Angular velocity sensor

• US 10,408,618 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohuchi, Satoshi, Aizawa, Hiroyuki, Terada, Jiro, Ishida, Takami, Satou, Ichirou, Ohkoshi, Hideo, Ashimori, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US15/416,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 7350412, 7350416
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5607 using vibrating tuning forks double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5642 using vibrating bars or beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/574 the devices having two sensing masses in anti-phase motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

An inertial force sensor includes a detecting device which detects an inertial force, the detecting device having a first orthogonal arm and a supporting portion, the first orthogonal arm having a first arm and a second arm fixed in a substantially orthogonal direction, and the supporting portion supporting the first arm. The second arm has a folding portion. In this configuration, there is provided a small inertial force sensor which realizes detection of a plurality of different inertial forces and detection of inertial forces of a plurality of detection axes.

Claims

1. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a detecting device which detects angular velocity wherein the detecting device includes;

a first base portion, a second base portion, a third base portion and a fourth base portion;

a first weight portion, a second weight portion, a third weight portion and a fourth weight portion; and

portions to connect the base portions to the weight portions, wherein the portions include;

a first central beam portion extending along a first imaginary line,

a second central beam portion extending along a second imaginary line,

a first fixing beam portion connected to an end of the second central beam portion, and

a second fixing beam portion connected to the other end of the second central beam portion, wherein,

a first end of the first fixing beam portion is connected to the first base portion,

a second end of the first fixing beam portion is connected to the second base portion,

a first end of the second fixing beam portion is connected to the third base portion,

a second end of the second fixing beam portion is connected to the fourth base portion, and

wherein the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line cross orthogonally at a center of the detecting device.

2. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion are disposed to surround the center of the detecting device.

3. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is square shape in a plan view.

4. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the first base portion and the third base portion are line-symmetrical with the first imaginary line in a plan view, and

the first base portion and the second base portion are line-symmetrical with the second imaginary line in the plan view.

5. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is disposed inside an area surrounded by the portion to connect the base portions to the weight portions.

6. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a detecting device which detects angular velocity wherein the detecting device includes;

a first base portion, a second base portion, a third base portion and a fourth base portion;

a first fixing beam portion connected to the first base portion and the second base portion;

a second fixing beam portion connected to the third base portion and the fourth base portion;

a first central beam portion;

a second central beam portion connected to the first central beam portion, the first fixing beam portion and the second fixing beam portion; and

a first weight portion, a second weight portion, a third weight portion and a fourth weight portion supported via at least the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion, and

wherein the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion cross orthogonally at a center of the detecting device.

7. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is disposed to surround the center of the detecting device.

8. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein each of the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is square shape in a plan view.

9. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein

the detecting device further includes driving beam portion between weight portions and the first central beam portion, the driving beam portion including a beam portion to support the first weight portion, and

the beam portion supports the first weight portion has at least two folding portions.

10. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein

the detecting device further includes driving beam portion between the weight portions and the first central beam portion, and

each of the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is disposed inside an area surrounded by the driving beam portion, the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion.

11. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 10, wherein

each of the first weight portion, the second weight portion, the third weight portion and the fourth weight portion is connected to the driving beam portions, and

the driving beam portions are connected to ends of the first central beam portion.

12. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein

the first central beam portion passes between the first base portion and the third base portion, and

the first central beam portion passes between the second base portion and the fourth base portion.

13. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 6, wherein

the first base portion and the third base portion are line-symmetrical with the first central beam portion in a plan view, and

the first base portion and the second base portion are line-symmetrical with the second central beam portion in the plan view.

14. The sensor according to claim 6, wherein

the detecting device further includes driving beam portion between the weight portions and the first central beam portion,

the driving portions are capable of being moved in response to a first angular velocity around the second central beam portion and to a second angular velocity around an axis orthogonal to the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion.

15. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a detecting device which detects angular velocity wherein the detecting device includes;

a first central beam portion extending along a first imaginary line;

a second central beam portion extending along a second imaginary line, the second imaginary line being orthogonal to the first imaginary line;

driving portions capable of being moved in response to a first angular velocity around the second central beam portion and to a second angular velocity around an axis orthogonal to the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion;

a first fixing beam portion connected to an end of the second central beam portion;

a second fixing beam portion connected to the other end of the second central beam portion;

a first base portion connected to an end of the first fixing beam portion;

a second base portion connected to the other end of the first fixing beam portion;

a third base portion connected to an end of the second fixing beam portion; and

a fourth base portion connected to the other end of the second fixing beam portion,

wherein the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line cross at a center of the detecting device.

16. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 15, wherein the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is disposed to surround the center of the detecting device.

17. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 15, wherein each of the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion and the fourth base portion is square shape in a plan view.

18. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 15, wherein the detecting device further includes weight portions connected to the driving portions.

19. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 15, wherein

the first base portion and the third base portion are line-symmetrical with the first imaginary line in a plan view, and

the first base portion and the second base portion are line-symmetrical with the second imaginary line in the plan view.

20. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a detecting device which detects angular velocity wherein the detecting device includes;

a first base portion, a second base portion, a third base portion and a fourth base portion;

a first fixing beam portion connected to the first base portion and the second base portion;

a second fixing beam portion connected to the third base portion and the fourth base portion;

a first central beam portion passes between the first base portion and the third base portion and between the second base portion and the fourth base portion;

a second central beam portion connected to the first central beam portion, the first fixing beam portion and the second fixing beam portion; and

a first weight portion, a second weight portion, a third weight portion and a fourth weight portion supported via at least the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion, and

wherein the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion are disposed in an area surrounded by the first base portion, the second base portion, the third base portion, the fourth base portion, the first fixing beam portion and the second fixing beam portion.

21. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 20, wherein the detecting device detects a first angular velocity around the second central beam portion and a second angular velocity around an axis orthogonal to the first central beam portion and the second central beam portion.

22. The angular velocity sensor according to claim 20, wherein the detecting device is disposed on a mounting substrate.