SENSOR AND SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20180156639A1
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hideyuki Miyazawa, Junichiro Natori, Kimio Aoki, Makito Nakashima, Mayuka Araumi, Megumi Kitamura, Mizuki Otagiri, Takahiro Imai, Tomoaki Sugawara, Tsuneaki Kondoh, Yuko Arizumi
• Inventors: MIYAZAWA, Hideyuki, KONDOH, Tsuneaki, SUGAWARA, Tomoaki, ARIZUMI, Yuko, NATORI, Junichiro, ARAUMI, Mayuka, IMAI, Takahiro, NAKASHIMA, Makito, AOKI, Kimio, OTAGIRI, Mizuki, KITAMURA, Megumi, HOSHIKAWA, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2417 by varying separation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/9651 the moving element acting on a force, e.g. pressure sensitive element

Abstract

A sensor includes an electrode, an insulator, a pressure receiver, and a pressure imparting unit. The insulator is disposed at a position facing the electrode and away from the electrode. The pressure receiver is disposed on a surface of the insulator on a side opposite to the electrode. The pressure imparting unit presses a part of the insulator toward the electrode at a position different from the pressure receiver to contact the insulator with the electrode. The insulator generates power by contact charging or separation charging with respect to the electrode, to output the power as a signal.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

an electrode;

an insulator disposed at a position facing the electrode and away from the electrode;

a pressure receiver disposed on a surface of the insulator on a side opposite to the electrode; and

a pressure imparting unit to press a part of the insulator toward the electrode at a position different from the pressure receiver to contact the insulator with the electrode,

wherein the insulator generates power by contact charging or separation charging with respect to the electrode, to output the power as a signal.

2. The sensor according to claim 1,

wherein a space is disposed between the insulator and the electrode.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer to form a space between the insulator and the electrode.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a cover including at least the insulator and the electrode.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising an element including a lamination of at least the electrode and the insulator.

6. A sensor system comprising:

the sensor according to claim 1; and

a signal processor to process a signal output from the sensor.

7. The sensor system according to claim 6,

wherein the signal processor controls an operation of the pressure imparting unit in accordance with the signal and a preset determination value.