Patent ID: 6293149
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: G01P

Abstract:
A flexure transducer element which is used in an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration applied thereto comprises(1) a frame having an upper surface and a lower surface,(2) a sheet member which has a plurality of flexible parts and a center part, each flexible part extending between at least a portion of an inner edge of the frame and the center part and being integrally connected to them,(3) a weight which has a neck part integrally connected to the center part of the sheet member and which is hung from the sheet member through the neck part, and(4) a support member which supports the lower surface of the frame and of which inward side surface of said support member faces to a side surface of the weight through a first space therebetween,the sheet member further includes a weight upper part which is located on the upper surface of the weight, and the upper weight part is integral with the weight,a second space which is continuous with the first space is defined between each flexible part of the sheet member and the weight,a third space is defined between the frame and the sheet member and/or through the sheet member,the frame and the sheet member are connected to each other and the sheet member and the weight are connected to each other in such a manner that, when the acceleration is applied to the element, at least two flexible parts are elastically deformed so that the weight is displaced relatively to the frame,the weight and the support member are formed of a semiconductor substrate,the second space is formed by removing a sacrificial layer which is provided in the semiconductor substrate, andthe frame and the sheet member comprises an epitaxial layer provided on the semiconductor substrate.