Sensor and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467941-B2
Application number	US-202318175242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2023
Priority date	Sep 14, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a base body, a support portion fixed to the base body, and a first member supported by the support portion. A gap is provided between the base body and a part of the first member. The first member includes a supported region, a first movable region, a first structure, a first support structure, a first connection structure, a first connect portion, and a first beam. The support portion is located between the base body and the supported region in a first direction from the base body to the support portion. The first beam extends along a second direction crossing the first direction. A first beam position of the first beam is located between a first movable region position of the first movable region and a support portion position of the support portion in the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor, comprising:
a base body; a support portion fixed to the base body; and a first member supported by the support portion, a gap being provided between the base body and a part of the first member, the first member including a supported region, a first movable region, a first structure, a first support structure, a first connection structure, a first connect portion, and a first beam, the support portion being located between the base body and the supported region in a first direction from the base body to the support portion, the first beam extending along a second direction crossing the first direction, a first beam position of the first beam in the second direction being located between a first movable region position of the first movable region in the second direction and a support portion position of the support portion in the second direction, a first end of the first beam being connected to the first connection structure, a first other end of the first beam being connected to the supported region, a first structure position of the first structure in the second direction being located between the first movable region position and the first beam position, a first connection structure position of the first connection structure in the second direction being located between the first structure position and the first beam position, a first support structure position of the first support structure in the second direction being located between the first structure position and the support portion position, the first structure including a first portion, a first other portion, and a first intermediate portion, a third direction from the first portion to the first other portion crossing a plane including the first direction and the second direction, the first intermediate portion being between the first portion and the first other portion, the first portion being connected to the first connection structure, the first other portion being connected to the first movable region, the first intermediate portion being connected to the first support structure, and the first connect portion connecting the first connection structure to the first support structure.

2 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a first length of the first connect portion along the third direction is longer than a second length of the first connect portion along the second direction.

3 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the first portion and the first intermediate portion along the third direction is shorter than a second distance between the first intermediate portion and the first other portion along the third direction.

4 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first member includes:
a first portion connect portion connecting the first portion to the first connection structure;
a first other portion connect portion connecting the first other portion to the first movable region; and
a first intermediate portion connect portion connecting the first intermediate portion to the first support structure.

5 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first member includes a second structure, a second support structure, and a second connect portion, a second structure position of the second structure in the second direction is located between the first movable region position and the first beam position, a second support structure position of the second support structure in the second direction is located between the second structure position and the support portion position, the second structure includes a second portion, a second other portion, and a second intermediate portion, a direction from the second other portion to the second portion is along the third direction, the second intermediate portion is located between the second other portion and the second portion, the second portion is connected to the first connection structure, the second other portion is connected to the first movable region, the second intermediate portion is connected to the second support structure, the second connect portion connects the first connection structure to the second support structure, in the third direction, the first connection structure is located between at least a part of the second support structure and at least a part of the first support structure, in the third direction, the first connect portion is located between the first connection structure and the at least the part of the first support structure, and in the third direction, the second connect portion is located between the at least the part of the second support structure and the first connection structure.

6 . The sensor according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first electrode fixed to the base body; and a first counter electrode fixed to the base body, the first member further including a first beam electrode connected to the first beam, and a first counter beam electrode connected to the first beam, in the third direction, the first beam being located between the first counter beam electrode and the first beam electrode, the first electrode facing the first beam electrode, and the first counter electrode facing the first counter beam electrode.

7 . The sensor according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a controller, the controller being configured to apply a driving signal including an AC component between the first electrode and the first beam electrode, and the controller being configured to detect an electrical signal generated between the first counter electrode and the first counter beam electrode.

8 . The sensor according to claim 7 , wherein
the first member includes a second movable region, a third structure, a third support structure, a second connection structure, a third connect portion, and a second beam, in the second direction, the supported region is located between the first movable region and the second movable region, the second beam extends along the second direction, a second beam position of the second beam in the second direction is located between the support portion position and a second movable region position of the second movable region in the second direction, a second end of the second beam is connected to the second connection structure, a second other end of the second beam is connected to the supported region, a third structure position of the third structure in the second direction is located between the second beam position and the second movable region position, a second connection structure position of the second connection structure in the second direction is located between the second beam position and the third structure position, a third support structure position of the third support structure in the second direction is located between the support portion position and the third structure position, the third structure includes a third portion, a third other portion, and a third intermediate portion, a direction from the third portion to the third other portion is along the third direction; the third intermediate portion is located between the third portion and the third other portion, the third portion is connected to the second connection structure, the third other portion is connected to the second movable region, the third intermediate portion is connected to the third support structure, and the third connect portion connects the second connection structure to the third support structure.

9 . The sensor according to claim 8 , wherein
the first member includes a fourth structure, a fourth support structure, and a fourth connect portion, a fourth structure position of the fourth str

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Masunishi Kei
• Ogawa Etsuji
• Tomizawa Yasushi
• Miyazaki Fumito
• Ono Daki
• Uchida Kengo
• Hiraga Hiroki
• Kaji Shiori
• Murase Hideaki

Classifications

• G01P15/08

  with conversion into electric or magnetic values · CPC title

• G01P15/0802

  Details · CPC title

• G01P15/18

  in two or more dimensions · CPC title

• G01P2015/0814

  for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type · CPC title

• G01P15/097 Primary

  by vibratory elements · CPC title