Patent ID: 7365031

Claim:
A pressure sensor fabric provided with a single layer including warp and weft filaments within said single layer, wherein: a. the warp filaments include at least one first elongated electrical conductor and the weft filaments include at least one second elongated electrical conductor, b. the warp and weft filaments extend across and within a common plane within the layer, wherein the warp and weft fibers both include portions resting on opposite sides of the plane, said first conductor or conductors being crossed by said second conductor or conductors, said conductors being normally biased apart at a crossover point of said conductors with an air gap between them resulting from insulating fibers or filaments which bias the first and second conductors apart at the crossover point wherein application of pressure in a direction substantially normal to a plane of the fabric is required to cause the conductors to make direct conductive contact wherein the air gap between them is closed with the conductors touching, with such contact changing the conductive properties of the fabric and thereby allowing sensing of the pressure.