Sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity
First Claim
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1. A sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity, the sensor comprising:
- a base;
an acceleration detector including a pair of first fixed electrodes, a pair of first movable electrodes, a pair of weights, and a pair of first supporting members configured to support the pair of first movable electrodes and joined to the pair of weights;
an angular velocity detector including a pair of second fixed electrodes, a pair of second movable electrodes, and a pair of second supporting members configured to support the pair of second movable electrodes;
a driver section including a first driver and a second driver, the first driver configured to cause the pair of first supporting members to vibrate in opposite phases in a first direction by electrostatic force, the second driver configured to cause the pair of second supporting members to vibrate in opposite phases in the first direction by electrostatic force;
a first spring having elasticity in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a second spring configured to couple the pair of first supporting members to the base, the second spring having elasticity in both the first direction and the second direction;
a third spring configured to couple the pair of first supporting members to the pair of second supporting members, the third spring having elasticity in both the first direction and the second direction; and
a fourth spring configured to couple the pair of second supporting members to the pair of second movable electrodes, the fourth spring having elasticity in the second direction, whereinthe pair of first supporting members are arranged in the second direction and are coupled together by the first spring,the pair of first movable electrodes are located to face the pair of first fixed electrodes in the second direction to form a first capacitor therebetween,the pair of second supporting members are located in a region surrounded by the pair of first supporting members,the pair of second movable electrodes are located to face the pair of second fixed electrodes in the second direction to form a second capacitor therebetween,the acceleration detector detects the acceleration in the second direction based on a change in a capacitance of the first capacitor due to inertial force,the angular velocity detector detects the angular velocity in a third direction perpendicular to each of the first and second directions based on a change in a capacitance of the second capacitor due to inertial force, andthe pair of second movable electrodes are located in a region surrounded by the pair of second supporting members.
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Abstract
A sensor includes an acceleration detector, an angular velocity detector, a driver, and first to fourth springs. Each detector includes a pair of fixed electrodes, a pair of movable electrodes, and a pair of supporting members for supporting the moveable electrodes. The driver causes the supporting members to vibrate in opposite phases in a first direction. The first spring couples the supporting members of the accelereation detector and has elasticity in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second spring couples the supporting members of the acceleration detector to a base and has elasticity in both directions. The third spring couples the supporting members of the acceleration detector to the supporting members of the angular velocity detector and has elasticity in both directions. The fourth spring couples the supporting members to the movable electrodes of the angular velocity detector and has elasticity in the second direction.
14 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity, the sensor comprising:
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a base; an acceleration detector including a pair of first fixed electrodes, a pair of first movable electrodes, a pair of weights, and a pair of first supporting members configured to support the pair of first movable electrodes and joined to the pair of weights; an angular velocity detector including a pair of second fixed electrodes, a pair of second movable electrodes, and a pair of second supporting members configured to support the pair of second movable electrodes; a driver section including a first driver and a second driver, the first driver configured to cause the pair of first supporting members to vibrate in opposite phases in a first direction by electrostatic force, the second driver configured to cause the pair of second supporting members to vibrate in opposite phases in the first direction by electrostatic force; a first spring having elasticity in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second spring configured to couple the pair of first supporting members to the base, the second spring having elasticity in both the first direction and the second direction; a third spring configured to couple the pair of first supporting members to the pair of second supporting members, the third spring having elasticity in both the first direction and the second direction; and a fourth spring configured to couple the pair of second supporting members to the pair of second movable electrodes, the fourth spring having elasticity in the second direction, wherein the pair of first supporting members are arranged in the second direction and are coupled together by the first spring, the pair of first movable electrodes are located to face the pair of first fixed electrodes in the second direction to form a first capacitor therebetween, the pair of second supporting members are located in a region surrounded by the pair of first supporting members, the pair of second movable electrodes are located to face the pair of second fixed electrodes in the second direction to form a second capacitor therebetween, the acceleration detector detects the acceleration in the second direction based on a change in a capacitance of the first capacitor due to inertial force, the angular velocity detector detects the angular velocity in a third direction perpendicular to each of the first and second directions based on a change in a capacitance of the second capacitor due to inertial force, and the pair of second movable electrodes are located in a region surrounded by the pair of second supporting members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeDENSO Corporation
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Original AssigneeDENSO Corporation
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InventorsGotoh, Keisuke
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Primary Examiner(s)Williams, Hezron E
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Assistant Examiner(s)Shabman, Mark A
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Application NumberUS12/781,852Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,260 DaysField of Search735/041.5US Class Current73/504.15CPC Class CodesG01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating mass...G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-upG01P 15/14 by making use of gyroscopes...G01P 3/44 for measuring angular speed...
