# US 8,539,839 B2 · Pressure sensor, sensor array, method for manufacturing sensor array, and grasping apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,839 B2 - Document ID: US8539839B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/105,247 - Filed: 2011-05-11 - Published: 2012-10-04 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-28 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Hironori Suzuki - Inventors: Hironori Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539839B2 ## CPC - G01L 5/226: {to manipulators, e.g. the force due to gripping} - B25J 13/082: {Grasping-force detectors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22)} - G01L 1/02: by hydraulic or pneumatic means - G01L 9/0022: {of a piezoelectric element} - G01L 9/08: by making use of piezoelectric devices {, i.e. electric circuits therefor} - G01L 11/06: Ultrasonic means - H10N 30/01: Manufacture or treatment - H10N 30/082: by etching, e.g. lithography - H10N 30/302: {Sensors} - H10N 39/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive element covered by groups H10N30/00 – H10N35/00 - Y10T 29/42: Piezoelectric device making - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A pressure sensor includes: a supporting body which has an opening; a pressure detecting portion which includes a supporting film provided on the supporting body and having a diaphragm portion closing the opening, and a piezoelectric body provided on the diaphragm portion and deflecting to output an electric signal; a frame body which has, on the pressure detecting portion, a cylindrical cavity along a film thickness direction of the supporting film, and is formed, in plan view when viewed from the film thickness direction of the supporting film, at a position where a cylindrical inner peripheral wall of the cavity overlaps with the opening, or outside of the opening; a sealing film which closes the frame body; and a silicone oil which is filled in an inner space formed of the cylindrical inner peripheral wall of the cavity, the sealing film, and the pressure detecting portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure sensor comprising: a supporting body which has an opening; a pressure detecting portion which includes a supporting film provided on the supporting body and having a diaphragm portion closing the opening, and a piezoelectric body provided on the diaphragm portion and deflecting to output an electric signal; a frame body which has, on the pressure detecting portion, a cylindrical cavity along a film thickness direction of the supporting film, and is formed, in plan view when viewed from the film thickness direction of the supporting film, at a position where a cylindrical inner peripheral wall of the cavity overlaps with an inner peripheral edge of the opening, or outside of the inner peripheral edge of the opening; a sealing film which closes the frame body; and a pressure medium which is filled in an inner space formed of the cylindrical inner peripheral wall of the cavity, the sealing film, and the pressure detecting portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the frame body has flexibility. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A sensor array comprising a plurality of the pressure sensors according to claim 1 arranged therein, wherein a gap is formed between frame bodies of the pressure sensors next to each other. ### Claim 4 A method for manufacturing a sensor array including a plurality of pressure sensors, comprising: forming a supporting film on a supporting body and forming a piezoelectric body on the supporting film to thereby form a plurality of pressure detecting portions; forming, on the plurality of pressure detecting portions, a frame body layer which covers the piezoelectric body; removing portions of the frame body layer formed in the forming of the frame body layer to thereby form frame bodies each of which includes a cavity having a cylindrical inner peripheral wall so as to have a gap between frame bodies next to each other; filling a pressure medium in the cavity; and forming, by a roll coating method, a sealing film which closes the cavity to seal the pressure medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method for manufacturing the sensor array according to claim 4, further comprising forming a groove which divides the supporting film at a position overlapping with the gap in plan view when the supporting film is viewed from a film thickness direction thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method for manufacturing the sensor array according to claim 4, further comprising: bonding a sensor substrate to the lower side of the supporting body; and forming, while leaving at least a portion of the sensor substrate, a groove which divides the supporting body at a position overlapping with the gap in plan view when the supporting film is viewed from a film thickness direction thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method for manufacturing the sensor array according to claim 4, further comprising: dividing, after the forming of the sealing film, the sensor array into blocks each of which includes one or more the pressure sensors; and bonding the block to a sensor substrate such that the lower side of the pressure sensor is positioned on the sensor substrate side.