US 11,442,041 B2Granted

Sensor including deformable parts

AssigneesThe University of Tokyo, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

InventorsIsao Shimoyama, Minh Dung Nguyen, Thanh-Vinh Nguyen, Takanori Usami, Kazuo Watabe, Takahiro Omori, Kiyoshi Matsumoto

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Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes first and second structure bodies, and a detector. The first structure body includes a supporter, and first and second deformable parts supported by the supporter. The second deformable part has at least one of a second length less than a first length of the first deformable part, a second width greater than a first width of the first deformable part, a second thickness greater than a first thickness of the first deformable part, a second Young's modulus greater than a first Young's modulus of the first deformable part, or a second spring constant greater than a first spring constant of the first deformable part. The second structure body is connected to the first structure body. A liquid is provided between the first and second structure bodies. The detector outputs a signal corresponding to a deformation of the first or second deformable part.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A sensor, comprising:

a first structure body including
a supporter,
a first deformable part supported by the supporter, and
a second deformable part supported by the supporter, the second deformable part having at least one of a second length less than a first length of the first deformable part, a second width greater than a first width of the first deformable part, a second thickness greater than a first thickness of the first deformable part, a second Young's modulus greater than a first Young's modulus of the first deformable part, or a second spring constant greater than a first spring constant of the first deformable part;
a second structure body connected to the first structure body, a liquid being provided between the first structure body and the second structure body;
and
a detector outputting a signal corresponding to a deformation of at least one of the first deformable part or the second deformable part,
the first structure body further including an Nth deformable part supported by the supporter,
N being an integer of 3 or more,
a (N−1)th deformable part being between the first deformable part and the Nth deformable part,
the Nth deformable part extending along the (N−1)th deformable part,
the (N−1)th deformable part having a (N−1)th length, a (N−1)th width, and a (N−1)th thickness,
the (N−1)th length being greater than the (N−1)th width and greater than the (N−1)th thickness,
the Nth deformable part having at least one of an Nth length less than the (N−1)th length, an Nth width greater than the (N−1)th width, or an Nth thickness greater than the (N−1)th thickness,
the Nth length being greater than the Nth width and greater than the Nth thickness.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/018,478Filed 11 Sep 2020 · continuation
Priority: 12 Nov 2018
Published: US 2020/0408721 A131 Dec 2020
Granted: 13 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01N 29/14
Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by…
G01H 3/12
Amplitude; Power: by electric means
G01N 29/24
Details , e.g. general constructional or apparatus details: probes
G01N 29/2437
Probes: piezoelectric probes

Family

PCT/JP2018/041843Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Nov 2018
US 2020/0408721 A1Pre-grant publication · published 31 Dec 2020
US 11,442,041 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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