IP Library Granted Patent US 8,699,728
Granted Patent B2
US 8,699,728 · App. 12/663,123 · Granted Apr 15, 2014

Acoustic sensor

Inventors: Takashi Kasai (Kusatsu, JP); Masaki Munechika (Kusatsu, JP); Toshiyuki Takahashi (Otsu, JP)
Assignee: OMRON Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,699,728
App. No.
12/663,123
Granted
Apr 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vibrating electrode plate 24 that senses a sound pressure faces a counter electrode plate 25 to form a capacitance type acoustic sensor. Acoustic perforations are opened in the counter electrode plate 25 in order to allow vibration to pass through. The acoustic perforations opened in the counter electrode plate 25 include plural acoustic perforations 31 having a relatively small opening area and one acoustic perforation 36 having a relatively large opening area. The acoustic perforations 31 and 36 are disposed into a lattice shape at equal intervals. Assuming that L is a width of a diaphragm 28 , in the counter electrode plate 25 , the acoustic perforation 36 having the large opening area is provided within a circular region a having a radius r=L/4 around a position facing a center of the diaphragm 28.

Claims (11)

1. An acoustic sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a counter electrode plate that is fixed on the substrate and is provided with a plurality of acoustic perforations;

a vibrating electrode plate that is provided between the substrate and the counter electrode plate with an air gap being provided from the counter electrode plate, the vibrating electrode plate sensing a sound pressure, wherein

the acoustic perforations include a plurality of first acoustic perforations and a second acoustic perforation having an opening area larger than that of the first acoustic perforations, and

the second acoustic perforation in the counter electrode plate is disposed in a region facing a central portion of a movable portion of the vibrating electrode plate.

2. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein, assuming that L is a width of the movable portion of the vibrating electrode plate, the second acoustic perforation in the counter electrode plate is provided within a circular region having a radius L/4 around a position facing a center of the movable portion.

3. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein only one second acoustic perforation configured identically is provided.

4. The acoustic sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the second acoustic perforation in the counter electrode plate is provided in a position facing a center of the movable portion of the vibrating electrode plate.

5. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second acoustic perforations are provided.

6. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first acoustic perforations in the counter electrode plate are disposed more densely in a region facing a central portion of the movable portion of the vibrating electrode plate rather than in a region outside the region.

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 Mar 29, 2010
From: KASAI, TAKASHI; MUNECHIKA, MASAKI; TAKAHASHI, TOSHIYUKI
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024153/0494 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100176821A1 · Jul 15, 2010