Denso Corporation

Tomohide Ariki

Takahiko Yoshida

Makiko Sugiura

Jun Tarui

Junichi Ishikawa

Kiyoshi Otsuka

Kei Shimakura

A soil sensor includes a base, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a circuit unit. A first signal line of the first detection unit has a circular wiring pattern when being projected to an installation surface of the base. A first GND line of the first detection unit is arranged to be spaced from the first signal line and has a wiring pattern, when being projected to the installation surface, located within a region surrounded by the wiring pattern of the first signal line projected on the installation surface. The second detection unit is located within a region surrounded by the wiring pattern of the first GND line projected on the installation surface of the base.

Soil sensor

A molded package includes an IC chip mounted on a first surface of a lead frame, and a molded resin encapsulating the lead frame together with the IC chip. The molded resin has a second surface-side opening portion that is formed to expose a chip correspondence portion of a second surface of the lead frame corresponding to the IC chip. A filler material is filled in the second surface-side opening portion. The filler material has a thermal conductivity equal to or greater than that of the molded resin and is softer than the molded resin. The chip correspondence portion has a rough surface with fine splits so as to increase a contact area with the filler material, and the filler material is in contact with the external member.

Molded package

An adhering matter determination portion includes an irradiation portion, a light receiving portion and a determination portion. The irradiation portion radiates a light to a plurality of different areas of a transparent plate. The light receiving portion converts reflected waves reflected at the different areas into electrical signals. The determination portion compares at least one of detection signals outputted from the light receiving portion with a determination threshold. When the detection signal is lower than the determination threshold, the determination portion determines that there is an adhering matter on the transparent plate. The determination portion compares the detection signals. When a difference of the detection signals is higher than a condensation determination value, the determination portion determines that the adhering matter is raindrops. When the difference of the detection signals is lower than the condensation determination value, the determination portion determines that the adhering matter is dewdrops.

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Kariya, Japan

Tomohide Ariki