Physical Quantity Sensor, Method For Manufacturing Physical Quantity Sensor, Physical Quantity Sensor Device, Electronic Apparatus, And Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018306581-A1
Application number	US-201815948174-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 9, 2018
Priority date	Apr 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes a driven section and a drive spring that supports the driven section so that the driven section is displaceable in a first direction. The drive spring has a serpentine shape and includes a plurality of spring structures extending in a second direction that intersects a first direction. At least one of the spring structures has a thin section that is thinner in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions than the other portions of the drive spring.

First claim

1 . A physical quantity sensor comprising:
a driven section; and a spring that supports the driven section, wherein the driven section and the spring are arranged in a first direction relative to each other, the spring includes:
a plurality of span spring structures longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
connector spring structures connecting adjacent ends of adjacent pairs of the plurality of span spring structures, and
at least one of the plurality of span spring structures has a smaller height than the other spring structures in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

2 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one of the span spring structures includes a recess in one side in the third direction.

3 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of span spring structures has an elongated cross-sectional shape, and long sides of the elongated shape incline with respect to the third direction.

4 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 3 ,
wherein the at least one of the span spring structures is located on a front end side in a direction in which the long sides incline.

5 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least two of the plurality of span spring structures have the smaller height.

6 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 5 ,
wherein the at least two spring structures have the same height.

7 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein a width of each of the span spring structures in the first direction is smaller than a distance by which adjacent pairs of the span spring structures are separated from each other.

8 . A method for manufacturing a physical quantity sensor, the method comprising:
patterning a substrate by using dry etching to form an element including:
a driven section, and
a spring that supports the driven section,
the driven section and the spring arranged in a first direction relative to each other,
the spring including:
a plurality of span spring structures longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
connector spring structures connecting adjacent ends of adjacent pairs of the plurality of span spring structures; and

reducing a height of at least one of the plurality of span spring structures so that the at least one spring structure has a smaller height than the other spring structures in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

9 . The method for manufacturing a physical quantity sensor according to claim 8 ,
wherein the reducing of the height includes processing the spring via a mask by using the dry etching.

10 . A physical quantity sensor device comprising:
the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ; and a circuit element electrically connected to the physical quantity sensor.

11 . A vehicle comprising:
the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ; and an attitude controller that controls an attitude of the vehicle based on a detection signal outputted from the physical quantity sensor.

12 . A physical quantity sensor comprising:
a substrate; a serpentine spring meandering between an anchor end and a frame end, the anchor end being joined to the substrate; and a driven frame joined to the frame end of the spring so as to reside laterally adjacent to the spring in a first direction, wherein the spring includes a plurality of meanders, each meander including a pair of span spring structures and a connector spring structure interconnecting adjacent ends of the pair of spring structures, each of the span spring structures longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and at least one of the span spring structures has a recess in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

13 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 12 ,
wherein each of the plurality of span spring structures has a pair of opposed major surfaces and a pair of opposed minor surface, and the pair of major surfaces are inclined with respect to the third direction.

14 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 12 ,
wherein the at least one of the span spring structures is proximate the anchor end of the spring.

15 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 12 ,
wherein at least two of the plurality of span spring structures have the recess.

16 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 15 ,
wherein the at least two spring structures have the same height.

17 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein a width of each of the span spring structures in the first direction is smaller than a distance by which adjacent pairs of the span spring structures are separated from each other.

18 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 12 ,
wherein each of the plurality of span spring structures is elongated substantially along the third direction and has a pair of opposed major surfaces and a pair of opposed minor surface, and the recess is formed in one of the pair of minor surfaces.

19 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 18 ,
wherein the one of the pair of minor surfaces faces away from the substrate.

20 . The physical quantity sensor according to claim 19 ,
wherein the recess extends along an entirety of the one of the pair of minor surfaces.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Furuhata Makoto
• Kanemoto Kei

Classifications

• B60W10/184

  with wheel brakes · CPC title

• G01C19/5769 Primary

  Manufacturing; Mounting; Housings · CPC title

• G01P3/22

  transferred to the indicator by electric or magnetic means · CPC title

• B60W2420/10

  Transducer, e.g. piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• G01C19/5733 Primary

  Structural details or topology · CPC title