# US 2013/0152683 A1 · Inertial sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152683 A1 - Document ID: US20130152683A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/438,361 - Filed: 2012-04-03 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jung Eun Noh; Seung Heon Han; Jong Woon Kim; Jun Lim; Seung Hun Han; Min Kyu Choi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152683A1 ## CPC - G01P 15/105: by magnetically sensitive devices - G01V 7/04: Electric, photoelectric, or magnetic indicating or recording means - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract Disclosed herein is an inertial sensor. The inertial sensor includes a sensing unit and a driving-mass-position initialization module. The sensing unit includes a driving mass, a flexible board unit which displaceably supports the driving mass, and a support which supports the flexible board unit to allow the driving mass to move in a suspended state. The flexible board unit has driving electrodes which move the driving mass, and sensing electrodes which sense the movement of the driving mass. The driving-mass-position initialization module includes a position initialization member which reciprocates to initialize the position of the driving mass, and a coil unit which surrounds the position initialization member. An initialization-member-receiving depression is formed in the driving mass. The shape of the initialization-member-receiving depression corresponds to that of the position initialization member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inertial sensor, comprising: a sensing unit comprising: a driving mass; a flexible board unit displaceably supporting the driving mass, the flexible board unit having a driving electrode for moving the driving mass and a sensing electrode for sensing the movement of the driving mass; and a support supporting the flexible board unit to allow the driving mass to move in a suspended state; and a driving-mass-position initialization module comprising: a position initialization member reciprocating to initialize a position of the driving mass; and a coil unit surrounding the position initialization member, the driving mass having an initialization-member-receiving depression having a shape corresponding to the position initialization member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a forward current is applied to the coil unit, the position initialization member moves and enters the initialization-member-receiving depression of the driving mass so that the position of the driving mass is initialized, and when a backward current is applied to the coil unit, the position initialization member is removed from the initialization-member-receiving depression of the driving mass so that the driving mass is moved and oriented in a direction of gravity, and the sensing electrode senses the movement of the driving mass toward the direction of gravity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensing unit further comprises a lower cap covering a lower portion of the driving mass, the lower cap being coupled to the support. ### Claim 4 An inertial sensor, comprising: a sensing unit comprising: a driving mass; a flexible board unit displaceably supporting the driving mass, the flexible board unit having a driving electrode for moving the driving mass and a sensing electrode for sensing the movement of the driving mass; and a support supporting the flexible board unit to allow the driving mass to move in a suspended state; and a driving-mass-position initialization module comprising: a position initialization plate attached to the driving mass, the position initialization plate being made of an electromagnetic material; and a coil unit disposed facing the position initialization plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 4, wherein the sensing unit further comprises a lower cap covering a lower portion of the driving mass, the lower cap being coupled to the support, and the coil unit is disposed in the lower cap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 5, wherein when a current is applied to the coil unit, the driving mass is moved so that a lower surface of the driving mass becomes parallel to an upper surface of the lower cap, and when the application of the current to the coil unit is interrupted, the driving mass is moved and oriented in a direction of gravity, and the sensing electrode senses the movement of the driving mass toward the direction of gravity. ### Claim 7 An inertial sensor, comprising: a sensing unit comprising: a driving mass made of a magnetic body; a flexible board unit displaceably supporting the driving mass, the flexible board unit having a driving electrode for moving the driving mass and a sensing electrode for sensing the movement of the driving mass; and a support supporting the flexible board unit to allow the driving mass to move in a suspended state; and a driving-mass-position initialization unit comprising a coil disposed in the support, the coil facing the driving mass. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 7, wherein the driving-mass-position initialization to unit is disposed and laminated in the support of the sensing unit by a same method as an MLCC (Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor) manufacturing method. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 7, wherein the sensing unit further comprises a lower cap coupled to a lower end of the support to cover a lower portion of the driving mass. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 9, wherein a driving-mass-position initialization unit is disposed in the lower cap, the driving-mass-position initialization unit comprising a coil facing the driving mass. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The inertial sensor as set forth in claim 9, wherein when a current is applied to the coil, the driving mass is moved so that a lower surface of the driving mass becomes parallel to an upper surface of the lower cap, and when the application of the current to the coil is interrupted, the driving mass is moved and oriented in a direction of gravity, and the sensing electrode senses the movement of the driving mass toward the direction of gravity.