Patent ID: 8159231

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a sensor support member, the sensor support member fixing a capacitance sensor, which detects a conductive object existing between an opening and closing body actuated by a drive portion and an edge of an opening, either to a closing end of the opening and closing body that is on the leading side when the opening and closing body is being closed or to the edge of the opening, wherein the capacitance sensor includes a conductive sensor electrode, wherein the capacitance sensor outputs a detection signal that corresponds to the capacitance between the sensor electrode and a conductive object located close to the sensor electrode, and wherein the sensor support member includes a guard electrode made of conductive resin material, the voltage of the guard electrode being maintained either at the same level as the voltage of the sensor electrode or at a level of a constant ratio relative to the voltage of the sensor electrode, the manufacturing method comprising: providing the sensor supporting member with a holding portion, which holds the capacitance sensor, and an attaching portion, which fixes the holding portion either to the closing end or to the edge of the opening, the attaching portion having a main body made of insulating resin material; forming a flat reinforcing plate from a conductive plate; embedding at least a part of the reinforcing plate in the guard electrode, thereby integrating the reinforcing plate with the guard electrode; bending the reinforcing plate integrated with the guard electrode, thereby forming a conductive reinforcing member; and embedding the reinforcing member in the main body after the reinforcing member is formed.