first electromechanical transducer, and determining a second set of values of the parameter characteristic of the impedance; measuring a deviation between the first set of values and the second set of values; determining a state of the sensor as a function of the deviation between the first set of values and the second set of values.

Collecting roll data associated with a sensing and mating rolls that form a nip uses first and second pluralities of sensors. Each sensor of the first plurality has a corresponding sensor in the second plurality which is associated with a same respective axial location on the sensing roll but is spaced-apart circumferentially. The sensors are located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll and generate either a first or second respective signal when entering the nip. Upon receiving a generated signal, a determination is made about which sensor generated the received signal and the membership of that sensor in one of the pluralities. Based upon a rotational position of the mating roll, a determination is made of which tracking segment associated with the mating roll enters the region of the nip concurrently with the signal to store the signal using the determined one tracking segment and the determined membership.

A sensor apparatus, such as a pressure gauge, comprises a sensor arranged to produce a sensor output signal that varies with a measured parameter such as pressure, and a plurality of output channels each arranged to receive the sensor output signal. The output channels are each optimized for a different range of the measured parameter. The apparatus further comprises an analog to digital converter (ADC) and control module arranged to select one of the output channels and connect it to the ADC so as to produce a digital channel output, and an output module configured to generate an output reading from the digital channel output of the selected channel.

A pressure sensor includes a substrate, a patterned circuit, and a conductive material layer. The patterned circuit, formed on the substrate, includes a first-path part and a second-path part of which at least a part is formed at a predetermined gap from at least a part of the first-path part. The conductive material layer, resiliently disposed on the patterned circuit, has protrusions. The conductive material layer deforms to determine a contact area between the protrusions and the substrate, and upon deformation of the conductive material layer to contact the first-path part, the gap between the first-path part and the second-path part, and the second-path part, the first-path part electrically connects to the second-path part.

A sensor apparatus, such as a pressure gauge, comprises a sensor arranged to produce a sensor output signal that varies with a measured parameter such as pressure, and a plurality of output channels each arranged to receive the sensor output signal. The output channels are each optimized for a different range of the measured parameter. The apparatus further comprises an analog to digital converter (ADC) and control module arranged to select one of the output channels and connect it to the ADC so as to produce a digital channel output, and an output module configured to generate an output reading from the digital channel output of the selected channel.

A pressure sensor includes a substrate, a patterned circuit, and a conductive material layer. The patterned circuit, formed on the substrate, includes a first-path part and a second-path part of which at least a part is formed at a predetermined gap from at least a part of the first-path part. The conductive material layer, resiliently disposed on the patterned circuit, has protrusions. The conductive material layer deforms to determine a contact area between the protrusions and the substrate, and upon deformation of the conductive material layer to contact the first-path part, the gap between the first-path part and the second-path part, and the second-path part, the first-path part electrically connects to the second-path part.

A sensor device includes a plurality of systems each having a sensor element, and a computation unit configured to calculate as a first value a value of at least one of a force and a moment applied to a detection target in a predetermined axial direction, based on a detection signal detected by the sensor element, and an abnormality determining unit configured to compare the first values calculated by the computation units of the systems with one another, and determine that there is an abnormality if a difference of the first value is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount. The computation unit of at least one of the systems calculates as a second value a value of at least one of a force and a moment applied to the detection target in the axial direction, based on detection signals detected by the sensor elements of the systems.

Collecting roll data associated with a sensing and mating rolls that form a nip uses first and second pluralities of sensors. Each sensor of the first plurality has a corresponding sensor in the second plurality which is associated with a same respective axial location on the sensing roll but is spaced-apart circumferentially. The sensors are located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll and generate either a first or second respective signal when entering the nip. Upon receiving a generated signal, a determination is made about which sensor generated the received signal and the membership of that sensor in one of the pluralities. Based upon a rotational position of the mating roll, a determination is made of which tracking segment associated with the mating roll enters the region of the nip concurrently with the signal to store the signal using the determined one tracking segment and the determined membership.

A force detection device includes: a substrate; and a force transmission block. The substrate includes: a mesa gauge arranged on a principal plane of the substrate and providing a bridge circuit; a connection region arranged on the principal plane; and a sealing portion surrounding all around the mesa gauge and connected to the force transmission block. The mesa gauge includes: a first mesa gauge extending in a first direction; and a second mesa gauge extending in a second direction and spaced apart from the first mesa gauge. The connection region electrically connects the one end of the first mesa gauge and the one end of the second mesa gauge.