Composite sensor for detecting angular velocity and acceleration

• US 7,155,975 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitani, Tomohiro, Takeno, Shoichi, Omoto, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanley; John C
• Application Number:
  US10/481,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20040200279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 735/040.3, 735/040.4, 734/31, 738/55, 73510-511, 295/95, 361/816, 361/818
• US Class Current: 73/504.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5663 Manufacturing; Trimming; Mounting; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer

Abstract

A high-reliability complex sensor is protected against vibration and electromagnetic wave noise from outside. A shield case is provided with a power conjunction terminal, GND conjunction terminal, angular velocity conjunction terminal, X axis acceleration conjunction terminal and Y axis acceleration conjunction terminal. Both a power supply terminal of an angular velocity detection device and a power supply terminal of an acceleration detection device are electrically connected with a power connector terminal of a protection case, via the power conjunction terminal of the shield case. Both a GND terminal of the angular velocity detection device and a GND terminal of the acceleration detection device are electrically connected with a GND connector terminal of the protection case, via the GND conjunction terminal of the shield case. A circuit board is contained completely within the shield case.

Claims

1. A complex sensor for detecting angular velocity and acceleration, comprising:

an angular velocity detection device for detecting angular velocity, said angular velocity detection device including a power supply terminal, a GND terminal and angular velocity output terminal;

an acceleration detection device for detecting acceleration, said acceleration detection device including a power supply terminal, a GND terminal and an acceleration output terminal;

a circuit board having a processing circuit for processing an angular velocity signal delivered from said angular velocity output terminal, and an acceleration signal delivered from said acceleration output terminal, wherein said angular velocity detection device and said acceleration detection device are disposed on said circuit board;

a protective case having through holes in a surface thereof and provided with a connector portion extending from a side of said protective case in a direction parallel to a side of said circuit board, and a power connector terminal, a GND connector terminal, an angular velocity connector terminal, and an acceleration connector terminal positioned within said connector portion;

a metal shield case housed within said protective case, said metal shield case completely surrounding said circuit board, said angular velocity detection device and said acceleration detection device;

a power conjunction terminal extending through said metal shield case into a first of said through holes and having one end thereof electrically connected to both said power supply terminal of said angular velocity detection device and said power supply terminal of said acceleration detection device and another end thereof electrically connected to said power connector terminal, a GND conjunction terminal extending through said metal shield case into a second of said through holes and having one end thereof electrically connected to both said acceleration detection device and another end thereof electrically connected to said GND connector terminal, an angular velocity conjunction terminal extending through said metal shield case into a third of said through holes and having one end thereof electrically connected to said angular velocity connector terminal, and an acceleration conjunction terminal extending through said metal shield case into a fourth of said through holes and having one end thereof electrically connected to said acceleration output terminal and another end thereof electrically connected to said acceleration connector terminal,

wherein said power connector terminal, said GND connector terminal, said angular velocity connector terminal and said acceleration connector terminal, positioned within said connector portion of said protective case, extend therefrom into orthogonally adjacent alignment with said power conjunction terminal, said GND conjunction terminal, said angular velocity conjunction terminal and said acceleration conjunction terminal, respectively, and

wherein each connector terminal is electrically connected to each respective conjunction terminal at the location of each respective through hole.

2. The complex sensor according to claim 1, wherein

said metal shield case includes a lid and a storage portion having an opening and a bottom, with said lid having an elastic convexity for attaching said lid to said storage portion via elastic engagement so as to close the opening of said storage portion, and for bringing said storage portion and said lid to the same electrical potential.

3. The complex sensor according to claim 2, wherein

said metal shield case has respective openings through which each of said power conjunction terminal, said GND conjunction terminal, said angular velocity conjunction terminal and said acceleration conjunction terminal extend.

4. The complex sensor according to claim 3, wherein

said power connector terminal has a hole aligned with a first of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said power conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said power connector terminal,

said GND connector terminal has a hole aligned with a second of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said GND conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said GND connector terminal,

said angular velocity connector terminal has a hole aligned with a third of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said angular velocity conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said angular velocity connector terminal,

said acceleration connector terminal has a hole aligned with a fourth of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said acceleration conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said acceleration connector terminal.

5. The complex sensor according to claim 4, wherein

said power connector terminal, said GND connector terminal, said angular velocity connector terminal and said acceleration connector terminal are integrally molded into said protective case.

6. The complex sensor according to claim 5, wherein

said processing circuit is provided on a first side of said circuit board, and

said angular velocity detection device and said acceleration detection device are disposed directly on a second side of said circuit board,

with said first side and said second side facing in opposite directions.

7. The complex sensor according to claim 6, wherein said elastic convexity is formed by a cut provided in a vertical part of said lid.

8. The complex sensor according to claim 7, wherein

said first side comprises a top side of said circuit board, and

said second side comprises a bottom side of said circuit board.

9. The complex sensor according to claim 2, wherein said elastic convexity is formed by a cut provided in a vertical part of said lid.

10. The complex sensor according to claim 2, wherein

said power connector terminal has a hole aligned with a first of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said power conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said power connector terminal,

said GND connector terminal has a hole aligned with a second of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said GND conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said GND connector terminal,

said angular velocity connector terminal has a hole aligned with a third of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said angular velocity conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said angular velocity connector terminal,

said acceleration connector terminal has a hole aligned with a fourth of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said acceleration conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said acceleration connector terminal.

11. The complex sensor according to claim 2, wherein

said power connector terminal, said GND connector terminal, said angular velocity connector terminal and said acceleration connector terminal are integrally molded into said protective case.

12. The complex sensor according to claim 2, wherein

said processing circuit is provided on a first side of said circuit board, and

said angular velocity detection device and said acceleration detection device are disposed directly on a second side of said circuit board,

with said first side and said second side facing in opposite directions.

13. The complex sensor according to claim 1, wherein

said processing circuit is provided on a first side of said circuit board, and

said angular velocity detection device and said acceleration detection device are disposed directly on a second side of said circuit board,

with said first side and said second side facing in opposite directions.

14. The complex sensor according to claim 13, wherein

said first side comprises a top side of said circuit board, and

said second side comprises a bottom side of said circuit board.

15. The complex sensor according to claim 1, wherein

said metal shield case has respective openings through which each of said power conjunction terminal, said GND conjunction terminal, said angular velocity conjunction terminal and said acceleration conjunction terminal extend.

16. The complex sensor according to claim 1, wherein

said power connector terminal has a hole aligned with a first of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said power conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said power connector terminal,

said GND connector terminal has a hole aligned with a second of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said GND conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said GND connector terminal,

said angular velocity connector terminal has a hole aligned with a third of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said angular velocity conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said angular velocity connector terminal,

said acceleration connector terminal has a hole aligned with a fourth of said through holes of said protective case, with said another end of said acceleration conjunction terminal extending into said hole of said acceleration connector terminal.

17. The complex sensor according to claim 1, wherein

said power connector terminal, said GND connector terminal, said angular velocity connector terminal and said acceleration connector terminal are integrally molded into said protective case.