Tri-force Management Corporation

Dai-ichi Seiko Co., Ltd.

Wacoh Corporation

Satoshi Era

Kazuhiro Okada

Miho Okada

Kenji Ogata

Shogo Kurogi

Yoshifumi Ikeda

Shinya Sakamoto

Kazuto Akiba

Takahito Kamiudo

Nobuhiro Nagamoto

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.

Power generating element

A force sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformable body arranged to surround an origin O when viewed in the Z-axis direction and configured to generate elastic deformation by application of one of a force and a moment; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating one of the applied force and the moment on the basis of the elastic deformation generated in the deformable body. The deformable body includes: two fixed portions fixed with respect to the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system; two force receiving portions positioned alternately with the fixed portions in a circumferential direction of the deformable body and configured to receive application of one of the force and the moment; and four deformable portions positioned between the fixed portion and the force receiving portion adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the deformable body, and each of the deformable portions includes a curved portion protruding in the Z-axis direction, and the detection circuit outputs the electric signal on the basis of elastic deformation generated in the curved portion.

Force sensor that detects at least one of a force in each axial direction and a moment around each axis in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system

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 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.

Force sensor

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 capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment is provided. 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. The deformable body includes a tilting portion that has a longitudinal direction and is disposed between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion. The displacement body includes displacement portions that are connected to the tilting portion and are displaced by tilting movement of the tilting portion. The detection circuit includes capacitive elements disposed at the displacement portions, and detects an applied force, in accordance with changes in the capacitance values of the capacitive elements.

Highly sensitive capacitive force sensor that is minimally affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise

Actuators (), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a movable frame () in the X-axis direction, and oscillate the movable frame () about the X axis in relation to a fixed frame () by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of piezoelectric elements. Actuators (), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a mirror () in the Y-axis direction, and oscillate the mirror () about the Y axis in relation to the movable frame () by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of the piezoelectric elements. The length of each actuator () extending in the Y-axis direction is longer than a distance between an inner side of the fixed frame () to which the actuator () is connected and the middle point of an outer side of the movable frame () in the Y-axis direction.

Movable reflective element and two-dimensional scanning device

A mirror with a reflective layer formed thereon is supported within a frame-shaped support by two U-shaped arms. A plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q, Q), and a plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q, Q). A pair of piezoelectric elements (E, E) disposed along a longitudinal axis (L) on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E) disposed along the longitudinal axis (L) on the upper surface of an inside bridge. Similarly, a pair of piezoelectric elements (E, E) disposed on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E) disposed on the upper surface of an inside bridge. When a positive drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E, E, E, E) and a negative drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E, E), the mirror is displaced efficiently.

Movable reflection device and reflection surface drive system utilizing same

An inner support member, a detection deformable body, and a ring-shaped outer support member are disposed sequentially from the inside to the outside around a Z axis as a central axis. Inner surfaces in the vicinity of inner support points of the detection deformable body connect to outer surfaces of the inner support member via inner connecting members, and outer surfaces in the vicinity of outer support points of the detection deformable body connect to inner surfaces of the outer support member via outer connecting members. When a torque acts in the clockwise direction on the outer support member () while the inner support member is fixed, detection parts are displaced outwardly, and detection parts are displaced inwardly. These displacements are detected electrically as changes in capacitance values of four capacitor elements including opposing electrodes.

Torque sensor

A cylindrical annular detector is disposed at the periphery of the columnar body fixed at a central part of the upper surface of a supporting substrate. A space between the columnar body and the annular detector is connected by a thin flexible connection member (diaphragm). A washer-shaped insulation substrate is disposed on the upper surface of the supporting substrate, individual fixed electrodes are formed on the upper surface thereof, and they constitute capacitive elements together with a displacement electrode which is composed of the lower surface of the annular detector. Upon exertion of an external force on the annular detector, the flexible connection member deflects to cause displacement, which is detected as change in capacitance value of the capacitive element.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Satoshi Era