Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
Force transducer and method of fabrication thereof
 the present invention provides a force transducer having high compression fracture strength and high detection sensitivity, thus satisfying both detection precision and reliability, and also a method of fabricating such a force transducer. The force transducer is so constructed that a compression force is transferred via a pressure transfer block to narrow strain gages, which protrude from the surface of a silicon substrate and provide a small pressure-bearing area. Therefore, large compression strains act on the strain gages and thus the detection sensitivity is increased. When the compression force exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure transfer block comes into contact with the surface of the silicon crystal, thus improving the fracture strength of the strain gages. These narrow, protruding strain gages can be fabricated easily by a single mesa etching process. 
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
G
G01L
inventional
Kazuyoshi Kouji Yutaka Masaharu Takeshi Sanae
Kawaguchi Tsukada Nonomura Takeuchi Morikawa Tokumitsu