Patent ID: 7861605

Claim:
A pressure distribution sensor utilizing electromagnetic coupling for a detection surface comprising: a plurality of first loop wires arranged in parallel to one another on the same plane; a plurality of second loop wires arranged in parallel to one another on the same plane different from that on which the first loop wires are arranged, and in a direction perpendicular to the first loop wires; a plurality of electromagnetic coupling portions in which the first loop wires and the second loop wires are electromagnetically coupled at the intersections of the first loop wires and the second loop wires, and in which the degree of the electromagnetic coupling varies with pressure applied to the detection surface; a drive section which is connected to one of the first loop wires and the second loop wires, and which drives the loop wires connected thereto; a detection section which is connected to the other of the first loop wires and the second loop wires, and which detects pressure according to detection signals based on the electromagnetic coupling at the electromagnetic coupling portions from the loop wires connected thereto; and a plurality of third loop wires which are arranged in parallel to one another on the same plane as that on which one of the first loop wires and the second loop wires are arranged, each of which is arranged to overlap partly with one of the first and second loop wires that are arranged on the same plane as the third loop wires, and which are connectable to one of the drive section and the detection section in a separated manner from one of the first and second loop wires that are arranged on the same plane as the third loop wires.