Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Masato Hashimoto

Masahiro Sugimoto

Kazumi Chida

Masaru Nagao

Hidemi Senda

Keiko Neki

Norihisa Okayama

A sensing device, such as an angular speed detecting device, includes a vibrator for improving detection precision. The vibrator is displaceably supported on a substrate and is vibrated in the direction of an X-axis by driving electrodes. Detecting electrodes detect vibrations of the vibrator in the direction of a Y-axis caused by a Coriolis' force resulting from the angular speed occurring about a Z-axis. Each of the driving and detecting electrodes includes a movable electrode that is connected to the vibrator and that is displaced together therewith on the substrate and a fixed electrode fixed onto the substrate in such a manner as to face the movable electrode. By equalizing conductors connected to fixed electrodes of the driving electrodes and conductors connected to fixed electrodes of the detecting electrodes in length, width, and thickness, respectively, one electrical characteristic is set for those of the wiring portions which function in the same manner.

Sensing device and sensor apparatus

A physical quantity detector apparatus detects a physical quantity in accordance with the displacement of a vibrator. The apparatus includes: a comb-like fixed electrode having a plurality of electrode fingers; and a comb-like movable electrode being displaceable together with the vibrator and having a plurality of electrode fingers. A voltage is applied between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. A distance D from a distal end surface of each electrode finger of the movable electrode to a basal portion of the fixed electrode facing the distal end surface of each electrode finger of the movable electrode, a distance D from a distal end surface of each electrode finger of the fixed electrode to a basal portion of the movable electrode facing the distal end surface of each electrode finger of the fixed electrode, a maximum displacement A of the movable electrode in the direction of the axis of each electrode finger, a width w of each electrode finger of the movable electrode and of each electrode finger of the fixed electrode, and a distance d between each electrode finger of the movable electrode and an adjacent electrode finger of the fixed electrode in a direction of the width are set so as to satisfy a relationship of 1/(5dw)>&lcub;1/(D &minus;A) &rcub;&plus;&lcub;1/(D &minus;A) &rcub;.

Physical quantity detector apparatus

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Toyota, Japan

Masato Hashimoto