Physical quantity sensor

• US 10,989,731 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Issued: 04/27/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kanamaru, Masatoshi, Maeda, Daisuke, Hayashi, Masahide, Yura, Masashi, Okamoto, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Herbert K
• Application Number:
  US15/763,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0118 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/04 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/056 Rotation in a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/012 the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being separate parts in the same package
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0002 Arrangements for avoiding sticking of the flexible or moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0016 Protection against shocks or vibrations, e.g. vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/08 with conversion into electric or magnetic values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0862 being provided with particular means being integrated into a MEMS accelerometer structure for providing particular additional functionalities to those of a spring mass system
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0882 for providing damping of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/84 controllable by variation of applied mechanical force, e.g. of pressure

Abstract

To provide a physical quantity sensor having excellent reliability by reducing the influence of a force applied from the outside. Disclosed is a physical quantity sensor, which has a weight or a movable electrode formed on a device substrate, and an outer peripheral section that is disposed to surround the weight or the movable electrode, said weight or movable electrode being displaceable in the rotation direction in a plane. When the weight or the movable electrode is displaced in the rotation direction in the plane, the physical quantity sensor is provided with a rotation space at the outer peripheral section of an end portion of the weight or the movable electrode, said end portion being in the direction viewed from the center position of the weight or the movable electrode.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor, comprising:

a weight or a movable electrode formed on a device substrate; and

an outer peripheral portion disposed so as to surround the weight or the movable electrode,

wherein the weight or the movable electrode is displaceable in a rotation direction on a plane, and a rotational space is disposed in an outer peripheral portion of an end portion of the weight or the movable electrode as viewed from a center position of the weight or the movable electrode when the weight or the movable electrode displaces in rotation direction on the plane,

wherein the weight or the movable electrode formed on the device substrate is supported by a fixed substrate at one point,

the weight or movable electrode comprises corner regions and edge regions;

the plane comprises a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

the first direction and the second direction are each parallel to outer sides of the weight or the movable electrode;

a first gap, in the first direction and in one of the edge regions, between the weight or movable electrode and a fixed electrode disposed in the outer peripheral portion in parallel with the end portion, a line passing through the first gap in the first direction passes through a center position of the weight or movable electrode;

a second gap, in the first direction and in one of the corner regions, between the weight or movable electrode and the fixed electrode; and

the second gap is larger than the first gap.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein a chamfered portion is provided at the end portion.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the distance of the first gap and the distance of the second gap extend in a tapered shape.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 3,

wherein a projection is provided on the tapered slope.

5. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein, a distance of a third gap adjacent to a fulcrum of a spring beam formed inside the weight or the movable electrode of the device substrate is thinner than a distance of a fourth gap adjacent to a tip portion of the spring beam.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 5,

wherein the distance of the third gap and the distance of the fourth gap extend in a tapered shape.

7. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 6,

wherein a projection is provided on the tapered slope.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the weight or the movable electrode formed on the device substrate is supported by a fixed substrate at one point, and a buffer portion is provided in the outer peripheral portion opposed to an end portion of the weight or the movable electrode positioned furthest on a diagonal line from the supporting point is provided.

9. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein a buffer portion is provided on a side wall positioned furthest from a fulcrum of a spring beam formed inside the weight or the movable electrode of the device substrate.

10. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 8,

wherein the buffer portion consists of both ends supported beam.

11. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the physical quantity sensor is disposed in one package together with a control device.