Patent · US Expired

External force detecting sensor

US6631642B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
6References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 3, 2001
Grant dateOct 14, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 3, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01P2015/082
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

When a cavity accommodating movable portion of an external force detecting sensor has a narrow structure, the external force detecting sensor is influenced by air damping, and therefore the cavity should have a wide structure. However, when a top surface and bottom surface of the cavity are positioned too high, the range of vertical movement of the movable portion is increased, and when an external impact force is applied to the external force detecting sensor, a movable interdigitated electrode rides on fixed interdigitated electrodes and stays there, thus the external force detecting sensor is rendered inoperable. A height D from the fixed interdigitated electrodes to the top surface and bottom surface of the cavity is set by having, as elements, widths of the movable interdigitated electrode, and fixed interdigitated electrodes set to W1, W2, and W3, the height of the movable interdigitated electrode and fixed interdigitated electrodes set to h, and gaps between the movable interdigitated electrode and fixed interdigitated electrodes set to g1 and g2, and the movable portion is structured so as to securely return to the standstill position due to resiliency of a beam.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.