Composite sensor

• US 7,845,226 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohkoshi, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok; Helen C.
• Application Number:
  US11/916,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 735/11, 735/10, 734/93, 735/041.2, 735/041.6, 735/142.9, 735/141.6, 734/31
• US Class Current: 73/493
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements

Abstract

A composite sensor includes an external holding portion, an internal holding portion supported within the external holding portion via coupling portion, and a vibration-type angular velocity sensor element and an acceleration sensor element disposed within the internal holding portion, and is configured so that the internal holding portion is held in such a manner so as to substantially suppress a movement of the acceleration sensor element along a detection direction while to allow a movement of the vibration-type angular velocity sensor element in a direction in which it receives Coriolis force at least by an angular velocity. A reduction of the composite sensor in size can be achieved by this structure.

Claims

1. A composite sensor, comprising:

an external holding portion;

an internal holding portion supported within said external holding portion via a coupling portion; and

a vibration angular velocity sensor element and an acceleration sensor element disposed within said internal holding portion,

wherein said internal holding portion is held in such a manner so as to substantially suppress relative movement between said external holding portion and said internal holding portion along a direction in which said acceleration sensor element detects acceleration, while allowing relative movement between said external holding portion and said internal holding portion along a direction in which said vibration angular velocity sensor element receives Coriolis force at least by an angular velocity, so as to be able to absorb disturbance which would affect said vibration angular velocity sensor element.

2. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said internal holding portion is an interior package having a ceramic laminated substrate and a processing circuit that processes an output signal from said vibration angular velocity sensor element and an output signal from said acceleration sensor element, and said vibration angular velocity sensor element, said acceleration sensor element, and said processing circuit are accommodated in a depressed portion formed in said ceramic laminated substrate.

3. The composite sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

said depressed portion formed in said ceramic laminated substrate of said interior package is formed in a shape of multiple steps, and said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are mounted on different steps in such a manner so as to define a space from said processing circuit.

4. The composite sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

said depressed portion formed in said ceramic laminated substrate of said interior package is formed in a shape of multiple steps, and said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are mounted on one step while said processing circuit is mounted on another step so as to define a space between said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element.

5. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are disposed side by side on a same fixedly attaching surface.

6. The composite sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are inclined and attached to said interior package.

7. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are fixed to said internal holding portion in positions for a detection axis of said vibration angular velocity sensor element and a detection direction of said acceleration sensor element to go along in parallel.

8. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said coupling portion is a plate member made of metal.

9. The composite sensor according to claim 8, wherein:

plate surfaces of said coupling portion are formed substantially in an S shape.

10. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said internal holding portion is an interior package and said external holding portion is an exterior package accommodating said internal holding portion therein; and

said interior package is disposed in a rectangular depressed portion provided in said exterior package with a space in between, and said coupling portion are provided symmetrically at least to two mutually opposing surfaces among inner surfaces of said exterior package.

11. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said coupling portion is disposed to portions where at least said respective sensor elements are fixed to said internal holding portion.

12. The composite sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

said vibration angular velocity sensor element and said acceleration sensor element are integrated into a single sensor element.