Load detecting sensor and collision detecting sensor using the same

Abstract

A load detecting sensor includes a first member, a second member, and an optical fiber. The first member has a groove having a bottom portion and a column portion which defines the groove. The second member covers the groove of the first member so that a surrounded space is formed. The optical fiber is arranged in the surrounded space. At least one of the first member and the second member is made of an elastic body. The surrounded space is deformable when load is applied to at least one of the first and the second members. When load is applied to at least one of the first and the second members, the deformation of the optical fiber is caused following the deformation of the surrounded space. Hereby, the load detecting sensor, which can decrease the manufacturing cost and increase the detecting sensitivity by the optical fiber, can be obtained.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.