MULTI-RANGE THREE-AXIS ACCELERATION SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20080034867A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Masakazu, KAZAMA, Atsushi, Okada, Ryoji, Saitoh, Masakatsu
• Application Number:
  US11/835,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.33
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/084 the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0842 the mass being of clover leaf shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

Disclosed is a multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device in which a plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements are formed without axial deviation among them in a single silicon chip and have different acceleration measurement ranges. Each of the plurality of sensor elements includes a weight, a frame surrounding the weight and flexible members composed of beams or diaphragm connecting the weight with the frame. Each of the plurality of sensor elements causes different output voltage for unit acceleration from another. A first three-axis acceleration sensor element among the plurality of sensor elements has other sensor elements of them formed in a frame of the first one and causes a larger output voltage for unit acceleration than the others.

Claims

1. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device comprising a plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements formed in a single silicon chip,

each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements comprising a weight,

a frame surrounding the weight and having frame sides opposite to each other,

flexible members thinner than the weight and the frame, which members connect upper portions of the opposite frame sides with an upper portion of the weight to support the weight between the upper portions of the opposite frame sides, and

piezo resistors disposed on an upper surface of the flexible members to measure accelerations in two orthogonal axis directions in the upper surface of the flexible members and acceleration in a direction vertical to the upper surface of the flexile members,

wherein the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements include a first three-axis acceleration sensor element, in the frame of which other three-axis acceleration sensor elements are provided,

each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements causes output voltage for unit acceleration different from another, and

the output voltage for unit acceleration from the first three-axis acceleration sensor element is larger than output voltage for unit acceleration from another.

2. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a three-axis acceleration sensor element having larger output voltage for unit acceleration has a longer distance between the opposite frame sides.

3. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has the flexible members of the same thickness as another.

4. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has the weight of the same thickness as another.

5. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has the frame of the same thickness as another.

6. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has the frame of the same thickness as another.

7. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has a plurality of beams connecting the upper portions of the opposite frame sides with the upper portion of the weight as the flexible members, and the rest of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has, as the flexible members, a diaphragm disposed in a region surrounded by an upper portion of its frame and supporting the weight in a center of the diaphragm.

8. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 7, wherein all of the beams and diaphragms of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements have the same thickness.

9. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 8, wherein all of the weights and the frames of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements have the same thickness.

10. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first three-axis acceleration sensor element has a plurality of beams connecting the upper portions of the opposite frame sides with the upper portion of the weight as the flexible members.

11. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a three-axis acceleration sensor element having larger output voltage for unit acceleration has longer beams.

12. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a three-axis acceleration sensor element having larger output voltage for unit acceleration has narrower beams.

13. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first three-axis acceleration sensor element has, as the flexible members, the diaphragm disposed in the region surrounded by the upper portion of its frame and supporting the weight in the center of the diaphragm.

14. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has a plurality of beams connecting the upper portions of the opposite frame sides with the upper portion of the weight as the flexible members.

15. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of three-axis acceleration sensor elements has, as the flexible members, a diaphragm disposed in a region surrounded by an upper portion of its frame and supporting a weight in a center of the diaphragm.

16. A multi-range three-axis acceleration sensor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the other three-axis acceleration sensor elements is composed of two two-axis acceleration sensor elements, each of which comprises a weight, a frame surrounding the weight and having frame sides opposite to each other, a pair of beams thinner than the weight and the frame, and piezo resistors formed on the beams and extending in a direction of the beams extending,

the directions of the beams extending of the two two-axis acceleration sensor elements are perpendicular to each other in an upper surface of the beams,

one of the two two-axis acceleration sensor elements measures acceleration in the direction of the beams extending in the upper surface of the beams and acceleration vertical to the upper surface of the beams, and

the other of the two two-axis acceleration sensor elements measures at least acceleration in the direction of the beams extending in the upper surface of the beams.