COMBINED SENSOR

• US 20090183569A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohuchi, Satoshi, Aizawa, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,061,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0922 of the bending or flexing mode type
• 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 2015/0842 the mass being of clover leaf shape

Abstract

A combined detection element (6) of the present invention includes an acceleration detection element (2) and an angular velocity detection element (4) stacked on the acceleration detection element (2) in such a manner as to avoid contacting with the weight parts (12) of the acceleration detection element (2). The angular velocity detection element (4) includes a recess (26) in a surface thereof facing the weight parts (12) of the acceleration detection element (2) so as to avoid contacting with the weight parts (12). At least part of the recess (26) has a depth not exceeding the vertical range of motion of weight parts (12), thereby suppressing the upward movement of weight parts (12).

Claims

1. A combined sensor comprising:

a combined detection element including;

an angular velocity detection element and

an acceleration detection element,

the acceleration detection element including;

a weight part and

an arm connected to the weight part and to be bent, and the angular velocity detection element including;

a driving-vibration arm and

an arm to be bent by Coriolis force, wherein

the angular velocity detection element is stacked on the acceleration detection element in such a manner as to avoid contacting with the weight part of the acceleration detection element; and

the angular velocity detection element has a suppressing portion for suppressing upward movement of the weight part of the acceleration detection element.

2. The combined sensor of claim 1, wherein

the angular velocity detection element includes a recess on a surface thereof facing the weight part of the acceleration detection element so as to avoid contacting with the weight part, at least part of the recess having a depth not exceeding a vertical range of motion of the weight part.

3. The combined sensor of claim 1, wherein

the angular velocity detection element includes two orthogonal arms each formed by connecting a first arm in a direction orthogonal to second arms, a support portion for supporting the two first arms, and two orthogonal arms each formed by connecting the first arm in a direction orthogonal to a third arm, wherein

the third arms are fixed to the acceleration detection element;

the weight part, the first arms, and the second arms are thinner than the third arms; and

the third arms are partially cut to form a notch having a depth not exceeding the vertical range of motion of the weight part of the acceleration detection element.

4. The combined sensor of claim 3, wherein

the acceleration detection element includes the arm connected to the weight part and to be bent, and a fixing arm to be fixed to a mounting substrate, and

the third arms of the angular velocity detection element are fixedly stacked on the fixing arm of the acceleration detection element.