Patent ID: 7781938

Claim:
An ultrasonic sensor comprising: a piezoelectric element configured to detect an ultrasonic wave reflected from a target to be detected, the piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes that are formed on opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric body; and an acoustic matching member having a mounting surface and a receiving surface opposite to the mounting surface, the first electrode of the piezoelectric element being joined to the mounting surface to form an ultrasonic detector base, the receiving surface being exposed to outside to receive the reflected ultrasonic wave, the acoustic matching member causing the ultrasonic wave received at the receiving surface to propagate to the piezoelectric element, wherein the ultrasonic detector base is sectioned into a plurality of ultrasonic detectors by a clearance extending in an ultrasonic wave propagation direction, wherein the ultrasonic wave received at the receiving surface is divided by the clearance and separately detected by the plurality of ultrasonic detectors, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic detectors is joined together by a joint, wherein the joint is formed by a portion of the ultrasonic detector base, wherein the clearance includes first and second clearances that coincide with each other in the ultrasonic wave propagation direction, wherein first clearance has a first opening on the receiving surface of the acoustic matching member and extends from the first opening toward the second electrode of the piezoelectric element, wherein the second clearance has a second opening on the second electrode of the piezoelectric element and extends from the second opening toward the receiving surface of the acoustic matching member, wherein the joint is located only near a node portion of the plurality of ultrasonic detectors, and wherein a node of the ultrasonic wave propagating through the plurality of ultrasonic detector appears at the node portion.