PHYSICAL QUANTITY SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20130228013A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Leap Zrt
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: TANAKA, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 9,429,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/08 with conversion into electric or magnetic values
• 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 2015/0837 the mass being suspended so as to only allow movement perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, i.e. z-axis sensor

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes a base section, a movable body having a movable electrode section, pivot sections connected to the movable body, and forming a pivot axis of the movable body, a fixation section fixed to the substrate, and adapted to support the movable body via the pivot sections, and a fixed electrode section disposed on the substrate so as to be opposed to the movable electrode section, and the fixation section is provided with opening sections disposed on a line of the pivot axis.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a movable body having a movable electrode section;

a pivot section connected to the movable body, and forming a pivot axis of the movable body;

a fixation section fixed to the substrate, and adapted to support the movable body via the pivot section; and

a fixed electrode section disposed on the substrate so as to be opposed to the movable electrode section,

wherein the fixation section is provided with an opening section disposed on the pivot axis.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the substrate is formed of an insulating material, and

the movable body is formed of a semiconductor material.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the opening section penetrates the fixation section.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the opening section extends in a direction intersecting with the pivot axis.

5. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the movable body has a mass different between one of regions bounded on the pivot axis and the other of the regions.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 5, wherein

the fixed electrode section includes

a first detection electrode disposed at a position opposed to the one of the regions of the movable body, and

a second detection electrode disposed at a position opposed to the other of the regions of the movable body.

7. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the fixation section is disposed in a periphery of the movable body.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the movable body is provided with an opening section, and

the fixation section is disposed inside the opening section of the movable body.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising

the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1.