Electrostatic capacitance tilt angle sensor

• US 20050144794A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Tadashi Hattori
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Tadashi Hattori
• Inventors: Ueno, Hiroshi, Hattori, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/366.190
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/062 capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/185 dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/20 the indication being based on the inclination of the surface of a liquid relative to its container

Abstract

An electrostatic capacitance tilt angle sensor having a size that is reduced without lowering detection capacity. The sensor is provided with a case including a first wall and a second wall facing each other. A common electrode is arranged on the first wall and a differential electrode is arranged on the second wall. A liquid electrostatic capacitance medium is accommodated in the case and contacts the common electrode and the differential electrode. The electrostatic capacitance medium includes an insulative liquid base and fine particles mixed in the base. The fine particles have a dielectric constant that is higher than that of the base.

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting tilt angle, the sensor comprising:

a case including a first wall and a second wall facing each other;

a common electrode arranged on the first wall;

a differential electrode arranged on the second wall; and

a liquid electrostatic capacitance medium accommodated in the case and contacting the common electrode and the differential electrode, wherein the electrostatic capacitance medium includes an insulative liquid base and fine particles that are mixed in the base and have a higher dielectric constant than the base.

2. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fine particles have a size that is sufficient for Brownian motion to occur in the base.

3. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mix ratio of the fine particles with respect to the base is between 5% and 15%.

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the case includes a central portion, the sensor further comprising:

a projection arranged on at least either one of the common electrode and the differential electrode in at least the vicinity of the central portion of the case.

5. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of bosses spaced from one another by a predetermined interval and arranged between the common electrode and the differential electrode.

6. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of bosses spaced from one another by a predetermined interval and arranged on at least one of the common electrode and the differential electrode.

7. The sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bosses are arranged at predetermined positions on concentric circles having different diameters.

8. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the case includes a central portion, the sensor further comprising:

a port, arranged on the case, for charging the electrostatic capacitance medium; and

a plurality of medium guides, arranged between the port and the central portion of the case on at least one of the common electrode and the differential electrode, for guiding the electrostatic capacitance medium.

9. The sensor as claimed in claim 8, wherein distance between adjacent medium guides decreases from the charge port towards the central portion of the case.

10. A sensor for detecting tilt angle, the sensor comprising:

a case including a first wall and a second wall, which face each other, and a central portion;

a common electrode arranged on the first wall;

a differential electrode arranged on the second wall;

a liquid electrostatic capacitance medium accommodated in the case and contacting the common electrode and the differential electrode; and

a projection arranged on at least one of the common electrode and the differential electrode in at least the vicinity of the central portion of the case.

11. The sensor as claimed in claim 10, wherein the projection includes a boss arranged in the vicinity of the central portion of the case and a plurality of third walls arranged along at least part of a plurality of concentric circles having different diameters.

12. The sensor as claimed in claim 10, wherein the projection is cylindrical.

13. The sensor as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a port, arranged on the case, for charging the electrostatic capacitance medium, wherein the projection is one of a plurality of medium guides, arranged between the port and the central portion of the case on at least either one of the common electrode and the differential electrode, for guiding the electrostatic capacitance medium.

14. The sensor as claimed in claim 13, wherein distance between adjacent medium guides decreases from the charge port towards the central portion of the case.

15. A sensor for detecting tilt angle, the sensor comprising:

a case including a first wall and a second wall facing each other;

a common electrode arranged on the first wall;

a differential electrode arranged on the second wall;

a liquid electrostatic capacitance medium accommodated in the case and contacting the common electrode and the differential electrode; and

a plurality of bosses spaced from one another by a predetermined interval and arranged between the common electrode and the differential electrode.

16. The sensor as claimed in claim 15, wherein the bosses are arranged at predetermined positions on concentric circles having different diameters.

17. The sensor as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bosses are arranged along a line extending through the center of the case.

18. The sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the case includes a central portion, the sensor further comprising:

a port, arranged on the case, for charging the electrostatic capacitance medium; and

a plurality of medium guides, arranged between the port and the central portion of the case on at least one of the common electrode and the differential electrode, for guiding the electrostatic capacitance medium.

19. The sensor as claimed in claim 18, wherein distance between adjacent medium guides decreases from the charge port towards the central portion of the case.

20. A sensor for detecting tilt angle, the sensor comprising:

a case including a first wall and a second wall, which face each other, and a central portion;

a common electrode arranged on the first wall;

a differential electrode arranged on the second wall;

a liquid electrostatic capacitance medium accommodated in the case and contacting the common electrode and the differential electrode;

a cylindrical first boss arranged in the central portion of the case; and

a plurality of second bosses arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the case about the first boss.