IP Library Granted Patent US 9,118,994
Granted Patent B2
US 9,118,994 · App. 14/402,163 · Granted Aug 25, 2015

Capacitance sensor, acoustic sensor, and microphone

Inventors: Yuki Uchida (Shiga, JP); Takashi Kasai (Shiga, JP)
Assignee: OMRON Corporation
H04R1/08H04R19/005H04R19/04H04R2201/003
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,118,994
App. No.
14/402,163
Granted
Aug 25, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A capacitance sensor has a substrate, a vibration electrode plate formed over an upper side of the substrate, a back plate formed over the upper side of the substrate to cover the vibration electrode plate, and a fixed electrode plate arranged on the back plate facing the vibration electrode plate. At least one of the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is divided into a plurality of regions. A sensing unit configured by the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is formed on each of the divided regions. An isolation portion that suppresses vibration from being propagated is formed on the back plate to partition the sensing units from each other.

Claims (53)

1. A capacitance sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a vibration electrode plate formed over an upper side of the substrate;

a back plate formed over the upper side of the substrate to cover the vibration electrode plate; and

a fixed electrode plate arranged on the back plate facing the vibration electrode plate,

wherein at least one of the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is divided into a plurality of regions,

wherein a sensing unit configured by the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is formed on each of the divided regions, and

wherein an isolation portion that suppresses vibration from being propagated is formed on the back plate to partition the sensing units from each other.

2. The capacitance sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the isolation portion is one or more slits formed in the back plate.

3. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the slit of the back plate penetrates the back plate from an upper surface to a lower surface of the back plate.

4. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 3 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

5. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 , wherein a notch is formed at an end of the slit of the back plate.

6. The capacitance sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the diameter of the notch is larger than the width of the slit of the back plate.

7. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 6 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

8. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 5 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

9. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a slit of the back plate straight extends to avoid the holes.

10. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 9 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

11. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a slit of the back plate passes through the holes and extends straight.

12. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 11 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

13. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a slit of the back plate passes through the holes and extends in a zigzag form.

14. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a slit of the back plate is discontinuously formed to connect the holes to each other.

15. The capacitance sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of slits formed in the back plate are intermittently formed to partition the sensing units from each other.

16. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

17. The capacitance sensor according to claim 1 , wherein, at a peripheral portion of the isolation portion, a stopper is projected from the lower surface of the back plate.

18. The capacitance sensor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the vibration electrode plate is divided by a slit into a plurality of regions, and

wherein the isolation portion is located immediately over the slit of the vibration electrode plate.

19. An acoustic sensor using the capacitance sensor according to claim 1 ,

wherein a plurality of holes to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.

20. A microphone comprising:

the acoustic sensor according to claim 19 , and

a circuit unit that amplifies a signal from the acoustic sensor to output the amplified signal to the outside.

Assignments (3)
DE-MERGER Recorded May 20, 2022
From: OMRON CORPORATION
To: SHIGA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060132/0451 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded May 20, 2022
From: SHIGA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: MMI SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060132/0466 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: UCHIDA, YUKI; KASAI, TAKASHI
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034440/0708 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-125526 · May 31, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150156576A1 · Jun 4, 2015