Detector for force, acceleration or magnetism with respect to components in multi-dimensional directions

Claim 2

A force detector as set forth in claim 1, further comprising third detection means (88) for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a sum of a capacitance value (C1) of said first capacitance element and a capacitance value (C3) of said third capacitance element when the force in the Z-axis direction is exerted on said working point.

Claim 3

A force detector as set forth in claim 1, further comprising third detection means (88) for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a sum total of a capacitance value (C1) of said first capacitance element, a capacitance value (C2) of said second capacitance element, a capacitance value (C3) of said third capacitance element and a capacitance value (C4) of said fourth capacitance element when the force in the Z-axis direction is exerted on said working point.

Claim 4

A force detector as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3, which further comprises a fifth capacitance element (C5) formed by a pair of electrodes (65a, 75a) provided so that they are opposite to each other on the fixed surface and the displacement surface in a vicinity of the origin of the XY plane, and third detection means (88a) for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction by using a capacitance value of said fifth capacitance element.

Claim 5

A force detector for detecting components in multi-dimensional directions of force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, comprising: a fixed substrate (60b) having a fixed surface extending along substantially an XY plane, a displacement substrate (70b) having a displacement surface opposite to the fixed surface and extending along substantially the XY plane, a first detection element (61b, 71b, 90b) formed so that it is put between the fixed surface and the displacement surface in the first quadrant of the XY plane, said first detection element including a piezoelectric element to transform a pressure applied to the displacement surface to an electric signal, and to output the transformed electric signal as a detection value, a second detection element (62b, 72b, 90b) formed so that it is put between the fixed surface and the displacement surface in the second quadrant of the XY plane, said second detection element including a piezoelectric element to transform a pressure applied to the displacement surface to an electric signal, and to output the transformed electric signal as a detection value, a third detection element (63b, 73b, 90b) formed so that it is put between the fixed surface and the displacement surface in the third quadrant of the XY plane, said third detection element including a piezoelectric element to transform a pressure applied to the displacement surface to an electric signal, and to output the transformed electric signal as a detection value, a fourth detection element (64b, 74b, 90b) formed so that it is put between the fixed surface and the displacement surface in the fourth quadrant of the XY plane, said fourth detection element including a piezoelectric element to transform a pressure applied to the displacement surface to an electric signal, and to output the transformed electric signal as a detection value, first detection means (86b) for detecting a force component in the X-axis direction on the basis of a difference between a sum of a detection value (V1) by said first detection element and a detection value (V4) by said fourth detection element and a sum of a detection value (V2) by said second detection element and a detection value (V3) by said third detection element when the force in the X-axis direction is exerted on a predetermined working point (P) which causes a displacement of said displacement substrate (70b), and second detection means (87b) for detecting a force component in the Y-axis direction on the basis of a difference between a sum of a detection value (V1) by said first detection element and a detection value (V2) by said second detection element and a sum of a detection value (V3) by said third detection element and a detection value (V4) by said fourth detection element when the force in the Y-axis direction is exerted on said working point.

Claim 6

A force detector as set forth in claim 5, further comprising third detection means (88b) for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a sum of a detection value (V1) by said first detection element and a detection value (V3) by said third detection element when the force in the Z-axis direction is exerted on said working point.

Claim 7

A force detector as set forth in claim 5, further comprising third detection means (88b) for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction on the basis of a sum total of a detection value (V1) by said first detection element, a detection value (V2) by said second detection element, a detection value (V3) by said third detection element and a detection value (V4) by said fourth detection element when the force in the Z-axis direction is exerted on said working point.

Claim 8

A force detector as set forth in claim 5, 6 or 7, which further comprises a fifth detection element formed so that it is put between the fixed surface and the displacement surface in a vicinity of the origin of the XY plane, said fifth detection element including a piezoelectric element to transform a pressure applied to the displacement surface to an electric signal, and to output the transformed electric signal as a detection value, and third detection means for detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction by using a detection value by said fifth detection element.

Claim 9

A force detector for detecting components in multi-dimensional directions of force in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system: wherein there are prepared eight sets of detection elements (D1 to D8) constituted by piezoelectric elements (121, 122, 123, 124) in a plate form, upper electrodes (131 to 138) formed on upper surfaces of said piezoelectric elements, and lower electrodes (141 to 148) formed on lower surfaces of said piezoelectric elements, wherein the origin (O) is defined at a point within a substrate (110) having flexibility, an X-axis is defined so that it passes through the origin and extends in a direction parallel to the substrate surface, a Y-axis is defined so that it is perpendicular to the X-axis at the origin and extends in a direction parallel to the substrate surface, and a Z-axis is defined so that it passes through the origin and extends in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, wherein said eight sets of detection elements are such that the first detection element (D1) is arranged on the substrate in a central area corresponding to the first quadrant of the XY plane, the second detection element (D2) is arranged on the substrate in a central area corresponding to the second quadrant of the XY plane, the third detection element (D3) is arranged on the substrate in a central area corresponding to the third quadrant of the XY plane, the fourth detection element (D4) is arranged on the substrate in a central area corresponding to the fourth quadrant of the XY plane, the fifth detection element (D5) is arranged on the substrate in a peripheral area corresponding to the first quadrant of the XY plane, the sixth detection element (D6) is arranged on the substrate in a peripheral area corresponding to the second quadrant of the XY plane, the seventh detection element (D7) is arranged on the substrate in a peripheral area corresponding to the third quadrant of the XY plane, and the eighth detection element (D8) is arranged on the substrate in a peripheral area corresponding to the fourth quadrant of the XY plane, one electrodes of said respective detection elements being fixed to the substrate; wherein either a peripheral portion of said substrate or a central portion in a vicinity of the origin thereof is fixed to a detector casing (160), wherein there is provided a working point having a function to transmit a force produced on the basis of a physical action exerted from an external to the peripheral portion or the central portion of said substrate, and wherein potentials of one electrodes with respect to the other electrodes fixed on the substrate are obtained in the respective detection elements, the detector detecting a force component in the X-axis direction produced at said working point on the basis of a difference between a sum of respective potentials, (V1, V4, V6, V7) of said first, fourth, sixth and seventh detection elements and a sum of respective potentials (V2, V3, V5, V8) of said second, third, fifth and eighth detection elements, and the detector detecting a force component in the Y-axis direction produced at said working point on the basis of a difference between a sum of respective potentials (V1, V2, V7, V8) at said first, second, seventh, and eighth detection elements and a sum of respective potentials (V3, V4, V5, V6) of said third, fourth, fifth and sixth detection elements.

Claim 10

A force detector as set forth in claim 9, wherein the detector detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction produced at said working point on the basis of a difference between a sum of respective potentials (V1, V3) at said first and third detection elements and a sum of respective potentials (V5, V7) of said fifth and seventh detection elements.

Claim 11

A force detector as set forth in claim 9, wherein the detector detecting a force component in the Z-axis direction produced at said working point on the basis of a difference between a sum of respective potentials (V1, V2, V3, V4) at said first, second, third and fourth detection elements and a sum of respective potentials (V5, V6, V7, V8) at said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth detection elements.

Claim 12

A detector as set forth in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein a force produced resulting from an acceleration is exerted on the working point, thus permitting detection of an acceleration.

Claim 13

A detector as set forth in any of claims 1 to 12, wherein a force produced resulting from a magnetism is exerted on the working point, thus permitting detection of a magnetism.