Sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity

A sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity, comprising:

• a weight body;
• a pedestal arranged in such a manner as to surround the weight body and fixed to a device chassis;
• a flexible connection for connecting the weight body and the pedestal;
• a piezoresistive element embedded in a surface layer of the flexible connection;
• a driving piezoelectric element and a detecting piezoelectric element fixed directly or indirectly to a surface of the flexible connection;
• an acceleration detecting circuit for detecting an applied acceleration based on a change in an electrical resistance of the piezoresistive element;
• and
• an angular velocity detecting circuit for detecting an applied angular velocity based on a signal generated in the detecting piezoelectric element while supplying an alternating signal to the driving piezoelectric element to periodically deform the flexible connection and to generate a periodic motion of the weight body, wherein
• the flexible connection includes a plurality of plate-like bridge portions, each plate-like bridge portion includes a plurality of the piezoresistive elements arranged, respectively, on an inner side that is closer to the weight body and on an outer side that is closer to the pedestal, and each plate-like bridge portion includes a plurality of the driving piezoelectric elements arranged, respectively, on the inner and outer sides and detecting piezoelectric elements arranged, respective on the inner and outer sides.

A sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity, comprising:

• a weight body;
• a pedestal arranged to a side of the weight body and fixed to a device chassis;
• a flexible connection for connecting the weight body and the pedestal;
• the flexible connection including a plate-like bridge portion connecting an upper part of the weight body and an upper part of the pedestal, a lower part of the pedestal being fixed to the device chassis, the plate-like bridge portion including piezoresistive elements arranged, respectively, at a first position close to the weight body and at a second position close to the pedestal, and further including driving piezoelectric elements arranged, respectively, at the first position and at the second position and detecting piezoelectric elements arranged, respectively, at the first position and at the second position, the piezoresistive elements being embedded in an upper surface layer of the flexible connection, and the driving piezoelectric elements and the detecting piezoelectric elements being fixed directly or indirectly to an upper surface of the flexible connection
• an acceleration detecting circuit for detecting an applied acceleration based on changes in electrical resistance of the piezoresistive elements;
• and
• an angular velocity detecting circuit for detecting an applied angular velocity based on signals generated in the detecting piezoelectric elements while supplying alternating signals to the driving piezoelectric elements to periodically deform the flexible connection and to generate a periodic motion of the weight body.