Patent ID: 8952684
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: G01L

Abstract:
1. A force sensor that detects a force by detecting magnetic flux density which changes in accordance with relative displacement between an action unit that receives the force and a magnetic-flux generating source, the action unit being displaceable by the force, the force sensor comprising: the action unit elastically supported by a supporting member; the magnetic-flux generating source including two or more magnets which are disposed so that a polarity of each of the magnetic-pole faces of the magnets is opposite to a polarity of a corresponding one of the magnetic-pole faces of the adjacent magnets; first magnetoelectric transducers that are individually provided at positions, the positions being positions at which the first magnetoelectric transducers oppose the magnetic-pole faces of the two or more magnets in the action unit; and a second magnetoelectric transducer that is provided between the first magnetoelectric transducers, wherein the force in a vertical direction is calculated by detecting a vertical-direction component of the magnetic flux density on the basis of outputs of the first magnetoelectric transducers, and the force in a horizontal direction is calculated by detecting a horizontal-direction component of the magnetic flux density on the basis of an output of the second magnetoelectric transducer.