VIBRATORY SENSOR

• US 20100064813A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Epson Toyocom Corporation (Seiko Group), Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: KAMETA, Takahiro, NISHIZAWA, Ryuta
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/651
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends

Abstract

A vibratory sensor includes a resonator element including (i) a first base portion and a second base portion, each of the first and the second base portions having an upper main surface and a lower main surface, (ii) a resonating arm extended in a beam shape between the first and the second base portions to be vibrated at a predetermined resonance frequency, (iii) a first narrow portion formed by reducing a width of a portion extended from the first base portion to be smaller than a width of the first base portion in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of the resonating arm, (iv) a second narrow portion formed by reducing a width of a portion extended from the second base portion to be smaller than a width of the second base portion in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the resonating arm, (v) a first support portion extended from the first narrow portion in a direction opposite to the first base portion, and (vi) a second support portion extended from the second narrow portion in a direction opposite to the second base portion, a length ratio of the first narrow portion versus the first base portion in the extending direction of the resonating arm and a length ratio of the second narrow portion versus the second base portion in the extending direction of the resonating arm being in a range of 50 to 200% inclusive; and a base supporting the resonator element, the base being connected to one of upper and lower main surfaces of each of the first and the second support portions included in the resonator element.

Claims

1. A vibratory sensor, comprising:

a resonator element including (i) a first base portion and a second base portion, each of the first and the second base portions having an upper main surface and a lower main surface, (ii) a resonating arm extended in a beam shape between the first and the second base portions to be vibrated at a predetermined resonance frequency, (iii) a first narrow portion formed by reducing a width of a portion extended from the first base portion to be smaller than a width of the first base portion in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of the resonating arm, (iv) a second narrow portion formed by reducing a width of a portion extended from the second base portion to be smaller than a width of the second base portion in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the resonating arm, (v) a first support portion extended from the first narrow portion in a direction opposite to the first base portion, and (vi) a second support portion extended from the second narrow portion in a direction opposite to the second base portion, a length ratio of the first narrow portion versus the first base portion in the extending direction of the resonating arm and a length ratio of the second narrow portion versus the second base portion in the extending direction of the resonating arm being in a range of 50 to 200% inclusive; and

a base supporting the resonator element, the base being connected to one of upper and lower main surfaces of each of the first and the second support portions included in the resonator element.

2. The vibratory sensor according to claim 1, wherein the resonating arm is split into at least two beams by a through-hole penetrating through an upper side and a lower side of the resonating arm.

3. The vibratory sensor according to claim 1, wherein a connection is made in a two-dimensionally curved shape both among the first narrow portion, the first base portion, and the first support portion and among the second narrow portion, the second base portion, and the second support portion.

4. The vibratory sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second support portions includes extending portions extended in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the resonating arm, and a fixed portion extended from each of the extending portions in a manner parallel to the resonating arm to have an open end;

and the base is connected to the one of the main surfaces of each of the first and the second support portions including the fixed portion in the resonator element.

5. The vibratory sensor according to claim 1, wherein the base includes a hinge portion formed in a groove shape with a small thickness, a first base located at one side of the hinge portion, and a second base located at an other side of the hinge portion, the first base being connected to the first support portion and the second base being connected to the second support portion.

6. The vibratory sensor according to claim 1, wherein the base includes a first base, a second base connected to the first base by a flexible connecting member, and a third base connected to the second base by an other flexible connecting member, the first base being connected to the first support portion and the second base being connected to the second support portion.