SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20170291812A1
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: UMETSU, Eiji, OKAWA, Hisanobu
• Granted Patent: US 9,963,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0264 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0163 Spring holders
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/012 the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being separate parts in the same package
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/00 Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements, e.g. comprising elastic tongues or membranes B81B5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0018 Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors, generators
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0021 Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0067 Mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0016 Protection against shocks or vibrations, e.g. vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0048 between the MEMS die and the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0058 for protecting against damages due to external chemical or mechanical influences, e.g. shocks or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/007 Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/16 by varying resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 by varying capacitance

Abstract

A sensor device includes: a sensor portion having a movable thin film and a detection element configured to output a signal corresponding to displacement of the movable thin film; a frame portion disposed to surround an outside of the sensor portion; a spring portion provided between the frame portion and the sensor portion; and a circuit board including a circuit configured to process the signal output from the detection element, in which the frame portion is laminated on the circuit board, and the sensor portion is cantilevered from the frame portion by the spring portion such that a gap is formed between the sensor portion and the circuit board.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor portion including;

a movable thin film; and

a detection element configured to output a detection signal corresponding to an amount of displacement of the movable thin film;

a frame portion surrounding the sensor portion;

a spring portion provided between the frame portion and the sensor portion, the spring portion being a single cantilever extending from the frame portion so as to support the sensor portion; and

a circuit board including a circuit configured to process the detection signal from the detection element,

wherein the frame portion and the sensor portion are is provided on the circuit board such that a first gap is formed between the sensor portion and the circuit board.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein an outer shape of the sensor portion in a plan view has at least two sides, a connection portion being provided between two adjacent sides of the at least two sides, and

wherein one end of the spring portion is connected to the connection portion.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the outer shape of the movable thin film in the plan view is a rectangular shape, and

wherein the spring portion is provided on an extension of a diagonal line of the movable thin film.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3,

wherein the detection element is disposed at a center portion of a side of the movable thin film.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the detection element is a piezoresistive element or a capacitive element.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a metal sealing portion provided between the circuit board and the frame portion so as to laminate the frame portion onto the circuit board; and

a pad provided between the circuit board and the frame portion, the pad being disposed in an area inside of the metal sealing portion to provide electrical connection between the detection element and the circuit board.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lid portion provided over the frame portion and the sensor portion on an opposite side of the circuit board,

wherein a second gap is formed between the sensor portion and the lid portion.