Tri-force Management Corporation

Wacoh Corporation

Miho Okada

Kazuhiro Okada

Satoshi Era

Nobuhisa Nishioki

A torque sensor for detecting torque around a predetermined rotation axis, including: a first support body, a second support body, a detection part which connects the first support body and the second support body and which undergoes elastic deformation by exertion of torque to be detected, a detection element which detects elastic deformation occurring at the detection part, and a detection circuit which outputs an electric signal indicating torque around the rotation axis exerted on one of (i) the first support body in a state that a load is applied to the second support body, and (ii) the second support body in a state that a load is applied to the first support body. The detection element includes a capacitive element which includes a displacement electrode fixed to a displacement part and a fixing electrode opposing the displacement electrode. The detection circuit outputs the electric signal indicating the exerted torque based on fluctuation in capacitance value of the capacitive element.

Torque sensor having detection element which detects elastic deformation by exertion of torque to be detected

A power generating element is provided that includes first and second plate-like structures, a pedestal that supports the first plate-like structure, and first and second piezoelectric elements that generate charges on the basis of the deflections of the two plate-like structures. A base end portion of the first plate-like structure is connected to the pedestal, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure is a Y-axis positive direction. A base end portion of the second plate-like structure is connected to the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure via a connection body, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the second plate-like structure is a Y-axis negative direction. A frequency band of a half-value width of a resonance system formed on the basis of the flexibility of the second plate-like structure at least partially overlaps a frequency band of a half-value width of a resonance system formed on the basis of the flexibility of the first plate-like structure.

Power generating element

A power generating element according to the present invention includes: a support frame formed in a frame shape in plan view; a vibrating body provided inside the support frame; a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion that supports the vibrating body on the support frame; and a charge generating element to generate a charge at the time of displacement of the vibrating body. The support frame includes a first frame portion arranged on a first side with respect to the vibrating body and includes a second frame portion arranged on a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the vibrating body. The first bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the first frame portion. The second bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the second frame portion.

A torque sensor including an annular deformation body disposed so as to surround a circumference of a rotation axis, an exertion support body, a fixing support body, and a detection circuit. The annular deformation body has four coupling parts, and four detection parts positioned between two coupling parts which are adjacent in the circumferential direction of the annular deformation body, the detection parts undergoing elastic deformation by exertion of torque. The detection parts each are formed in a convex shape on one side in a direction along the rotation axis and are formed in a concave shape on the other side in a direction along the rotation axis. The detection circuit outputs electric signals on the basis of elastic deformation undergone to the detection part of the annular deformation body.

Torque sensor used for robot arm, has an exertion support body exerting the torque to an annular deformation body

The power generation efficiency is to be enhanced by converting vibration energy including various direction components into electric energy without waste. A cantilever structure is adopted, in which a first plate-like bridge portion () and a second plate-like bridge portion () extend in a shape of a letter U from a fixing-portion () fixed to the device housing () and a weight body () is connected to the end. On the upper surface of the cantilever structure, a common lower layer electrode (E), a layered piezoelectric element () and discrete upper layer electrodes (Exto Ez) are formed. The upper layer electrodes (Ezto Ez) disposed on a center line (Lx, Ly) of each plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element () due to deflection caused by the Z-axis direction vibration of the weight body (). The upper layer electrodes (Exto Ex, Eyto Ey) disposed on both sides of the center line (Lx, Ly) of the plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element () due to deflection caused by the X-axis or Y-axis direction vibration of the weight body ().

A power generating element according to the present invention includes a pedestal formed in a frame shape in plan view, a vibrating body provided inside the pedestal, at least three first bridge supporting portions, each of the first bridge supporting portions extending along a first extending axis and configured to arrange the vibrating body to be supported on a pedestal, and a charge generating element. The first extending axes of a pair of the first bridge supporting portions adjacent to each other form a predetermined angle in a circumferential direction with the vibrating body defined as a center in plan view. At least one first electrode layer of the charge generating element is arranged on each of the first bridge supporting portions.

Power generating element converting vibration energy into electric energy

A torque sensor of the present invention includes: a ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth displacement electrodes deformable due to elastic deformation of the ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth fixed electrodes arranged at positions opposite to those of the first to fourth displacement electrodes; and a detection circuit that outputs an electrical signal representing torque based on a variation amount of capacitance values of first to fourth capacitive elements formed by the first to fourth displacement electrodes and the first to fourth fixed electrodes, wherein the detection circuit outputs, as the electrical signals representing the acting torque, a first electrical signal corresponding to a difference between 'a sum of a capacitance value of the first capacitive element and a capacitance value of the second capacitive element' and 'a sum of a capacitance value of the third capacitive element and a capacitance value of the fourth capacitive element' and a second electrical signal corresponding to a difference between the capacitance value of the first capacitive element and the capacitance value of the third capacitive element and determines whether the torque sensor is normally functioning based on the first and the second electrical signals.

Torque sensor

Provided is a power generating element and a power generating device capable of using vibration energy not used for power generation in the past. The power generating element includes a displacement member, a fixed member, and an elastic deformation body. An electret material layer is formed on a surface of one of the displacement member and the fixed member. A counter electrode layer opposed to the electret material layer is formed on the other surface. When vibration energy is given to the power generating element, the displacement member is displaced with respect to the fixed member such that an inter-layer distance between the electret material layer and the counter electrode layer fluctuates according to deformation of the elastic deformation body.

Power generating element and power generating device

A force sensor of the present invention includes: a supporting body arranged on an X-Y plane; a deformation body arranged opposite to the supporting body and having a deformation part elastically deformed by an action of a force to be detected; a fixed electrode arranged on the supporting body; a displacement electrode provided to the deformation part of the deformation body in such a manner as to face the fixed electrode with which it forms a capacitive element; and a detection circuit that outputs an electrical signal representing the acting force based on a variation amount of a capacitance value of the capacitive element, wherein the capacitive element includes a first capacitive element and a second capacitive element, and the detection circuit determines whether the force sensor is normally functioning based on a first electrical signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the first capacitive element, a second electrical signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the second capacitive element, and an added electrical signal corresponding to a sum of the capacitance values of the first and second capacitive elements.

Force sensor

A power generating elementaccording to an embodiment includes a displacement member, a displacement member, and a fixed member. The displacement memberand the displacement memberare connected via an elastic deformation body. The displacement memberis connected to an attachment sectionvia an elastic deformation body. The displacement memberand/or the displacement memberincludes a first power generation surface. The fixed memberincludes a second power generation surface opposed to the first power generation surface. An electret material layer is provided on one surface of the first power generation surface and the second power generation surface. A counter electrode layer is provided on the other surface.

A capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body that is connected to the deformable body, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body; and a detection circuit that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body.

A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body configured to generate a displacement by elastic deformation generated in the deformable body; and a detection circuit configured to detect an applied force on the basis of the displacement generated in the displacement body, in which the deformable body includes: a tilting portion arranged between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion; a first deformable portion that connects the force receiving portion and the tilting portion; and a second deformable portion that connects the fixed portion and the tilting portion, the displacement body includes a displacement portion connected to the tilting portion and separated from the fixed portion, the detection circuit includes a first displacement sensor and a second displacement sensor arranged in the displacement portion, and the detection circuit outputs a first electric signal indicating an applied force on the basis of a detection value of the first displacement sensor, and outputs a second electric signal indicating an applied force on the basis of a detection value of the second displacement sensor, and then determines whether force detection is performed normally on the basis of the first electric signal and the second electric signal.

A force sensor according to the present invention is configured to detect at least one component among components of a force in each axis direction in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system and a moment around each axis, and includes: a support body arranged on an XY plane; a deformation body joined to the support body; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating a force applied on the deformation body. The deformation body includes a first deformation portion having a first spring constant and a second deformation portion having a second spring constant different from the first spring constant, and the detection circuit outputs, in response to an applied force, a first electric signal corresponding to the deformation of the first deformation portion and a second electric signal corresponding to the deformation of the second deformation portion and determines whether the force sensor functions normally based on a change of a ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal, both corresponding to the applied force.

A torque sensor includes: an annular deformation body; first and second displacement electrodes which cause displacement by elastic deformation of the annular deformation body; first and second fixed electrodes arranged at positions opposite the first and second displacement electrodes; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating a torque based on a variation amount of capacitance values of first and second capacitive elements each of which is configured of the displacement electrode and the fixed electrode. The annular deformation body includes a high elastic portion and a low elastic portion having a spring constant smaller than a spring constant of the high elastic portion. The detection circuit determines whether the torque sensor functions normally based on a ratio between first and second electric signals.

Torque sensor for detecting occurrence of metal fatigue in an elastic body

A torque sensor including an annular deformation body, left side support body, right side support body, left side connection members which connect left side connection points of the annular deformation body with the left side support body, and right side connection members which connect right side connection points of the annular deformation body with the right side support body. Orthogonal projection images of the left side connection points on the basic plane and orthogonal projection images of the right side connection points on the basic plane are formed at mutually different positions.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Miho Okada