Abstract: Provided are an angular velocity sensor with improved reliability by preventing an electric short circuit resulting from etching debris left on the bottom electrode after the etching of the conductive layers, and a method for manufacturing the angular velocity sensor. The drive electrode unit, the monitor electrode unit and the sensing electrode unit are each provided with bottom electrode (29) formed on substrate (33) having the shape of a tuning fork, piezoelectric film (30) made of piezoelectric material and formed on bottom electrode (29), and top electrode (31) formed on piezoelectric film (30). Ends (31T) of top electrode (31) are located inside ends (30T) of piezoelectric film (30) so as to expose ends (30T) of piezoelectric film (30) beyond top electrode (31), thereby forming exposed parts (32). When exposed parts (32) have a thickness of “t”, piezoelectric film (30) is made to have an exposed width (L) of not less than 0.3 t.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection part.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor is provided with an oscillator including a pair of drive arms, a base portion coupled to one end of each drive arm, and a flexible arm extending from the base portion in a direction opposite from the drive arms. This angular velocity sensor is also provided with driving member which oscillates the pair of drive arms in approaching or separating direction, and distortion detecting member which detects a distortion of the flexible arm in the oscillating direction of the drive arms.

Abstract: A thin film micromechanical resonator (resonator) having improved drive efficiency, a resonator gyro having improved sensitivity in detecting an angular velocity, and a navigation system and an automobile using the resonator gyro. The resonator includes a tuning fork structure made of a non-piezoelectric material, and a first electrode and a second electrode disposed respectively at the inner side and the outer side of the tuning fork arm. On the first and second electrodes, a first piezo film and a second piezo film are provided respectively, and a third electrode and a fourth are respectively provided electrode thereon. When an alternating voltage is applied to the third and fourth electrodes at the opposite phases each other, the tuning fork resonates in the direction perpendicular to the center line. The resonator gyro detects, at the sensing section which is formed of another electrodes and another piezo film, the Coriolis force generated in proportion to angular velocity given to the resonator.

Abstract: The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity and detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Abstract: The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity and detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Abstract: A sensor signal output circuit includes a first differential amplifier, a first load resistor, a first transistor, a second transistor and a limiter section. The limiter section includes at least a second differential amplifier, which includes an input end coupled to output terminal and an other input end coupled to second reference voltage setting part, a second load resistor for a second differential amplifier, and a third transistor, which includes a gate connected to an output end of the second differential amplifier and a source connected to a gate of the second transistor.

Abstract: A rotational-rate sensor is provided which includes a detecting element, a circuit portion, an airtight container and an elastic body, in which: the synthetic resonance-frequency of a machine system of the rotational-rate sensor and the frequency of an applied rotational rate which corresponds to the difference between the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element is driven and the resonance frequency of the detecting element in the direction where the detecting element detects a rotational rate, are each lower than each of the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element is driven and the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element detects a rotational rate; and the cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter in the circuit portion is lower than each of the synthetic resonance-frequency and the frequency of the applied rotational rate.

Abstract: The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity and detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Abstract: A rotational-rate sensor is provided which includes a detecting element, a circuit portion, an airtight container and an elastic body, in which: the synthetic resonance-frequency of a machine system of the rotational-rate sensor and the frequency of an applied rotational rate which corresponds to the difference between the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element is driven and the resonance frequency of the detecting element in the direction where the detecting element detects a rotational rate, are each lower than each of the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element is driven and the resonance frequency in the direction where the detecting element detects a rotational rate; and the cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter in the circuit portion is lower than each of the synthetic resonance-frequency and the frequency of the applied rotational rate.

Abstract: A vibrator is received within a case and the case is contained in a containing portion. Further, the case is arranged to be supported by the surrounding terminals having first ends thereof embedded in the containing portion. By virtue of the described configuration, the vibrator is securely retained by the case even if strong vibrations are applied to the terminals. With this configuration, an angular velocity sensor ensuring the strength to retain the vibrator even if the vibrator is reduced in size and causing no degradation of the output characteristic even when subjected to strong vibrations can be provided.

Abstract: An inertial sensor is provided which includes a self-diagnosis circuit which applies an AC-bias signal voltage ahead of a synchronous demodulator, and thereby, supplies a diagnostic signal for detecting an abnormality in at least one of a detecting element and a detection circuit. This inertial sensor is capable of actively diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in the sensor itself, only by monitoring whether a predetermined DC offset signal is obtained from a sensor output terminal of the inertial sensor.

Abstract: A sensor signal output circuit includes a first differential amplifier, a first load resistor, a first transistor, a second transistor and a limiter section. The limiter section includes at least a second differential amplifier, which includes an input end coupled to output terminal and an other input end coupled to second reference voltage setting part, a second load resistor for a second differential amplifier, and a third transistor, which includes a gate connected to an output end of the second differential amplifier and a source connected to a gate of the second transistor.

Abstract: The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function.

Abstract: An inertia detecting transducer having a reliable detection element. The element is kept to be free from deposition of gas and organic substance generated from resin adhesive. A first case of the transducer has an opening and a circuit component mounted thereon, and is provided with an external electrode and a first connection electrode. A second case includes a detection element mounted inside thereof, and an opening of the case is sealed with a sealing plate. The second case is further provided with a second connection electrode. The second case is attached to the first case so that the former covers the opening of the latter. The second connection electrode and the first connection electrode are electrically coupled. In the above-described configuration of the present invention, if an inertia detecting transducer gets a partial damage, either one of the detection element and the circuit component remaining intact can be re-utilzed.

Abstract: A thin film micromechanical resonator (resonator) having improved drive efficiency, a resonator gyro having improved sensitivity in detecting an angular velocity, and a navigation system and an automobile using the resonator gyro. The resonator includes a tuning fork structure made of a non-piezoelectric material, and a first electrode and a second electrode disposed respectively at the inner side and the outer side of the tuning fork arm. On the first and second electrodes, a first piezo film and a second piezo film are provided respectively, and a third electrode and a fourth are respectively provided electrode thereon. When an alternating voltage is applied to the third and fourth electrodes at the opposite phases each other, the tuning fork resonates in the direction perpendicular to the center line. The resonator gyro detects, at the sensing section which is formed of another electrodes and another piezo film, the Coriolis force generated in proportion to angular velocity given to the resonator.

Abstract: The present invention presents an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity. The angular velocity sensor also includes a detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element. The angular velocity sensor obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Abstract: The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity and detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor with improved detection chacteristics using a tuning fork vibrator made of a single crystalline piezoelectric material such as quartz. The turning fork vibrator includes two vibrators bonded together to provide an integral structure so that the vibrators by their respective crystal axis directions generate a piezoelectric phenomena in inverse polarities in their width directions. The tuning fork vibrator has two tuning fork arms and a tuning fork base. Two detection electrodes are respectively disposed on outer faces of the two tuning fork arms. And two other detection electrodes are respectively disposed on inner faces of the two tuning fork arms. Two drive electrodes are respectively disposed on the two tunings fork arms.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor has a tuning-fork-type vibrator securely and stably fixed to a support block. A base of a tuning-fork-type vibrator is embedded and fixed into a mounting recess formed in the support block with an adhesive.