Detector for force/acceleration/magnetism with respect to components in multi-dimensional directions

• US 5,437,196 A
• Filed: 01/26/1993
• Issued: 08/01/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kazuhiro Okada
• Original Assignee: Kazuhiro Okada
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldstein, Herbert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dougherty, Elizabeth L.
• Application Number:
  US08/009,288
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 73/862.626, 73/862.041, 73/862.042, 73/862.043, 73/862.637, 73/862.638, 73/780, 73/517 R, 73/862.69
• US Class Current: 73/862.043
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/165 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/084 the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/038 using permanent magnets, e.g. balances, torsion devices

Abstract

A force detector capable of detecting force components in respective axial directions and moment components about respective axes in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is provided. A displacement body (10) is comprised of a disk shaped flat plate (11) and a pillar body (12) in the form of a square post. On the upper surface of the displacement body (10), five displacement electrodes (D1 to D5) are formed. Further, on the four side surfaces of the pillar body (12), eight displacement electrodes (D6 to D13) are formed. This displacement body (10) is held in a hanging state within the fixed body (20). Within the fixed body (20), fixed electrodes (E1 to E13) are provided at positions opposite to the respective displacement electrodes (D1 to D13). Thus, capacitance elements (C1 to C13) are constituted by the respective opposite electrode pairs. On the basis of changes in capacitance values of respective capacitance elements, force components Fx, Fy, Fz in respective axial directions and moment components Mx, My, Mz about respective axes are determined.

Claims

1. A force detector for detecting components in multi-dimensional directions of a force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, said detector comprising:

a fixed body (20) having a flexible portion (21) deformed when a force is applied thereto;

a displacement body (10) supported by said flexible portion;

first detection means (D1 to D5, E1 to E5) for detecting a distance between a first displacement surface (11a) defined at a portion of said displacement body and a first fixed surface (20a) opposite to said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body;

second detection means (D6 to D13, E6 to E13) for detecting a distance between a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) intersecting with said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said displacement body and a second fixed surface (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) opposite to said second displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body; and

one of operational or arithmetic means (30 to

     36) for arithmetically determining a force exerted on said displacement body every force components in the coordinate axis directions and moment components about the coordinate axes on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means and a detection value obtained by said second detection means,

wherein said first and second displacement surfaces are formed so that they are perpendicular to each other, and said first and second fixed surfaces are formed so that they are perpendicular to each other.

2. A force detector with respect to components in multi-dimensional direction as set forth in claim 1,

wherein an origin (0) of the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is defined at a predetermined position within said displacement body, a first displacement surface (11a) is defined on a plane in parallel to an XY-plane, and a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) is defined on a plane in parallel to the Z-axis,

to determine a moment component Mx about the X-axis, a moment component My about the Y-axis, and a force component Fz in a Z-axis direction on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means (D1 to D5, E1 to E5), and

to determine a force component Fx in the X-axis direction, a force component Fy in the Y-axis direction, and a moment component Mz about the Z-axis on the basis of a detection value obtained by said second detection means (D6 to D13, E6 to E13).

3. A force detector with respect to components in multi-dimensional directions as set force in claim 1,

wherein an origin (0) of the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is defined at a predetermined position within said displacement body, a first displacement surface (11a) is defined on a plane in parallel to an XY-plane, and a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) is defined on a plane in parallel to the Z-axis,

to determine a moment component Mx about the X-axis and a force component Fz in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means (F1 to F3, G1 to G3), and

to determine a force component Fx in the X-axis direction, a force component Fy in the Y-axis direction, a moment component My about the Y-axis, and a moment component Mz about the Z-axis on the basis of a detection value obtained by said second detection means (F4 to F15, G4 to G15).

4. A force detector with respect to components in multi-dimensional directions as set forth in claim 1,

wherein an origin (0) of the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is defined at a predetermined position within said displacement body, a first displacement surface (11a) is defined on a plane in parallel to an XY-plane, and a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) is defined on a plane in parallel to the Z-axis,

to determine a force component Fz in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means (H1, I1), and

to determine a force component Fx in the X-axis direction, a moment component Mx about the X-axis, a force component Fy in the Y-axis direction, a moment component My about the Y-axis, and a moment component Mz about the Z-axis on the basis of a detection value obtained by said second detection means (H2 to H25, I2 to I25).

5. A force detector for detecting components in multidimensional directions of a force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, said detector comprising:

a fixed body (20) having a flexible portion (21) deformed when a force is applied thereto;

a displacement body (10) supported by said flexible portion;

first detection means (D1 to D5, E1 to E5) for detecting a distance between a first displacement surface (11a) defined at a portion of said displacement body and a first fixed surface (20a) opposite to said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body;

second detection means (D6 to D13, E6 to E13) for detecting a distance between a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) intersecting with said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said displacement body and a second fixed surface (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) opposite to said second displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body; and

one of operational or arithmetic means (30 to

     36) for arithmetically determining a force exerted on said displacement body every force components in the coordinate axis directions and moment components about the coordinate axes on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means and a detection value obtained by said second detection means,

wherein said first detection means include a first capacitance element constituted by a first displacement electrode formed on said first displacement surface and a first fixed electrode formed on said first fixed surface to carry out detection of a distance on the basis of a capacitance value of said first capacitance element, and

wherein said second detection means includes a second capacitance element constituted by a second displacement electrode formed on said second displacement surface and a second fixed electrode formed on said second fixed surface to carry out detection of a distance on the basis of a capacitance value of said second capacitance element.

6. A detector for detecting components in multi-dimensional directions of a force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, said detector comprising:

a fixed body (20) having a flexible portion (21) deformed when a force is applied thereto;

a displacement body (10) supported by said flexible portion;

first detection means (D1 to D5, E1 to E5) for detecting a distance between a first displacement surface (11a) defined at a portion of said displacement body and a first fixed surface (20a) opposite to said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body;

second detection means (D6 to D13, E6 to E13) for detecting a distance between a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) intersecting with said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said displacement body and a second fixed surface (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) opposite to said second displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body; and

one of operational or arithmetic means (30 to

     36) for arithmetically determining a force exerted on said displacement body every force components in the coordinate axis directions and moment components about the coordinate axes on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means and a detection value obtained by said second detection means,

wherein there is further provided an acceleration detector such that a force produced due to acceleration is caused to be exerted on said displacement body, thus permitting detection of an acceleration.

7. A detector for detecting components in multi-dimensional directions of a force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, said detector comprising:

a fixed body (20) having a flexible portion (21) deformed when a force is applied thereto;

a displacement body (10) supported by said flexible portion;

first detection means (D1 to D5, E1 to E5) for detecting a distance between a first displacement surface (11a) defined at a portion of said displacement body and a first fixed surface (20a) opposite to said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body;

second detection means (D6 to D13, E6 to E13) for detecting a distance between a second displacement surface (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) intersecting with said first displacement surface and defined at a portion of said-displacement body and a second fixed surface (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) opposite to said second displacement surface and defined at a portion of said fixed body; and

one of operational or arithmetic means (30 to

     36) for arithmetically determining a force exerted on said displacement body every force components in the coordinate axis directions and moment components about the coordinate axes on the basis of a detection value obtained by said first detection means and a detection value obtained by said second detection means,

wherein there is further provided a detector for magnetism such that a force produced due to magnetism is caused to be exerted on said displacement body, thus permitting detection of magnetism.