Sensor and movable body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352775-B2
Application number	US-202217823054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2022
Priority date	Mar 9, 2022
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a stage, a driver, and a detector. The stage includes a first portion and a second portion. The driver is configured to rotate the stage. A rotation axis of the stage passes through the first portion and is along a first direction. A second direction from the first portion to the second portion crosses the first direction. The second portion is configured to rotate along a circumferential direction with the rotation axis as a center when the stage rotating. The detector is provided at the second portion. The detector includes a first detection element configured to detect a first acceleration including a component along the second direction, and a second detection element configured to detect a second acceleration including a component along the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor, comprising:
a stage including a first portion and a second portion;
a driver configured to rotate the stage, an rotation axis of the stage passing through the first portion and being along a first direction, a second direction from the first portion to the second portion crossing the first direction, the second portion being configured to rotate along a circumferential direction with the rotation axis as a center when the stage rotating, the rotation axis being kept to be perpendicular to the stage; and
a detector provided at the second portion,
the detector including
a first detection element configured to detect a first acceleration including a component along the second direction, and
a second detection element configured to detect a second acceleration including a component along the first direction.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first detection element includes a first movable portion including a first beam and a second beam extending along the first direction, and a direction from the second beam to the first beam is along the second direction, and
the second detection element includes a second movable portion including a third beam and a fourth beam extending along the second direction, and a direction from the fourth beam to the third beam is along the first direction.

3. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the detector includes a base body including a first surface,
the first surface is along the first direction and the second direction, and
the first detection element and the second detection element are provided on the first surface.

4. The sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising a controller,
the controller being configured to output
a first value according to a first difference between a resonance frequency of the first beam and a resonance frequency of the second beam, and
a second value according to a second difference between a resonance frequency of the third beam and a resonance frequency of the fourth beam.

5. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the controller is configured to derive the first value based on the first difference when the stage is rotating at a constant speed, and
the controller is configured to derive the second value based on the second difference when the stage is rotating at the constant speed.

6. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the first value corresponds to a tilt angle in the first direction with respect to a gravity.

7. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to output at least one of a roll angle and a pitch angle in the first direction with respect to gravity based on the first difference.

8. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the second value corresponds to an azimuth with respect to an axis of a rotation of earth.

9. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to output at least one of azimuth and latitude values based on the second difference.

10. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to output a value of the second value corrected based on the first value.

11. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the detector includes a substrate,
the first detection element includes a first support portion fixed to the substrate, and the first movable portion is supported by the first support portion,
the second detection element includes a second support portion fixed to the substrate, and the second movable portion is supported by the second support portion,
a first gap is provided between the substrate and the first movable portion, and
a second gap is provided between the substrate and the second movable portion.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , wherein
the first movable portion includes
a first movable base portion supported by the first support portion,
a first connection base portion supported by the first movable base portion, and
a first other movable base portion supported by the first connection base portion,

the first movable base portion is located between the first support portion and the first other movable base portion in the first direction,
the first connection base portion is located between the first movable base portion and the first other movable base portion in the first direction,
a first end of the first beam is connected to a part of the first movable base portion,
a first other end of the first beam is connected to a part of the first other movable base portion,
a second end of the second beam is connected to an other part of the first movable base portion,
a second other end of the second beam is connected to an other part of the first other movable base portion,
the first connection base portion is located between the second beam and the first beam in the second direction,
the second movable portion includes
a second movable base portion supported by the second support portion,
a second connection base portion supported by the second movable base portion, and
a second other movable base portion supported by the second connection base portion,

the second movable base portion is located between the second support portion and the second other movable base portion in the second direction,
the second connection base portion is located between the second movable base portion and the second other movable base portion in the second direction,
a third end of the third beam is connected to a part of the second movable base portion,
a third other end of the third beam is connected to a part of the second other movable base portion,
a fourth end of the fourth beam is connected to an other part of the second movable base portion,
a fourth other end of the fourth beam is connected to an other part of the second other movable base portion,
the second connection base portion is located between the third beam and the fourth beam in the first direction.

13. The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
a first movable portion further includes a first weight portion,
the first weight portion is connected to the first other movable base portion,
the first other movable base portion is located between the first movable base portion and the first weight portion in the first direction,
the second movable portion further includes a second weight portion,
the second weight portion is connected to the second other movable base portion,
the second other movable base portion is located between the second movable base portion and the second weight portion in the second direction.

14. The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first detection element includes
a first conductive portion connected to the first beam,
a first fixed electrode facing the first conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate,
a first element electrode facing the first conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate,
a second conductive portion connected to the second beam,
a second fixed electrode facing the second conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate, and
a second element electrode facing the second conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate,

the second detection element includes
a third conductive portion connected to the third beam,
a third fixed electrode facing the third conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate,
a third element electrode facing the third conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate,
a fourth conductive portion connected to the fourth beam,
a fourth fixed electrode facing the fourth conductive portion and being fixed to the substrate, and
a fourth element electrode f

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Masunishi Kei
• Tomizawa Yasushi
• Ogawa Etsuji
• Gando Ryunosuke
• Kaji Shiori
• Hiraga Hiroki
• Miyazaki Fumito
• Ono Daiki
• Uchida Kengo

Classifications

• G01P2015/0865

  using integrated signal processing circuitry · CPC title

• G01P15/0802

  Details · CPC title

• G01P2015/0871

  using stopper structures for limiting the travel of the seismic mass · CPC title

• G01P15/125

  by capacitive pick-up · CPC title

• G01P15/18

  in two or more dimensions · CPC title