Capacitance sensor

• US 20050179445A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Taizo, Nakano, Ryuichi, Suda, Hirohide
• Granted Patent: US 7,202,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/661
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/44 responsive to changes in electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/81 User displays
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/205 forming a unit
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/22 of not identical elements of the same category, e.g. combinations of not identical springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/73 Single use of elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements

Abstract

A capacitance sensor of the present invention is equipped with a sensor unit that comprises a pair of detection electrodes, which are connected to respective reference capacitors, are provided with being oppositely separated, and can contact each other; and an insulation member having flexibility by holding at least one detection electrode. And a capacitance type object detection method thereof is an object detection method for detecting an object'"'"'s nearing: when the object nears, a non-contact sensor detects it with non contact according to a change of a capacitance; and when the object makes contact, a contact sensor, which deforms by the contact of the object, detects it with contact.

Claims

1. A capacitance sensor comprising;

a sensor unit;

a pair of detection electrodes that are connected to respective reference capacitors, are provided with being oppositely separated, and can contact each other; and

an insulation member having flexibility by holding at least one detection electrode,

wherein said sensor unit includes said pair of the detection electrodes and said insulation member.

2. A capacitance sensor according to claim 1, wherein said one detection electrode is held so as to be able to contact the other detection electrode within closed space formed by said insulation member.

3. A capacitance sensor according to claim 1 which comprises a shield electrode that surrounds said pair of detection electrodes and is arranged in advance in same electric potential as each of said detection electrodes.

4. A capacitance sensor according to claim 2 which comprises a shield electrode that surrounds said pair of detection electrodes and is arranged in advance in same electric potential as each of said detection electrodes.

5. A capacitance sensor according to claim 3, wherein one detection electrode held by said sensor unit is provided at a position corresponding to an opening of said shield electrode.

6. A capacitance sensor according to claim 4, wherein one detection electrode held by said sensor unit is provided at a position corresponding to an opening of said shield electrode.

7. A capacitance sensor according to claim 1, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

8. A capacitance sensor according to claim 2, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

9. A capacitance sensor according to claim 3, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

10. A capacitance sensor according to claim 4, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

11. A capacitance sensor according to claim 5, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

12. A capacitance sensor according to claim 6, wherein a trim unit for being attached to a door and the like is provided, neighboring said sensor unit.

13. A capacitance type object detection method is a method for detecting an object'"'"'s nearing, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting the object with non contact by a non-contact sensor according to a change of a capacitance when the object nears; and

detecting the object with contact by a contact sensor deforming by the contact of the object when the object makes the contact.

14. A capacitance type object detection method according to claim 13, wherein said non-contact sensor and said contact sensor perform detection, using a capacitance sensor configured as an integrated sensor.