Acceleration sensor

• US 5,415,040 A
• Filed: 02/16/1994
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zexel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zexel Corporation
• Inventors: Nottmeyer, Kay
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US08/197,269
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 73/517 R, 73/517 B, 73/517 AV
• US Class Current: 73/514.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

An disclosed an acceleration sensor for detecting three accelerations includes acceleration in a direction of a Z axis and angular accelerations about X and Y axes. The sensor includes an inner support, a ring-shaped weight surrounding the inner support, and an outer support surrounding the weight, all disposed in a plane including the X and Y axes which are perpendicular to each other. The weight includes four objective parts for detection which are arranged in the above-mentioned plane. The objective parts are located in line symmetry with respect to the X and Y axes and arranged at intervals of 90° about the center of gravity of the weight. The inner support and the weight are connected together by a thin and elastically deformable first bridge. The weight and the outer support are also connected together by a second bridge of a similar configuration. These bridges each include a ring portion, a pair of inner connecting portions and a pair of outer connecting portions. The inner connecting portions and the outer connecting portions are away by 90° from each other about the Z axis. Amounts of displacement of the four objective parts on the weight in a direction of the Z axis are detected by condensers, respectively.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor comprising:

(a) an inner support arranged in a plane including an X axis and a Y axis which are perpendicular to each other;

(b) a ring-shaped weight surrounding said inner support through a first space, said weight having four objecting parts for detection which are arranged in said plane, said objective parts being located in line symmetry with respect to the X and Y axes and arranged at intervals of 90°

about the center of gravity of said weight;

(c) an outer support arranged in said plane, said outer support surrounding said weight through a second space;

(d) an elastically deformable thin first bridge for connecting said inner support and said weight together, said first bridge comprising a ring portion, a pair of inner connecting portions and a pair of outer connecting portions, said ring portion being disposed in said first space, said pair of inner connecting portions connecting said ring portion to said inner support and disposed on one of the X and Y axes opposite each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween, said pair of outer connecting portions connecting said ring portion to said weight and disposed on the other axis opposite each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween;

(e) an elastically deformable thin second bridge for connecting said weight and said outer support together, said second bridge including a ring portion, a pair of inner connecting portions and a pair of outer connecting portions, said ring portion of said second bridge being disposed in said second space, said pair of inner connecting portions of said second bridge connecting said ring portion of said second bridge to said weight and disposed on one of the X and Y axes opposite each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween, said pair of outer connecting portions connecting said ring portion of said second bridge to said outer support and disposed on the other axis in such a manner as to be opposite to each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween; and

(f) four detection means for detecting amounts of displacement of said four objective parts in a direction of a Z axis which is perpendicular to the X and Y axes, respectively.

2. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, in which an outer peripheral configuration of said inner support is regular square, said weight, said ring portion of the first-mentioned bridge and said ring portion of said second bridge are all regular square, and an inner peripheral configuration of said outer support is regular square.

3. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, in which said inner support, said weight, said outer support and said bridges are integrally formed of silicon.

4. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, in which said inner connecting portions of the first-mentioned bridge and said inner connecting portions of said second bridge are away by 90°

from each other about the Z axis, and said outer connecting portions of the first-mentioned bridge and said outer connecting portions of said second bridge are likewise away by 90°

from each other about the Z axis.

5. An acceleration sensor according to claim 4 or 1, further comprising a third bridge and a fourth bridge, said third bridge being adapted to connect said inner support and said weight together and located away from the first-mentioned bridge in a direction of the Z axis in the space formed between said inner support and said weight, said third bridge being of the same configuration as the first-mentioned bridge, a pair of inner connecting portions of said third bridge being away by 90°

0 from said pair of inner connecting portions of the first-mentioned bridge about the Z axis and a pair of outer connecting portions of said third bridge being likewise away by 90°

from said pair of outer connecting portions of the first-mentioned bridge about the Z axis, said fourth bridge being adapted to connect said weight and said outer support together and located away from said second bridge in a direction of the Z axis in the space formed between said weight and said outer support, said fourth bridge being of the same configuration as said second bridge, a pair of inner connecting portions of said fourth bridge being away by 90°

from said pair of inner connecting portions of said second bridge about the Z axis and a pair of outer connecting portions of said fourth bridge being likewise away by 90°

from said pair of outer connecting portions of said second bridge about the Z axis.

6. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, in which two out of said four objective parts on said weight are located on the X axis in such a manner as to be opposite to each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween, and the remaining two objective parts are located on the Y axis in such a manner as to be opposite to each other with the center of gravity of said weight located therebetween.

7. An acceleration sensor according to claim 6, in which said four detection means each include a condenser of the same construction and of the same capacity, each condenser having a movable electrode formed on one of a pair of surfaces of said weight which pair of surfaces are placed opposite to each other in the direction of the Z axis, and a stationary electrode located opposite to said movable electrode.

8. An acceleration sensor according to claim 7, further comprising four second detection means, said second detection means each including a second condenser which is of the same construction and of the same capacity as the condenser of the first-mentioned detection means, said second condenser having a second movable electrode formed on the other surface of said weight and a second stationary electrode located opposite to said second movable electrode.