Patent ID: 7330007

Claim:
An object detecting apparatus, comprising: a piezoelectric sensor provided at an edge portion of an opening/closing body for emitting an output voltage which changes corresponding to an external force applied to the edge portion of the opening/closing body; a detection circuit for receiving the output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor and for judging a presence of an object; the detection circuit comprising: a voltage-measuring circuit for measuring the output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor; a time-measuring circuit for measuring time; and a judging circuit configured to judge the presence of the object; the judging circuit judging the presence of the object corresponding to the output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor; the judging circuit calculating a changing value of the output voltage after the output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor reaches a predetermined first level; and the judging circuit judging that the presence of the object has not occurred in a situation where the changing value of the output voltage is larger than a predetermined value.