Vibrating element, gyro sensor, electronic apparatus and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354060-B2
Application number	US-201313850537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 28, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A vibrating element includes first and second pairs of vibrating arms extending in opposite directions from a base. A pair of first suspension arms extends from the base via first connecting parts and are connected to a fixed portion attached to a container for the vibrating element so that the base, the pair of first suspension arms and the fixed portion surround the pair of first vibrating arms. A pair of second suspension arms extends from the base via second connecting parts and are connected to the fixed portion so that the pair of second suspension arms is located outside of the pair of first vibrating arms and the pair of first suspension arms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vibrating element comprising:
a base;
a first vibrating arm extending along a first direction from the base;
a second vibrating arm extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, from the base;
a first suspension arm extending along the first direction from a fixed portion and connected to a first connecting part of the base so that the base, the first suspension arm and the fixed portion surround the first vibrating arm; and
a pair of second suspension arms extending along the first direction from the fixed portion, on both sides of the first suspension arm, and connected to a second connecting part of the base so that base, the pair of second suspension arms and the fixed portion surround the first vibrating arm and the first suspension arm;
wherein one of the first vibrating arm and the second vibrating arm is a vibrating arm for driving, and the other is a vibrating arm for detection.

2. The vibrating element according to claim 1 , wherein
the first vibrating arm is located between the base and the fixed portion in the first direction, and
the second connecting part is located closer to the second vibrating arm than the first connecting part in the second direction.

3. The vibrating element according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first wire which is arranged in the first suspension arm and connected to a first electrode provided on the first vibrating arm; and
a second wire which is arranged in the second suspension arms and connected to a second electrode provided on the second vibrating arm.

4. The vibrating element according to claim 3 , wherein the fixed portion includes:
a first fixed piece on which a first electrically conductive terminal connected to the first wire is provided and which is connected to the first suspension arm; and
a pair of second fixed pieces on which a second electrically conductive terminal connected to the second wire is provided and which extend from the first fixed piece, on both sides of the first suspension arm, and are connected to the respective second suspension arms.

5. The vibrating element according to claim 4 , wherein
a width of each of the second fixed pieces is larger than a width of each of the second suspension arms.

6. The vibrating element according to claim 4 , wherein
a conductive terminal for grounding is arranged between the first electrically conductive terminal and the second electrically conductive terminal.

7. The vibrating element according to claim 1 , wherein
the first suspension arm is a pair of first suspension arms,
the first connecting part is a pair of first connecting parts, and
each of the first suspension arms is connected to each of the first connecting parts, respectively.

8. The vibrating element according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the first suspension arm and the second suspension arms has at least two flexure parts between the fixed portion and the base.

9. A gyro sensor comprising:
a vibrating element that includes:
a base;
a first vibrating arm extending along a first direction from the base;
a second vibrating arm extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, from the base;
a first suspension arm extending along the first direction from a fixed portion and connected to a first connecting part of the base so that the base, the first suspension arm and the fixed portion surround the first vibrating arm; and
a pair of second suspension arms extending along the first direction from the fixed portion, on both sides of the first suspension arm, and connected to a second connecting part of the base so that base, the pair of second suspension arms and the fixed portion surround the first vibrating arm and the first suspension arm;

an IC that drives the vibrating element; and
a container that houses the vibrating element and the IC, wherein
one of the first vibrating arm and the second vibrating arm is a vibrating arm for driving, and the other is a vibrating arm for detection.

10. A vibrating element comprising:
a base;
a pair of first vibrating arms extending along a first direction from the base, first edges of the pair of first vibrating arms connecting the base;
a second vibrating arm extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, from the base;
a first suspension arm extending along the first direction from a fixed portion and connected to a first connecting part of the base, the first connection part being located a center between the first edges of the pair of first vibrating arms so that the first suspension arm being parallel to the pair of first vibrating arms; and
a pair of second suspension arms extending along the first direction from the fixed portion, on both sides of the pair of first vibrating arms, and connected to a second connecting part of the base so that base, the pair of second suspension arms and the fixed portion surround the pair of first vibrating arms and the first suspension arm;
wherein one of the pair of first vibrating arms and the second vibrating arm is a vibrating arm for driving, and the other is a vibrating arm for detection.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Nishizawa Ryuta
• Nakagawa Keiji
• Kikuchi Takayuki

Classifications

• G01C19/5621 Primary

  the devices involving a micromechanical structure · CPC title

• H01L41/1136

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L41/1132

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L41/094

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01C19/5607 Primary

  using vibrating tuning forks (double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719) · CPC title