Nippon Soken, Inc.

Denso Corporation

Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Kazuhiko Miura

Tadashi Hattori

Minoru Ohta

Kenji Kanehara

Seizi Huzino

Michitoshi Onoda

Tadashi Ozaki

Yukio Iwasaki

Tokio Kohama

Yoshinori Ootsuka

Takehiro Watarai

Akira Fukami

Kenji Kato

Yoshiki Ueno

Nobuyoshi Sakakibara

Teiichi Nabeta

Hiroki Noguchi

Yukihide Hashiguchi

Katsuhide Akimoto

Masanori Hanaoka

Takakazu Kawabata

Hiroaki Yamaguchi

Tomoo Kawase

Yoshimi Yoshino

Kazushi Asami

Masanori Fukutani

Satoshi Hayashi

Muneo Yorinaga

Kenzi Kato

Yasushi Matsuhiro

Takeshi Itou

Yoshinobu Takeuchi

Takashi Hattori

A drive circuit supplies a FB feedback signal having a predetermined frequency to drive electrodes to vibrate a vibrator. An angular velocity detecting circuit detects a vibratory movement caused in a direction normal to an oscillating direction of the vibrator based on a sensing signal of angular velocity sensing electrodes, thereby generating an angular velocity signal. A signal input circuit supplies a diagnostic signal having a frequency different from that of the FB signal, which is entered into the vibrator via diagnosing electrodes. A diagnosis circuit generates a breakdown signal based on a signal responsive to the diagnostic signal which is obtained from at least one of the drive electrodes and the angular velocity sensing electrodes.

Angular velocity sensor and diagnosis system for this sensor

A drive circuit supplies a FB (feedback) signal having a predetermined frequency to drive electrodes to vibrate a vibrator. An angular velocity detecting circuit detects a vibratory movement caused in a direction normal to an oscillating direction of the vibrator based on a sensing signal of angular velocity sensing electrodes, thereby generating an angular velocity signal. A signal input circuit supplies a diagnostic signal having a frequency different from that of the FB signal, which is entered into the vibrator via diagnosing electrodes. A diagnosis circuit generates a breakdown signal based on a signal responsive to the diagnostic signal which is obtained from at least one of the drive electrodes and the angular velocity sensing electrodes.

An angular velocity sensor includes a tuning-fork oscillator having a pair of arms jointed by a trunk, the pair of arms extending in parallel to each other, first and second driving piezoelectric elements arranged only on one surface of the trunk with a gap therebetween in an extending direction of the arms, and angular velocity detecting piezoelectric elements arranged on surfaces of the arms in parallel with the one surface of the trunk on which the first and second piezoelectric elements are arranged.

Angular velocity sensor

An angular velocity detector includes vibrator made of piezoelectric material and having a pair of arms. A pair of driving electrodes are attached to the arms in order to generate vibrations in the arms. A pair of detecting electrodes, which are attached to the arms, detect the vibrations of the arms. Therefore, the pair of driving electrodes can cause the arms to vibrate uniformly and stably, so that a S/N ratio of the angular velocity sensor can be improved.

In a direct-heated flow measuring apparatus including a substrate having a film resistance pattern and a supporting member for supporting the substrate, the supporting member has good heat dissipation characteristics. Provided between the substrate and the supporting member is a heat transfer throttling portion.

Direct-heated flow measuring apparatus having improved response

In a direct-heated flow measuring apparatus including a film resistor having a substrate supported by a supporting member in a passage, at least one face of the substrate on the upstream side thereof is sloped with respect to a fluid stream within the passage.

Direct-heated flow measuring apparatus having improved sensitivity

A flow measuring apparatus includes a resistance layer for detecting a flow rate within a passage and an additional resistance layer for burning off deposits formed by suspended particles the like, and both of the resistance layers are formed on only one substrate. When suspended particles are deposited on the substrate to form deposits thereon, the deposits are burned off and removed from the substrate by supplying power to the additional resistance layer.

Flow measuring apparatus

A direct-heated gas-flow measuring apparatus including a measuring tube disposed in the gas stream, a film resistor for generating heat and detecting the temperature thereof, and a feedback control circuit for controlling the heat generated by the film resistor so that the temperature of the film resistor is a predetermined value. Provided at least at the upstream side of the film resistor near thereto is a shield for reducing the accumulation of deposits on the film resistor. The shield and the film resistor have substantially the same thickness to satisfy the condition:

Direct-heated gas-flow measuring apparatus

A direct-heated flow measuring apparatus including a substrate, a film resistor for generating heat and sensing its temperature, and a feedback control circuit for controlling the heat generated by the film resistor so that the temperature of the film resistor is a predetermined value. Also, provided in the substrate is an aperture or the like for throttling the heat transfer of the film resistor. Further, a reinforced structure is formed on the part of substrate where the aperture or the like is formed.

Direct-heated flow measuring apparatus

In a direct-heated flow measuring apparatus including a thin-plate sensing element supported by a supporting member in a passage, a sensing portion for generating heat and detecting the temperature thereof is positioned on the downstream side of the sensing element with respect to a fluid stream.

Direct-heated flow measuring apparatus having improved sensitivity and

In a direct-heated flow measuring apparatus including a film resistor having a substrate and a resistance layer thereon, the substrate is supported by a supporting member in a passage. Provided between the substrate and the supporting member is an adiabatic member for enhancing the adiabatic effect of the resistance layer. The substrate is adhered by adhesives having an excellent thermal conductivity coefficient to the adiabatic member, and the supporting member is also adhered by adhesives having an excellent thermal conductivity coefficient to the adiabatic member.

Direct-heated flow measuring apparatus having uniform characteristics

A direct-heated gas-flow measuring apparatus including a measuring tube disposed in the gas stream, a film resistor for generating heat and detecting the temperature thereof, and a feedback control circuit for controlling the heat generated by the film resistor so that the temperature of the film resistor is a predetermined value. Provided in a supporting portion of the film resistor for supporting it to the measuring tube is an aperture for throttling the heat transfer thereof.

A film resistor for a flow measuring apparatus including: a substrate; a first insulating layer on the substrate; a platinum (Pt) pattern on the first insulating layer; and a second insulating layer on the platinum pattern. A titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) layer is provided between each of the first and second insulating layers and the platinum pattern.

Film resistor for flow measuring apparatus

A gas-flow measuring apparatus including a semiconductor chip and a sensing circuit. The semiconductor chip includes an electric heater and two temperature-detecting elements. One of the temperature-detecting elements is located closer to the heater than the other. The sensing circuit generates voltage in response to the flow rate of gas flowing through a gas passage.

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Aichi, Japan

Kazuhiko Miura