Claims
- 1. An impact sensor comprising:
- a board;
- a mass connected to a central portion of said board by a flexible connector such that said board is deformed when an impact is applied to said mass in substantially any direction; and
- a detector for detecting the deformation of said board.
- 2. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said connector is a flexible linear material.
- 3. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said connector is a rigid bar-shaped material having elastic properties.
- 4. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said detector is a piezoelectric element.
- 5. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said detector is a detection element using a ferroelectric thin film.
- 6. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said detector is a detection element using a resistance thin film.
- 7. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said detector is a detection element using a magnetic thin film.
- 8. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said board is a piezoelectric member, and wherein electrodes are located on opposite main surfaces of said board such that said board and said electrodes cooperate to define said detector.
- 9. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said board is rotationally symmetrical in shape.
- 10. An impact sensor according to claim 9, wherein said board is circular in shape.
- 11. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said board is planar in shape and an imaginary line passing through the center of gravity of said mass in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said board, passes through the center of said board.
- 12. An impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein said connector is a flexible string which is connected between a center portion of said board and a support surface, and said mass is coupled to said string at a location between said board and said support surface.
- 13. An impact sensor according to claim 12, further including a housing for housing said impact sensor, said housing defining said support surface.
- 14. An impact sensor according to claim 1, further including openings formed in said board for increasing the flexibility of said board.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
7-203813 |
Jul 1995 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/680,641 filed on Jul. 17, 1996, abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
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Date |
Country |
0631142 |
Dec 1994 |
EPX |
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Oct 1993 |
FRX |
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DEX |
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WOX |
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Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Patent Absracts of Japan, vol. 014, No. 547 (P-1138), Dec. 5, 1990 & JP 2 34065 A (Mitsubishi Electric Corp.), Sep. 17, 1990, Abstract. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
680641 |
Jul 1996 |
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