Semiconductor acceleration sensor and its self-diagnosing method

• US 6,230,564 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Akebono Brake Industry Company Limited (Akebono Brake Corporation), Masayoshi Esashi
• Original Assignee: Akebono Brake Industry Company Limited (Akebono Brake Corporation), Masayoshi Esashi
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Tadao, Mori, Masatomo, Esashi, Masayoshi, Kunimi, Takashi, Nezu, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/367,312
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 735/141.4, 735/143.2, 73/13.8, 735/141.2, 735/141.3, 735/140.1
• US Class Current: 73/514.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0015 Means for testing or for inspecting contacts, e.g. wear indicator measuring circuits G01R31/3274
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/142 Damping means to avoid unwanted response

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor acceleration sensor which is small in size, light in weight, simple in manufacture, low in manufacturing cost, and high in accuracy, and which, with a switch-on time set to a predetermined value, is stable in operation.

In a semiconductor acceleration sensor in which a central board 1 having a central contact section 11, and outside boards 2 at least one of which has an outside contact section 21 are stacked; the central board 1 has a weight 12 near the central contact section 11, and the outside board 2 having the outside contact section 21 has a weight confronting section 11 which confronts with the weight 12, for squeezed damping effect.

Claims

1. A semiconductor acceleration sensor in which a central board having a central contact section, and outside boards at least one of which has an outside contact section are stacked,

CHARACTERIZED in that

said central board has a weight near said central contact section, and

said outside board having said outside contact section has a weight confronting section which confronts with said weight.

2. A semiconductor acceleration sensor as claimed in claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that

said weight provides a squeezed damping effect in cooperation with said weight confronting section.

3. A semiconductor acceleration sensor as claimed in claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that

said weight has a central electrode section, and

said weight confronting section has an outside electrode section.

4. A semiconductor acceleration sensor self-diagnosing method which diagnoses said semiconductor acceleration sensor as claimed in claim 3,

CHARACTERIZED in that

voltage is applied across said central electrode section and said outside electrode section to perform selfdiagnosis.

6. A semiconductor acceleration sensor as claimed in claim 2,

CHARACTERIZED in that

said weight has a central electrode section, and said weight confronting section has an outside electrode section.

7. A semiconductor acceleration sensor self-diagnosing method which diagnoses said semiconductor acceleration sensor as claimed in claim 6,

CHARACTERIZED in that

voltage is applied across said central electrode section and said outside electrode section to perform self-diagnosis.

5. A semiconductor acceleration sensor in which a central board having a central contact section, and outside boards at least one of which has an outside contact section are stacked,

CHARACTERIZED in that

said central contact section and said outside contact section are welded together when said central contact section and said outside contact section brought into contact with each other.