Ricoh Seiki Company, Ltd.

Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Ricoh Elemex Corporation

Junji Manaka

Wasaburo Ohta

Shinji Yagawara

Kazutoshi Nagai

Toshiaki Mizuta

Tetsuo Ishibashi

Minoru Miyoshi

A temperature dependent electric element includes a phase change portion including at least one conductive phase change material having a predetermined phase transition temperature, a detector portion configured to detect a change in conductivity of the phase change material caused by a temperature change to a detect phase transition of the phase change material based on the detected change in conductivity of the phase change material, a temperature calibration part configured to conduct temperature calibration by adjusting a temperature at which the phase change material exhibits the phase transition detected by the detector portion based on the change in the conductivity of the phase change material to the predetermined phase transition temperature of the phase change material, and a substrate on which the phase change portion, the detector portion, and the temperature calibration part are integrally arranged.

Electric element

A disclosed detector element includes a substrate including a void, a heating unit including a heat generating electrode bridged across the void, and a temperature sensor including a temperature sensor electrode provided above the void. The heat generating electrode and the temperature sensor electrode are warped, cantilevered, and standing up in space. The temperature sensor measures heat quantity transported from the heating unit. Distribution of an atmosphere surrounding an object surface with respect to the object surface, and the transportation state of the atmosphere are measured by using at least one of temperature, humidity, a direction or velocity of flow, pressure, and composition of gas in the atmosphere. Behavior of the gas adhering and aggregating onto the object surface, and behavior of aggregated liquid undergoing transpiration from the object surface are detected, based on the distribution and the transportation state measured.

Non-contact condensation detecting method and non-contact condensation detecting apparatus

Non-contact condensation detecting apparatus

Disclosed is a flow sensor for sensing heat transfer with a high-speed response, which is manufactured by applying IC micro-machining technology, and which attains an improved heat transfer efficiency by controlling the flow's direction between a heating portion and a sensing portion or by utilizing the intrinsic characteristics of the gas flow. A flow sensor having a substrate whereon a heating portion and a sensing portion are formed each in the form of a bridge supported at both ends or at one end in said order in the direction of the flowing gas to be measured, and which is placed, its surface with the elements down, at the upper inside wall of a pipe for gas to be measured. Its output signal is taken out through lead wires.

Flow sensor

The present invention is for enlarging a freedom of layout including an air bridge pattern and enhancing the availability for various purposes. A mask layer including an air bridge pattern is formed on a (100) plane of a silicon substrate, isotropic etching is carried out until a point of intersection between tangents of a peripheral curved plane comes to under the air bridge pattern plane, and then an air bridge is formed by means of anisotropic etching.

Etching method for forming air bridge pattern on silicon substrate

Method of etching silicon substrate at different etching rates for

A low-cost and quick-response type gas-density sensing element is free from positioning error of sensing ambient temperature and gas density and can accurately sense the gas flow even if the environmental conditions sharply change. An output voltage V.sub.1 proportional to an ambient temperature is obtained by heating a sensing element at low temperature and an output voltage V.sub.2 proportional to the ambient temperature and humidity is obtained by heating the sensing element at a high temperature. An output voltage which is proportional to the humidity is obtained by subtracting the voltage value V.sub.1 from the voltage value V.sub.2.

Atmosphere measuring device and flow sensor

In the drive control apparatus for microsensor according to the present invention, power is constantly supplied to the microsensor. Also the peripheral humidity is detected, and control is switched between pulse drive control and constantly energized drive control according to the detected value. Also the pulse drive voltage is always supplied in an energized state.

Drive control apparatus for microsensor

A flow sensor for sensing heat conduction with a high-speed response, and manufactured by applying IC micro-machining technology to have a reduced clearance between the heating portion and the sensing portion. The flow sensor has a substrate having a through hole or a cavity formed therein, whereon a heating portion and a sensing portion are formed each in the form of a layer bridged over the through hole or the cavity and supported at both ends or at one end. The heating portion and the sensing portion are laminated in two or three or more layers spaced from each other and arranged along the flow of gas to be measured. Each inner layer space is fine and accurate by precisely forming a very thin film that is removable.

A flow sensor for sensing heat transfer with a high-speed response, which is manufactured by applying IC micro-machining technology, and which attains an improved heat transfer efficiency by controlling the flow's direction between a heating portion and a sensing portion or by utilizing the intrinsic characteristics of the gas flow. The flow sensor has a substrate whereon a heating portion and a sensing portion are formed each in the form of a bridge supported at both ends or at one end in the direction of the flowing gas to be measured, and which is placed, its surface with the elements down, at the upper inside wall of a pipe for gas to be measured. Its output signal is taken out through lead wires.

A gas detecting device includes a substrate, an insulator layer formed on the substrate, a gas sensitive layer formed the insulator layer, a pair of detection leads formed on the insulator layer, the gas sensitive layer partially overlying the pair of detection leads, a signal derived from the gas sensitive layer being sent to an external circuit through the pair of detection leads, a heater member arranged on the insulator layer in the vicinity of the gas sensitive layer, and an insulation coating layer formed on the pair of detection leads and the heater member, and partially overlying the gas sensitive layer so that the gas sensitive layer is put between the insulator layer and the insulation coating layer, and a portion of an upper surface of the gas sensitive layer is exposed to gas.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Junji Manaka