Patents Assigned to TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20180262130
    Abstract: A tabular structure having flexibility extends from a root end portion to a distal end portion along a reference axis. The root end portion is fixed to a pedestal. Three sectioned parts are provided in the tabular structure. Weights are joined to the lower surfaces of the respective three sectioned parts. The three sectioned parts respectively have different thicknesses. As a result, spring constants are different. When vibration energy from the outside is applied to the pedestal, the weights vibrate and a bend occurs in the tabular structure. If a charge generating element such as a piezoelectric element is stuck to the tabular structure, an electric charge is generated by bending stress. A frequency band capable of generating electric power is expanded by providing a plurality of weights in the tabular structure in which the spring constants are different in each of the sectioned parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: Tri-Force Management Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA
  • Publication number: 20180252602
    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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA, Nobuhisa NISHIOKI
  • Publication number: 20180209860
    Abstract: An inner support member, a detection deformable body, and a ring-shaped outer support member are disposed sequentially from the inside to the outside around a Z axis as a central axis. Inner surfaces in the vicinity of inner support points of the detection deformable body connect to outer surfaces of the inner support member via inner connecting members, and outer surfaces in the vicinity of outer support points of the detection deformable body connect to inner surfaces of the outer support member via outer connecting members. When a torque acts in the clockwise direction on the outer support member (130) while the inner support member is fixed, detection parts are displaced outwardly, and detection parts are displaced inwardly. These displacements are detected electrically as changes in capacitance values of four capacitor elements including opposing electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicants: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Nobuhiro Nagamoto, Takahito Kamiudo, Kazuto Akiba
  • Publication number: 20180017452
    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: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA
  • Publication number: 20170110989
    Abstract: There is provided a power generating element which is capable of converting vibration energy in various directions into electric energy without waste and less likely to be damaged even upon application of excessive vibration. Made available is a main generating structure (MGS) in which a first layer (100), a second layer (200) and a third layer (300) are laminated. The second layer (200) has a plate-like bridge portion (210), a central plate-like portion (220), a left-hand side plate-like portion (230) and a right-hand side plate-like portion (240), each of which is flexible, and the third layer (300), that is a weight body, formed in the “U” letter shape is joined with the lower surface thereof. The plate-like bridge portion (210) is protected by the weight body (300) circumference thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA
  • Publication number: 20160211778
    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: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA, Miho OKADA
  • Patent number: 8966996
    Abstract: With the Z-axis given as a central axis, on an XY-plane, arranged are a rigid force receiving ring, a flexible detection ring inside thereof, and a cylindrical fixed assistant body further inside thereof. Two fixing points on the detection ring are fixed to a supporting substrate, and two exertion points are connected to the force receiving ring via connection members. When force and moment are exerted on the force receiving ring, with the supporting substrate fixed, the detection ring undergoes elastic deformation. Capacitance elements or others are used to measure distances between measurement points and the fixed assistant body and distances between the measurement points and the supporting substrate. Elastic deformation of the detection ring is recognized for mode and magnitude, thereby detecting a direction and magnitude of force or moment which is exerted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tri-Force Management Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Nobuhisa Nishioki
  • Patent number: 8667854
    Abstract: A small, high-stiffness torque sensor. An annular deformable body is disposed between left and right side supports. Convex sections protruding from the left side support in a rightward direction are joined to the left side surface of the annular deformable body, and convex sections protruding from the right side support in a leftward direction are joined to the right side surface of the annular deformable body. When force is applied to the right side support and torque around the Z axis acts on the left side support, the annular deformable body is elliptically deformed and the long-axis position of the inner peripheral surface of the annular deformable body moves away from the Z axis while the short-axis position moves closer to the Z axis. The acting torque is detected as a variation in the capacitance value of capacitive elements formed by displacement electrodes and fixed electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tri-Force Management Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Nishioki, Kazuhiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20130319135
    Abstract: With the Z-axis given as a central axis, on an XY-plane, arranged are a rigid force receiving ring, a flexible detection ring inside thereof, and a cylindrical fixed assistant body further inside thereof. Two fixing points on the detection ring are fixed to a supporting substrate, and two exertion points are connected to the force receiving ring via connection members. When force and moment are exerted on the force receiving ring, with the supporting substrate fixed, the detection ring undergoes elastic deformation. Capacitance elements or others are used to measure distances between measurement points and the fixed assistant body and distances between the measurement points and the supporting substrate. Elastic deformation of the detection ring is recognized for mode and magnitude, thereby detecting a direction and magnitude of force or moment which is exerted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Nobuhisa Nishioki