Sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11402209-B2
Application number	US-201916565719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a movable member including a first movable portion and a second movable portion, and a first fixed member. At least a portion of the first fixed member is between the first movable portion and the second movable portion. The first fixed member includes a first fixed counter portion opposing the first movable portion, and a second fixed counter portion opposing the second movable portion. The first fixed counter portion includes a first fixed protruding portion protruding toward the first movable portion. The second fixed counter portion includes a second fixed protruding portion protruding toward the second movable portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor, comprising:
a movable member including a first movable portion and a second movable portion;
a base body;
a first fixed member fixed to the base body;
a second fixed member fixed to the base body, the movable member being provided around the second fixed member in a plane crossing a first direction from the base body toward the second fixed member; and
a connection portion connecting the second fixed member and the movable member, the connection portion supporting the movable member,
the first fixed member piercing the movable member in the first direction, a part of the movable member being provided between the second fixed member and the first fixed member,
at least a portion of the first fixed member being between the first movable portion and the second movable portion,
the first fixed member including a portion having a polygonal shape in the plane,
the first fixed member including
a first fixed counter portion provided at a first corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the first fixed counter portion opposing the first movable portion, and
a second fixed counter portion provided at a second corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the second fixed counter portion opposing the second movable portion,

the first fixed counter portion including a first fixed protruding portion protruding toward the first movable portion,
the second fixed counter portion including a second fixed protruding portion protruding toward the second movable portion,
a flat portion of the first movable portion facing the first fixed protruding portion, and the flat portion of the first movable portion having a substantially planar configuration.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first fixed counter portion includes a first fixed non-protruding portion other than the first fixed protruding portion, and
a curvature of the first fixed non-protruding portion is less than a curvature of the first fixed protruding portion.

3. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first fixed counter portion includes a first fixed non-protruding portion other than the first fixed protruding portion, and
the first fixed non-protruding portion is substantially a plane.

4. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the movable member further includes a third movable portion and a fourth movable portion,
a direction from the fourth movable portion toward the third movable portion crosses a direction from the second movable portion toward the first movable portion,
the first fixed member further includes:
a third fixed counter portion provided at a third corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the third fixed counter portion opposing the third movable portion; and
a fourth fixed counter portion provided at a fourth corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the fourth fixed counter portion opposing the fourth movable portion,

the third fixed counter portion includes a third fixed protruding portion protruding toward the third movable portion, and
the fourth fixed counter portion includes a fourth fixed protruding portion protruding toward the fourth movable portion.

5. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the direction from the fourth movable portion toward the third movable portion is oblique to the direction from the second movable portion toward the first movable portion.

6. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the movable member includes a first movable side portion and a second movable side portion,
the first movable portion is connected to the first movable side portion and the second movable side portion between the first movable side portion and the second movable side portion,
the first fixed member includes:
a first fixed counter side portion opposing the first movable side portion and being provided along the first movable side portion; and
a second fixed counter side portion opposing the second movable side portion and being provided along the first movable side portion,

a plane including the first movable side portion crosses a plane including the first movable portion, and
a plane including the second movable side portion crosses the plane including the first movable portion.

7. The sensor according to claim 6 , wherein
the plane including the first movable side portion is oblique to the plane including the first movable portion, and
the plane including the second movable side portion is oblique to the plane including the first movable portion.

8. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of first fixed members is provided, and
the plurality of first fixed members is provided around the second fixed member in the plane.

9. The sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the movable member is provided around the plurality of first fixed members in the plane.

10. The sensor according to claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of third fixed members fixed to the base body,
the plurality of third fixed members being provided around the movable member in the plane.

11. The sensor according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first structure body fixed to the base body, the first structure body and the movable member opposing each other in a comb teeth configuration; and
a controller electrically connected to the first structure body and the movable member,
the controller generating, in the movable member, a vibration referenced to the first structure body.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is electrically connected to the movable member via the second fixed member.

13. A sensor, comprising:
a movable member including a first movable portion and a second movable portion;
a base body;
a plurality of first fixed members being fixed to the base body;
a second fixed member fixed to the base body, the movable member being provided around the second fixed member in a plane crossing a first direction from the base body toward the second fixed member; and
a connection portion connecting the second fixed member and the movable member, the connection portion supporting the movable member,
the plurality of first fixed members piercing the movable member in the first direction, a part of the movable member being provided between the second fixed member and the plurality of first fixed members,
the plurality of first fixed members being arranged on a circumference having the second fixed member at a center in the plane,
at least a portion of one of the plurality of first fixed members being between the first movable portion and the second movable portion,
the one of the plurality first fixed members including a portion having a polygonal shape in the plane,
the one of the plurality of first fixed members including
a first fixed counter portion provided at a first corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the first fixed counter portion opposing the first movable portion, and
a second fixed counter portion provided at a second corner of the portion having the polygonal shape, the second fixed counter portion opposing the second movable portion,

the first fixed counter portion including a first fixed protruding portion protruding toward the first movable portion, and
the second fixed counter portion including a second fixed protruding portion protruding toward the second movable portion.

14. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein no connection member connecting the first fixed member and the movable member is provided.

15. The sensor according to claim 13 , wherein no connection member connecting the plurality of first fixed members and the mo

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kaji Shiori
• Gando Ryunosuke
• Tomizawa Yasushi
• Masunishi Kei
• Ikehashi Tamio

Classifications

• G01C19/5733 Primary

  Structural details or topology · CPC title

• G01C19/5762

  the sensing mass being connected to a driving mass, e.g. driving frames · CPC title

• G01C19/5726

  Signal processing · CPC title

• G01P2015/0805

  being provided with a particular type of spring-mass-system for defining the displacement of a seismic mass due to an external acceleration · CPC title

• G01C19/5684 Primary

  the devices involving a micromechanical structure · CPC title