The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1996
Kouji Tsukada, Seto, JP;
Takeshi Morikawa, Kasugai, JP;
Yutaka Nonomura, Nagoya, JP;
Sanae Tokumitsu, Owariasahi, JP;
Masaharu Takeuchi, Owariasahi, JP;
Kazuyoshi Kawaguchi, Nagoya, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
the present invention provides a force transducer having high compression fracture strength and high detection sensitivity, thus satisfying both detection precision and reliability, and also a method of fabricating such a force transducer. The force transducer is so constructed that a compression force is transferred via a pressure transfer block to narrow strain gages, which protrude from the surface of a silicon substrate and provide a small pressure-bearing area. Therefore, large compression strains act on the strain gages and thus the detection sensitivity is increased. When the compression force exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure transfer block comes into contact with the surface of the silicon crystal, thus improving the fracture strength of the strain gages. These narrow, protruding strain gages can be fabricated easily by a single mesa etching process.