Polymatech Co., Ltd.

Asahi Kasei Emd Corporation

Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation

Asahi Kasei Electronics Co., Ltd.

Asahi Kasel Emd Corp.

Toshinori Takatsuka

Yoshifumi Honmatsu

Sosuke Nishida

Kenji Suzuki

Masataka Yamashita

Masami Arai

Hideto Imajo

Kazutoshi Ishibashi

Kenji Kuriyama

Yosuke Koiwa

A current sensor includes: a conductor through which a current to be measured flows; magnetoelectric conversion elements disposed near the conductor; and an isolating member for supporting the magnetoelectric conversion elements, and the conductor is disposed so as not to contact with the isolating member and not to support the isolating member.

Current sensor

A magnetic sensor of the present invention includes a Hall-effect sensor configured to detect magnetism and an IC being configured to drive the Hall-effect sensor and perform signal processing therefor and having two or more metal interconnection layers. The Hall-effect sensor and the IC are electrically connected to each other via wire interconnections and sealed in one package. Metal interconnections on the IC to input output voltage of the Hall-effect sensor to a signal processing unit of the IC have a grade-separation junction portion in order to suppress an induced electromotive force which a change in the magnetic flux density externally applied generates at output terminals of the Hall-effect sensor, the wire interconnections connected to output electrode pads of the Hall-effect sensor, and the metal interconnections to input the output voltage of the Hall-effect sensor to the signal processing unit of the IC.

Magnetic sensor

Disclosed are a key sheet for a pointing device and a pointing device using a magnet compact in terms of both magnetic force and size to allow a reduction in thickness. Between a pusher () opposed to a contact input portion (E) of a board (P) and a magnet () fixed to a base sheet () at an outside position around the pusher () as a center so as to be away from a key top (), there is provided an elastic flexible portion () allowing displacement in a depressing direction through depression of the key top () toward the contact input portion (E). As a result, it is possible to perform depressing operation on the key top (), with the magnet () being provided on the base sheet (), making it possible to perform switch input, such as confirmation input.

Key sheet for a pointing device and pointing device

A pointing device is provided which can reduce its size and height, reduce leakage magnetic flux density to the outside. Magnetic sensors are disposed symmetrically two by two on X and Y axes on a printed circuit board. A silicone resin is placed on the printed circuit board, and an internally and externally unipolarly magnetized ring-like magnet is placed near the center of the magnetic sensors. The printed circuit board and silicone resin are not bonded. The silicone resin is easily deformed by applying external force, and returns to its initial state without the external force as soon as the external force is removed. The ring-like magnet is configured to move approximately in parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board. The variations in the ambient magnetic flux density produced by the movement of the ring-like magnet are detected by the magnetic sensors.

Pointing device

A magnetic flux detection unit and a rectangular solid magnet are provided. The magnetic flux detection unit includes one or more pairs of Hall sensors, each pair having two Hall sensors arranged on a substrate. The solid magnet is arranged movably in a direction in a plane parallel to the substrate. Each pair of two Hall sensors is arranged on the substrate so that a line connecting the centers of magnetism sensing sections of each pair of two Hall sensors is orthogonal to a movement direction of the magnet. A tetragon has a long side and a short side and the long side has a inclination angle to the line connecting the centers of magnetism sensing sections of the each pair of two Hall sensors. The magnet has one N-pole and one S-pole separately magnetized in orthogonal to the substrate on which the Hall sensors are arranged.

Position detection apparatus

Provided is a pointing device that can be reduced in thickness even if a magnetic field sensor is mounted to a front face of a printed circuit board. When a support portion laterally moves, a reverse face of a flexible portion is displaced while being guided away from the printed circuit board due to deformation of a mountain fold flexure portion as a directional deformation portion. Therefore, a clearance between the reverse face of the flexible portion and the printed circuit board increases, and the magnetic field sensor can be mounted to the front face of the printed circuit board, thereby making it possible to reduce thickness of the pointing device. At the same time, the flexible portion would not be ruptured through sliding contact with the magnetic field sensor.

Key sheet for pointing device and pointing device

A pointing device is provided which facilitates the assembly, achieves downsizing and has a long life. Magnetic sensorsare placed symmetrically two by two along an X axis and Y axis on a printed circuit board. A switchis placed on a silicone resinside surface of the printed circuit boardto provide a switch function achieved by depressing a magnet covertoward the magnet. The pointing device, a device for outputting coordinate values of an input point, can not only output the coordinate values, but also make a decision by the switch function. A silicone resinis easy to deform caused by an external force, and returns its initial state without the applied external force as soon as the external force is removed.

Provided are a pointing device allowing accurate depressing operation on a key top and involving no erroneous input or erroneous operation, and a key sheet for the pointing device. On the back surface of a base sheet () of a key sheet () for a pointing device, an accommodating portion () for a magnet (), for accommodating portion greatly protrudes toward a board (P) beyond a pusher () is provided. When the key top () is depressed, the accommodating portion () and the magnet () come into contact with the board (P), and causes the depressed key top () to tilt using the point of contact as a fulcrum, thereby pressing the pusher () against a contact switch (Pi, Po). Thus, it is possible to reduce the thickness and weight of the pointing device () and the key sheet () for the pointing device. Further, a reduction is achieved in terms of the possibility of erroneous input and erroneous operation, making it possible to reliably effect confirmation input.

Pointing device and key sheet for pointing device

A current sensor according to the present invention is provided with a U-shaped conductor through which current under measurement flows, a magnetic sensor disposed between two straight portions parallel to each other both of which form the U-shaped conductor, a magnetic material of surrounding shape which surrounds the two straight portions and the magnetic sensor and includes a convex opposed to the magnetic sensor and a supporting member for supporting the conductor, the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material so as to position ends of the conductor and terminals of the magnetic sensor at the same side with respect to the magnetic material.

A semiconductor Hall sensor can reduce measuring error due to an unbalanced voltage by decreasing the unbalanced voltage, and improve resistance to electrostatic by suppressing maximum electric field in the sensor. A cross-shaped pattern of the semiconductor Hall sensor includes cutouts at its concave corners. Among the four concave corners of the cross-shaped pattern, consecutive two or four concave corners are provided with the cutouts. Besides, among the four concave corners of the cross-shaped patterns, the consecutive two or four concave corners have an acute angle at the intersection of the input terminal side pattern and output terminal side pattern. The semiconductor Hall sensor becomes insensitive to defects or unbalance of its pattern, thereby being able to reduce the unbalanced voltage as compared with a conventional cross-shaped pattern of the semiconductor Hall sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Fuji, Japan

Toshinori Takatsuka