Sensing module and angular velocity sensor having the same

• US 9,625,484 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Woon, Lee, Jung Won, Shin, Seung Joo, Jeung, Won Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US14/446,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 7350412, 7350414, 7351426, 7351432, 7351433, 7351434, 7351438
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure

Abstract

An angular velocity sensor comprises a mass body part including a first mass body and a second mass body, an internal frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body, one or more first flexible parts connecting the first mass body or the second mass body to the internal frame, one or more second flexible parts connecting the first mass body or the second mass body to the internal frame, an external frame supporting the internal frame, at least one third flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame, and at least one fourth flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame. At least one of the second flexible parts is connected to the first mass body in line with the center of gravity of the first mass body. At least one other of the second flexible parts is connected to an eccentric portion of the second mass body.

Claims

1. A sensing module for a sensor, the sensing module comprising:

a mass body part comprising a first mass body and a second mass body;

a frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body;

a first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the frame;

another first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the frame;

a second flexible part connecting the first mass body to the frame; and

another second flexible part connecting the second mass body to the frame;

wherein the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the frame in a first direction along a line passing through a center of gravity of the first mass body when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

the other second flexible part connects the second mass body to the frame in the first direction along a line not passing through a center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in the second direction;

wherein the first flexible part connects the first mass body to the frame in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and

the other first flexible part connects the second mass body to the frame in the third direction.

2. The sensing module of claim 1, wherein each of the first flexible parts has a thickness in the second direction, and a width in the first direction that is larger than the thickness of each of the first flexible parts in the second direction.

3. The sensing module of claim 1, wherein each of the second flexible parts has a thickness in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and a width in the second direction that is larger than the thickness of each of the second flexible parts in the third direction.

4. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a mass body part comprising a first mass body and a second mass body;

an internal frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body;

a first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

another first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

a second flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

another second flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

an external frame supporting the internal frame;

a third flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame; and

a fourth flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame,

wherein the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in a first direction along a line passing through a center of gravity of the first mass body when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction ;

the other second flexible part connects the second mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along a line not passing through a center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in the second direction;

wherein the first flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and

the other first flexible part connects the second mass body to the internal frame in the third direction.

5. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the fourth flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame in the third direction along a third line extending through the center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in the second direction.

6. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the third flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame in the first direction;

and

the fourth flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame in the third direction.

7. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the third flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame in the first direction.

8. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the fourth flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame in the third direction.

9. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein each of the first flexible parts has a thickness in the second direction, and a width in the first direction that is larger than the thickness of each of the first flexible parts in the second direction.

10. The angular velocity sensor of claim 9, wherein the first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame connects one end of the first mass body to the internal frame in the third direction;

and

the angular velocity sensor further comprises another first flexible part connecting another end of the first mass body to the internal frame in the third direction.

11. The angular velocity sensor of claim 9, wherein the other first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame connects one end of the second mass body to the internal frame in the third direction;

and

the angular velocity sensor further comprises another first flexible part connecting another end of the second mass body to the internal frame in the third direction.

12. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein each of the second flexible parts has a thickness in the third direction, and a width in the second direction that is larger than the thickness of each of the second flexible parts in the third direction.

13. The angular velocity sensor of claim 12, wherein the line passing through the center of gravity of the second mass body is aligned with the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body in the third direction when viewed in the second direction.

14. The angular velocity sensor of claim 12, wherein line passing through the center of gravity of the second mass body is spaced apart from the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body in the third direction when viewed in the second direction.

15. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the third flexible part has a thickness in the second direction, and a width in the third direction that is larger than the thickness of the third flexible part in the second direction.

16. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the fourth flexible part has a thickness in the first direction, and a width in the second direction that is larger than the thickness of the fourth flexible part in the first direction.

17. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the fourth flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame along a rotation axis of the internal frame;

and

the angular velocity sensor further comprises a driving unit disposed on the third flexible part and configured to rotate the internal frame about the rotation axis of the internal frame relative to the external frame.

18. The angular velocity sensor of claim 17, wherein rotation of the internal frame about the rotation axis of the internal frame by the driving unit generates a bending stress in the third flexible part and a torsion stress in the fourth flexible part.

19. The angular velocity sensor of claim 18, wherein the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame along a rotation axis of the first mass body;

the other second flexible part connects the second mass body to the internal frame along a rotation axis of the second mass body; and

rotation of the internal frame about the rotation axis of the internal frame by the driving unit rotates the first mass body about the rotation axis of the first mass body relative to the internal frame, and rotates the second mass body about the rotation axis of the second mass body relative to the internal frame.

20. The angular velocity sensor of claim 19, wherein rotation of the first mass body about the rotation axis of the first mass body by the rotation of the internal frame generates a bending stress in the first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame and a torsion stress in the second flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

and

rotation of the second mass body about the rotation axis of the second mass body by the rotation of the internal frame generates a bending stress in the other first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame and a torsion stress in the other second flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame.

21. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4, wherein the first mass body comprises a first one-side mass body and a first other-side mass body disposed on opposite sides of the second mass body so that the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body passes through a center of gravity of each of the first one-side mass body and the second one-side mass body when viewed in the second direction.

22. The angular velocity sensor of claim 21, wherein the first flexible part connects one end of the first one-side mass body to the internal frame in the third direction;

the other first flexible part connects one end of the second mass body to the internal frame in the third direction; and

the angular velocity sensor further comprises;

another first flexible part connecting another end of the first one-side mass body to the internal frame in the third direction;

another first flexible part connecting one end of the first other-side mass body to the internal frame in the third direction; and

another first flexible part connecting another end of the first other-side mass body to the internal frame in the third direction.

23. The angular velocity sensor of claim 22, wherein the second flexible part connects one end of the first one-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body;

the other second flexible part connects one end of the second mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line not passing through the center of gravity of the second mass body; and

the angular velocity sensor further comprises;

another second flexible part connecting another end of the first one-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body;

another second flexible part connecting one end of the first other-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body;

another second flexible part connecting another end of the first other-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body; and

another second flexible part connecting another end of the second mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along the line not passing through the center of gravity of the second mass body.

24. The angular velocity sensor of claim 21, wherein the first one-side mass body and the first other-side mass body are disposed symmetrically in the internal frame with respect to a centerline of the internal frame extending in the third direction when viewed in the second direction;

and

the fourth flexible part connects the internal frame to the external frame along the centerline of the internal frame.

25. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a mass body part comprising a first mass body and a second mass body;

an internal frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body;

a first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

other first flexible parts connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

a second flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

other second flexible parts connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

an external frame supporting the internal frame;

a third flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame; and

a fourth flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame;

wherein the second mass body comprises a second one-side mass body and a second other-side mass body disposed symmetrically in the internal frame with respect to a centerline of the internal frame extending in a first direction when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along a line passing through a center of gravity of the first mass body when viewed in the second direction;

one of the other second flexible parts connects the second one-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along a line not passing through a center of gravity of the second one-side mass body when viewed in the second direction; and

another one of the other second flexible parts connects the second other-side mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along a line not passing through a center of gravity of the second other-side mass body when viewed in the second direction.

26. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a mass body part comprising a first mass body and a second mass body;

an internal frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body;

a first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

another first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

second flexible parts connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

other second flexible parts connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

an external frame supporting the internal frame;

a third flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame; and

a fourth flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame;

wherein the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in a first direction along a line passing through a center of gravity of the first mass body and not passing through a center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

the other second flexible part connects the second mass to the internal frame in the first direction along the line passing through the center of gravity of the first mass body and not passing through the center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in the second direction.

27. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

a mass body part comprising a first mass body and a second mass body, the second mass body having a hollow part;

an internal frame supporting the first mass body and the second mass body;

a first flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

another first flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

a second flexible part connecting the first mass body to the internal frame;

another second flexible part connecting the second mass body to the internal frame;

an external frame supporting the internal frame;

a third flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame; and

a fourth flexible part connecting the internal frame to the external frame;

wherein the second flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in a first direction along a line passing through a center of gravity of the first mass body when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

the other second flexible part connects the second mass body to the internal frame in the first direction along a line not passing through a center of gravity of the second mass body when viewed in the second direction;

wherein the first flexible part connects the first mass body to the internal frame in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and

the other first flexible part connects the second mass body to the internal frame in the third direction.