PIEZOELECTRIC ACCELERATION SENSOR

• US 20120198936A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokin Corporation (Yageo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Tokin Corporation (Yageo Corporation)
• Inventors: Saito, Masuto
• Granted Patent: US 9,016,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2041 Beam type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/306 Cantilevers

Abstract

A piezoelectric acceleration sensor comprises a piezoelectric element, a metallic sheet and a circuit board. The piezoelectric element is polarized in a predetermined direction. The circuit board includes a circuit portion and a roughly flat shaped base portion. The base portion protrudes from an end portion of the circuit portion. One of surfaces of the metallic sheet is fixed to and supported by a surface of the base portion. The piezoelectric element is fixed to and supported by a remaining one of the surfaces of the metallic sheet in a manner that the piezoelectric element and the base portion do not overlap each other in the predetermined direction.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric acceleration sensor comprising a piezoelectric element, a metallic sheet and a circuit board, wherein:

the piezoelectric element is polarized in a predetermined direction;

the circuit board included a circuit portion and a roughly flat shaped base portion, the base portion protruding from an end portion of the circuit portion; and

one of surfaces of the metallic sheet is fixed to and supported by a surface of the base portion, the piezoelectric element being fixed to and supported by a remaining one of the surfaces of the metallic sheet in a manner that the piezoelectric element and the base portion do not overlap each other in the predetermined direction.

2. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

as seen along the predetermined direction, the metallic sheet is located to be apart from the circuit portion so as not to be brought into contact with the circuit portion in a case where the metallic sheet is bent by acceleration.

3. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

as seen along the predetermined direction, the piezoelectric element is located to be apart from the base portion so as to be bent entirely to one side by acceleration.

4. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 3, wherein

a distance between the piezoelectric element and the base portion as seen along the predetermined direction is designed so that the metallic sheet does not practically generate an undesirable vibration by acceleration.

5. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the metallic sheet is located near the circuit portion as compared with a head of the base portion.

6. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the two base portions project in parallel to each other in a common plane from an end portion of the circuit portion; and

opposite end portions in a lengthwise direction of the one of the surfaces of the metallic sheet are fixed to and supported by the surfaces of the base portions, respectively.

7. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 6, wherein

as seen along the predetermined direction, distances between the piezoelectric element and the base portions are substantially same as each other.

8. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the piezoelectric element and the metallic sheet constitute a unimorph piezoelectric vibrator.

9. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the piezoelectric element constitutes a bimorph piezoelectric vibrator.

10. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a case, wherein:

the case has an accommodating space formed therewithin, the accommodating space having a support surface; and

the base portion has an opposite surface which is opposite, in the predetermined direction, to the surface which supports the metallic sheet, the opposite surface being fixed to and supported by the support surface.