Patent ID: 7882740

Claim:
A sensor for detecting acceleration and angular velocity, comprising an acceleration detecting section and an angular velocity detecting section, the acceleration detecting section comprising: a weight body for acceleration detection; a pedestal for acceleration detection arranged in such a manner as to surround the weight body for acceleration detection; a flexible connection for acceleration detection for connecting the weight body for acceleration detection and the pedestal for acceleration detection; the flexible connection for acceleration detection including a plurality of plate-like bridge portions, each of the plate-like bridge portions of the flexible connection for acceleration detection including a piezoresistive element arranged on an inner side that is closer to the weight body for acceleration detection and a piezoresistive element arranged on an outer side that is closer to the pedestal for acceleration detection; the piezoresistive elements being embedded in a surface layer of the flexible connection for acceleration detection; and an acceleration detecting circuit for detecting an applied acceleration based on changes in electrical resistance of the piezoresistive elements, the angular velocity detecting section comprising: a weight body for angular velocity detection; a pedestal for angular velocity detection arranged in such a manner as to surround the weight body for angular velocity detection; a flexible connection for angular velocity detection for connecting the weight body for angular velocity detection and the pedestal for angular velocity detection; the flexible connection for angular velocity detection including a plurality of plate-like bridge portions, each of the plate-like bridge portions of the flexible connection for angular velocity detection including a driving piezoelectric element arranged on an inner side that is closer to the weight body for angular velocity detection, a driving piezoelectric element arranged on an outer side that is closer to the pedestal for angular velocity detection, a detecting piezoelectric element arranged on an inner side that is closer to the weight body for angular velocity detection, a detecting piezoelectric element arranged on an outer side that is closer to the pedestal for angular velocity detection; the driving piezoelectric elements and the detecting piezoelectric elements being fixed directly or indirectly to a surface of the flexible connection for angular velocity detection; and an angular velocity detecting circuit for detecting an applied angular velocity based on a signal generated in the detecting piezoelectric element while supplying an alternating signal to the driving piezoelectric element to periodically deform the flexible connection for angular velocity detection and to generate a periodic motion of the weight body for angular velocity detection, wherein the pedestal for acceleration detection and the pedestal for angular velocity detection form a monolithic structure and are fixed to a device chassis.