Patents Assigned to TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 11761831
    Abstract: A strain body of a force sensor according to the present invention includes a tilting structure disposed between a force receiving body and a support body, a force-receiving-body-side deformable body connecting the force receiving body and the tilting structure, and a support-body-side deformable body connecting the tilting structure and the support body. The tilting structure includes a first tilting body that extends in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction and that is elastically deformable by the action of force in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Sekine, Yuki Hongo
  • Patent number: 11703402
    Abstract: A torque sensor for detecting torque around a predetermined rotation axis, including: a first support body, a second support body, a detection part which connects the first support body and the second support body and which undergoes elastic deformation by exertion of torque to be detected, a detection element which detects elastic deformation occurring at the detection part, and a detection circuit which outputs an electric signal indicating torque around the rotation axis exerted on one of (i) the first support body in a state that a load is applied to the second support body, and (ii) the second support body in a state that a load is applied to the first support body. The detection element includes a capacitive element which includes a displacement electrode fixed to a displacement part and a fixing electrode opposing the displacement electrode. The detection circuit outputs the electric signal indicating the exerted torque based on fluctuation in capacitance value of the capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Publication number: 20230152172
    Abstract: A torque sensor according to the present invention includes a strain body, first structure Y-axis connecting portions, second structure X-axis connecting portions and a detection element. The first structure Y-axis connecting portions are disposed on a positive side and a negative side of a Y-axis relative to the strain body, and the second structure X-axis connecting portions are disposed on a positive side and a negative side of an X-axis relative to the second structure. The strain body includes four deformable bodies each including a displacement portion that is displaced in a Z-axis direction by elastic deformation. The deformable bodies are respectively disposed in a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant. The detection element includes a capacitive element that detects a change in capacitance value by a displacement of the displacement portion of each of the deformable bodies in the Z-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho SEKINE
  • Patent number: 11499878
    Abstract: A strain body of a force sensor according to the present invention includes a tilting structure disposed between a force receiving body and a support body, a force-receiving-body-side deformable body connecting the force receiving body and the tilting structure, and a support-body-side deformable body connecting the tilting structure and the support body. The tilting structure includes a first tilting body that extends in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction and that is elastically deformable by the action of force in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Sekine, Yuki Hongo
  • Patent number: 11329576
    Abstract: A power generating element is provided that includes first and second plate-like structures, a pedestal that supports the first plate-like structure, and first and second piezoelectric elements that generate charges on the basis of the deflections of the two plate-like structures. A base end portion of the first plate-like structure is connected to the pedestal, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure is a Y-axis positive direction. A base end portion of the second plate-like structure is connected to the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure via a connection body, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the second plate-like structure is a Y-axis negative direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Publication number: 20220107231
    Abstract: The present invention provides a torque sensor that is small and highly rigid and for which high production efficiency is possible. An annular deformation body (50) is disposed between a left side support body (10) and a right side support body (20). Protruding parts (11, 12) of the left side support body (10) are joined to two upper and lower sites on the left side surface of the annular deformation body (50), and protruding parts (21, 22) of the right side support body (20) are joined to two left and right sites on the right side surface of the annular deformation body (50). The annular deformation body (50) has, at four sites, detection parts (D1 to D4) that cause elastic deformation, the right side surface of each of the detection parts (D1 to D4) moves close to or moves away from the opposing surface of the right side support body (20) when torque around the Z axis is exerted on the left side support body (10) in a state that a load is applied to the right side support body (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA
  • Patent number: 11205977
    Abstract: A power generating element according to the present invention includes: a support frame formed in a frame shape in plan view; a vibrating body provided inside the support frame; a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion that supports the vibrating body on the support frame; and a charge generating element to generate a charge at the time of displacement of the vibrating body. The support frame includes a first frame portion arranged on a first side with respect to the vibrating body and includes a second frame portion arranged on a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the vibrating body. The first bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the first frame portion. The second bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the second frame portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Satoshi Era
  • Patent number: 11118987
    Abstract: A torque sensor including an annular deformation body disposed so as to surround a circumference of a rotation axis, an exertion support body, a fixing support body, and a detection circuit. The annular deformation body has four coupling parts, and four detection parts positioned between two coupling parts which are adjacent in the circumferential direction of the annular deformation body, the detection parts undergoing elastic deformation by exertion of torque. The detection parts each are formed in a convex shape on one side in a direction along the rotation axis and are formed in a concave shape on the other side in a direction along the rotation axis. The detection circuit outputs electric signals on the basis of elastic deformation undergone to the detection part of the annular deformation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Publication number: 20210262871
    Abstract: A strain body of a force sensor according to the present invention includes a tilting structure disposed between a force receiving body and a support body, a force-receiving-body-side deformable body connecting the force receiving body and the tilting structure, and a support-body-side deformable body connecting the tilting structure and the support body. The tilting structure includes a first tilting body that extends in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction and that is elastically deformable by the action of force in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho SEKINE, Yuki HONGO
  • Patent number: 11088637
    Abstract: The power generation efficiency is to be enhanced by converting vibration energy including various direction components into electric energy without waste. A cantilever structure is adopted, in which a first plate-like bridge portion (120) and a second plate-like bridge portion (130) extend in a shape of a letter U from a fixing-portion (110) fixed to the device housing (200) and a weight body (150) is connected to the end. On the upper surface of the cantilever structure, a common lower layer electrode (E00), a layered piezoelectric element (300) and discrete upper layer electrodes (Ex1 to Ez4) are formed. The upper layer electrodes (Ez1 to Ez4) disposed on a center line (Lx, Ly) of each plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element (300) due to deflection caused by the Z-axis direction vibration of the weight body (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
  • Patent number: 11085836
    Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformable body arranged to surround an origin O when viewed in the Z-axis direction and configured to generate elastic deformation by application of one of a force and a moment; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating one of the applied force and the moment on the basis of the elastic deformation generated in the deformable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era
  • Patent number: 10775250
    Abstract: A torque sensor of the present invention includes: a ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth displacement electrodes deformable due to elastic deformation of the ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth fixed electrodes arranged at positions opposite to those of the first to fourth displacement electrodes; and a detection circuit that outputs an electrical signal representing torque based on a variation amount of capacitance values of first to fourth capacitive elements formed by the first to fourth displacement electrodes and the first to fourth fixed electrodes, wherein the detection circuit outputs, as the electrical signals representing the acting torque, a first electrical signal corresponding to a difference between “a sum of a capacitance value of the first capacitive element and a capacitance value of the second capacitive element” and “a sum of a capacitance value of the third capacitive element and a capacitance value of the fourth capacitive element” and a second electrical signal corres
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Nobuhisa Nishioki
  • Patent number: 10756651
    Abstract: Provided is a power generating element and a power generating device capable of using vibration energy not used for power generation in the past. The power generating element includes a displacement member, a fixed member, and an elastic deformation body. An electret material layer is formed on a surface of one of the displacement member and the fixed member. A counter electrode layer opposed to the electret material layer is formed on the other surface. When vibration energy is given to the power generating element, the displacement member is displaced with respect to the fixed member such that an inter-layer distance between the electret material layer and the counter electrode layer fluctuates according to deformation of the elastic deformation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Publication number: 20200256750
    Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes a closed loop shaped deformable body and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating an applied force or a moment on the basis of elastic deformation generated in the deformable body. The deformable body includes at least two fixed portions, at least two force receiving portions adjacent to the fixed portion in a closed loop shaped path of the deformable body, and a deformable portion positioned between the fixed portion and the force receiving portion adjacent to each other in the closed loop shaped path. The deformable portion includes: a main curved portion having a curved main curved surface; a fixed portion-side curved portion connecting the main curved portion to the corresponding fixed portion and having a fixed portion-side curved surface; and a force receiving portion-side curved portion connecting the main curved portion to the corresponding force receiving portion and having a force receiving portion-side curved surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA
  • Patent number: 10732056
    Abstract: A force sensor of the present invention includes: a supporting body arranged on an X-Y plane; a deformation body arranged opposite to the supporting body and having a deformation part elastically deformed by an action of a force to be detected; a fixed electrode arranged on the supporting body; a displacement electrode provided to the deformation part of the deformation body in such a manner as to face the fixed electrode with which it forms a capacitive element; and a detection circuit that outputs an electrical signal representing the acting force based on a variation amount of a capacitance value of the capacitive element, wherein the capacitive element includes a first capacitive element and a second capacitive element, and the detection circuit determines whether the force sensor is normally functioning based on a first electrical signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the first capacitive element, a second electrical signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the second capacitive element, a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Nobuhisa Nishioki
  • Patent number: 10734922
    Abstract: A power generating element 1 according to an embodiment includes a displacement member 10, a displacement member 20, and a fixed member 30. The displacement member 10 and the displacement member 20 are connected via an elastic deformation body 41. The displacement member 10 is connected to an attachment section 51 via an elastic deformation body 42. The displacement member 10 and/or the displacement member 20 includes a first power generation surface. The fixed member 30 includes a second power generation surface opposed to the first power generation surface. An electret material layer is provided on one surface of the first power generation surface and the second power generation surface. A counter electrode layer is provided on the other surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Publication number: 20200240854
    Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformable body arranged to surround an origin O when viewed in the Z-axis direction and configured to generate elastic deformation by application of one of a force and a moment; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating one of the applied force and the moment on the basis of the elastic deformation generated in the deformable body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA
  • Patent number: 10627296
    Abstract: A capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body that is connected to the deformable body, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body; and a detection circuit that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
  • Patent number: 10571346
    Abstract: A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body configured to generate a displacement by elastic deformation generated in the deformable body; and a detection circuit configured to detect an applied force on the basis of the displacement generated in the displacement body, in which the deformable body includes: a tilting portion arranged between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion; a first deformable portion that connects the force receiving portion and the tilting portion; and a second deformable portion that connects the fixed portion and the tilting portion, the displacement body includes a displacement portion connected to the tilting portion and separated from the fixed portion, the detection circuit includes a first displacement sensor and a second displacement sensor arranged in the displacement portion, and the detection circuit outputs a first electric signal indicating an applied force on the basis of a detection valu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Satoshi Era
  • Patent number: 10564059
    Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention is configured to detect at least one component among components of a force in each axis direction in an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system and a moment around each axis, and includes: a support body arranged on an XY plane; a deformation body joined to the support body; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating a force applied on the deformation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada