公开(公告)号：US20180252602A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-06

申请号：US15756863

申请日：2016-05-31

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA ,  Nobuhisa NISHIOKI

IPC: G01L3/10 ,  G01L25/00

CPC classification number: G01L3/106 ,  G01L25/003

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 corresponding to a difference between the capacitance value of the first capacitive element and the capacitance value of the third capacitive element and determines whether the torque sensor is normally functioning based on the first and the second electrical signals.

公开(公告)号：US20180017452A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-18

申请号：US15546605

申请日：2015-01-26

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: G01L3/10

CPC classification number: G01L3/10 ,  G01L3/106 ,  G01L3/108 ,  G01L3/14 ,  G01L3/1457

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). A displacement electrode is formed on a right side surface of each of the detection parts (D1 to D4) and a fixed electrode is formed on an opposing surface of the right side support body (20) to constitute four sets of capacitive elements, thereby detecting torque exerted as fluctuation in capacitance value thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20220107231A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-07

申请号：US17402829

申请日：2021-08-16

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: G01L3/10 ,  G01L3/14

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). A displacement electrode is formed on a right side surface of each of the detection parts (D1 to D4) and a fixed electrode is formed on an opposing surface of the right side support body (20) to constitute four sets of capacitive elements, thereby detecting torque exerted as fluctuation in capacitance value thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20190094086A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-28

申请号：US15926819

申请日：2018-03-20

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Satoshi ERA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: G01L1/14

Abstract: The present invention is to provide 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 100c includes: a deformable body 10 having a force receiving portion 14 and a fixed portion 15; a displacement body 20 that is connected to the deformable body 10, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body 10; and a detection circuit 40 that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body 20. The deformable body 10 includes a tilting portion 13 that has a longitudinal direction I and is disposed between the force receiving portion 14 and the fixed portion 15. The displacement body 20 includes displacement portions D1 and D2 that are connected to the tilting portion 13 and are displaced by tilting movement of the tilting portion 13. The detection circuit 40 includes capacitive elements C1 and C2 disposed at the displacement portions D1 and D2, and detects an applied force, in accordance with changes in the capacitance values of the capacitive elements C1 and C2.

公开(公告)号：US20180348074A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US15761713

申请日：2016-07-20

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: G01L3/10 ,  G01L3/14

CPC classification number: G01L3/106 ,  G01L3/1442 ,  G01L5/226 ,  G01L25/003

Abstract: A torque sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformation body; first and second displacement electrodes which cause displacement by elastic deformation of the annular deformation body; first and second fixed electrodes arranged at positions opposite to the first and second displacement electrodes; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating a torque based on a variation amount of capacitance values of first and second capacitive elements each of which is configured of the displacement electrode and the fixed electrode. The annular deformation body includes a high elastic portion and a low elastic portion having a spring constant smaller than a spring constant of the high elastic portion. The detection circuit outputs a first electric signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the first capacitive element and a second electric signal corresponding to a capacitance value of the second capacitive element as an electric signal indicating the acting torque, and determines whether the torque sensor functions normally based on a ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal.

公开(公告)号：US20190131890A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-02

申请号：US15758634

申请日：2017-04-05

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: H02N1/08

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.

公开(公告)号：US20190113407A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-18

申请号：US15759423

申请日：2016-08-29

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: G01L5/16

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. The deformation body includes a first deformation portion having a first spring constant and a second deformation portion having a second spring constant different from the first spring constant, and the detection circuit outputs, in response to an applied force, a first electric signal corresponding to the deformation of the first deformation portion and a second electric signal corresponding to the deformation of the second deformation portion and determines whether the force sensor functions normally based on a change of a ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal, both corresponding to the applied force.

公开(公告)号：US20170110989A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-20

申请号：US15285143

申请日：2016-10-04

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: H02N2/18 ,  H01L41/113

CPC classification number: H02N2/181 ,  H01L41/1136 ,  H02N2/186 ,  H02N2/188

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. The first layer (100) is structured so that a piezoelectric material layer (105) is laminated on an upper surface of a lower layer electrode (E0), and four localized upper layer electrodes (E1 to E4) are laminated on the upper surface thereof. The base end of the plate-like bridge portion (210) is fixed to a pedestal (400). Vibration of the weight body (300) is efficiently transmitted to the plate-like bridge portion (210) and the bridge portion piezoelectric layer (110), and a power generating circuit (500) outputs electric power on the basis of charge generated at the lower layer electrode (E0) and the upper layer electrodes (E1 to E4).

公开(公告)号：US20190280626A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-12

申请号：US16357132

申请日：2019-03-18

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA

IPC: H02N2/18 ,  H01L41/113

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. The first layer (100) is structured so that a piezoelectric material layer (105) is laminated on an upper surface of a lower layer electrode (E0), and four localized upper layer electrodes (E1 to E4) are laminated on the upper surface thereof. The base end of the plate-like bridge portion (210) is fixed to a pedestal (400). Vibration of the weight body (300) is efficiently transmitted to the plate-like bridge portion (210) and the bridge portion piezoelectric layer (110), and a power generating circuit (500) outputs electric power on the basis of charge generated at the lower layer electrode (E0) and the upper layer electrodes (E1 to E4).

公开(公告)号：US20180259404A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-13

申请号：US15757394

申请日：2016-06-09

Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Inventor： Kazuhiro OKADA ,  Miho OKADA ,  Nobuhisa NISHIOKI

IPC: G01L1/14 ,  G01L25/00

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, and an added electrical signal corresponding to a sum of the capacitance values of the first and second capacitive elements.