Mass sensor and mass sensing method
US6457361B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01G3/13
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A mass sensor including: a connecting plate having one or more slit(s) and/or opening portion(s) formed therein and/or having a thin-walled portion and a thick-walled portion formed therein; a diaphragm joined with the connecting plate at respective side surfaces; a piezoelectric element; a sensing plate with the piezoelectric element being provided at least at one part on at least one surface of the sensing plate, which has its side surface joined with a side surface of the connecting plate in the direction perpendicular to the joining direction of the diaphragm and the connecting plate; and a sensor substrate with which at least a part of side surfaces of the connecting plate as well as the sensing plate are joined, and the diaphragm, the connecting plate, the sensing plate, and the piezoelectric element form a resonating portion. The mass sensor can conveniently be used for determining the mass of a substance to be sensed by measuring changes in resonant frequencies caused by changes in the mass of the diaphragm on which a catching substance for catching a substance to be sensed by reacting only with the object of sensing is applied.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.