Inertial sensor

• US 10,254,305 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuzawa, Hideaki, Hara, Michiko, Fuji, Yoshihiko, Higashi, Yoshihiro, Kaji, Shiori, Hori, Akio, Nagata, Tomohiko, Yuzawa, Akiko, Kikitsu, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Schmitt, Benjamin R
• Application Number:
  US15/724,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 7351416, 7351431
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/105 by magnetically sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0805 being provided with a particular type of spring-mass-system for defining the displacement of a seismic mass due to an external acceleration

Abstract

An inertial sensor includes a base portion, a weight portion, a connection portion, and a first sensing element unit. The connection portion connects the weight portion and the base portion and is capable of being deformed in accordance with a change in relative position of the weight portion with respect to the position of the base portion. The first sensing element unit is provided on a first portion of the connection portion and includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic first intermediate layer. The nonmagnetic first intermediate layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a first member;

a second member connected with the first member, the second member being deformable;

a third member connected with the second member, the second member being provided between the first member and the third member;

a first sensing element unit provided at a first portion of the second member, the first sensing element unit being provided between the first member and the third member in a first direction along an outer edge of the second member, the first sensing element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and being nonmagnetic; and

a second sensing element unit provided at a second portion of the second member, the second sensing element unit being provided between the first member and the third member in the first direction, the second sensing element including a third magnetic layer, a fourth magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer being provided between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer and being nonmagnetic,

wherein a length of the second member in the first direction is shorter than a length of the third member in the first direction,

wherein the direction from a part of the first member connected with the second member toward a part of the second member connected with the third member is along the first direction.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a second direction from the first sensing element unit toward the second sensing element unit crosses the first direction.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first sensing element unit and the second sensing element unit are electrically connected in series.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third sensing element unit provided at a third portion of the second member and including a fifth magnetic layer, a sixth magnetic layer, and a third intermediate layer, the third intermediate layer being provided between the fifth magnetic layer and the sixth magnetic layer and being nonmagnetic, and

a direction from the first sensing element unit toward the third sensing element unit is along the first direction.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the second member is configured to be deformed in accordance with a change in a relative position of the third member with respect to a position of the first member.

6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the first magnetic layer includes iron and has an amorphous structure.

7. The sensor according to claim 6, wherein the at least the part of the first magnetic layer includes boron.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second member includes a first side extending along the first direction.

9. The sensor according to claim 8, wherein

the second member further includes a second side extending along the first direction.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a length of the second member in a second direction crossing the first direction is shorter than a length of the third member in the second direction.