PHYSICAL QUANTITY SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20130192370A1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: YODA, Mitsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0831 the mass being of the paddle type having the pivot axis between the longitudinal ends of the mass, e.g. see-saw configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0871 using stopper structures for limiting the travel of the seismic mass

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes a substrate, an oscillating member that is disposed over the substrate, support portions that support the oscillating member and that are disposed along a first axis, and detection electrodes that are disposed on the substrate so as to oppose the oscillating member. The oscillating member has a pair of side faces intersecting a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in a plane, and a protrusion is formed on at least one of the pair of side faces.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor comprising:

a substrate;

an oscillating member that is disposed over the substrate;

a support portion that supports the oscillating member and that is disposed along a first axis; and

a detection electrode that is disposed on the substrate and that is disposed to oppose the oscillating member,

wherein the oscillating member has a side face intersecting a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in a plane, and

wherein a protrusion protruding in the plane is formed on at least a part of the side face.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, further comprising an electrode that is disposed outside the arrangement area of the detection electrode on the substrate and that opposes the oscillating member,

wherein the electrode is electrically connected to the oscillating member.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion does not overlap with the detection electrode and the electrode when seen in a plan view.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the planar shape of the protrusion has a sharp-pointed tip.

5. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the planar shape of the protrusion has an arc-like tip.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed as a unified body along with the oscillating member.

7. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating member has a rectangular planar shape and includes a first side face and a second side face intersecting the second axis, and

wherein when the first side face is partitioned into a first region and a second region by the second axis passing through the center of the width in the first axis direction of the first side face, the protrusion is disposed in each of the first region and the second region.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein a frame member is disposed around the oscillating member,

wherein the oscillating member is connected to the frame member with the support portion therebetween so as to be separated from the frame member, and

wherein the width of a gap between the outer edge of the oscillating member and the protrusion and the inner edge of the frame member is constant.

9. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein one region and the other region into which the oscillating member is partitioned by the first axis are different in mass from each other.

10. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 9, wherein the detection electrode includes a first detection electrode that is disposed at a position opposing the one region of the oscillating member and a second detection electrode that is disposed at a position opposing the other region of the oscillating member.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1.