Physical quantity sensor, method for manufacturing physical quantity sensor, physical quantity sensor device, electronic apparatus, and vehicle
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsMakoto Furuhata, Kei Kanemoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A physical quantity sensor includes a driven section and a drive spring that supports the driven section so that the driven section is displaceable in a first direction. The drive spring has a serpentine shape and includes a plurality of spring structures extending in a second direction that intersects a first direction. At least one of the spring structures has a thin section that is thinner in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions than the other portions of the drive spring.
Claims19
A physical quantity sensor comprising:
- a driven member;
- and
- a spring that supports the driven member,
- wherein the driven member and the spring are arranged in a first direction relative to each other,
- the spring includes:
- a plurality of span spring members longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- connector spring members connecting adjacent ends of adjacent pairs of the plurality of span spring members,
- at least one of the plurality of span spring members has a smaller height than the other spring members in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and
- wherein a width of each of the span spring members in the first direction is smaller than a distance by which adjacent pairs of the span spring members are separated from each other.
A method for manufacturing a physical quantity sensor, the method comprising:
- patterning a substrate by using dry etching to form an element including:
- a driven member;
- and
- a spring that supports the driven member,
- the driven member and the spring arranged in a first direction relative to each other,
- the spring including:
- a plurality of span spring members longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- connector spring members connecting adjacent ends of adjacent pairs of the plurality of span spring members;
- and
- reducing a height of at least one of the plurality of span spring members so that the at least one spring member has a smaller height than the other spring members in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions,
- wherein a width of each of the span spring members in the first direction is smaller than a distance by which adjacent pairs of the span sprin members are separated from each other.
A physical quantity sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a serpentine spring meandering between an anchor end and a frame end, the anchor end being joined to the substrate;
- and
- a driven frame joined to the frame end of the spring so as to reside laterally adjacent to the spring in a first direction,
- wherein the spring includes a plurality of meanders, each meander including a pair of span spring members and a connector spring member interconnecting adjacent ends of the pair of spring members, each of the span spring members longitudinally extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
- at least one of the span spring members has a recess in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.