# US 11,029,327 B2 · Inertial sensor with suspension spring structure surrounding anchor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,327 B2 - Document ID: US11029327B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/176,256 - Filed: 2018-10-31 - Published: 2020-04-30 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-31 - Assignees: NXP USA, Inc. - Applicants: NXP USA, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew C. McNeil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029327B2 ## CPC - G01P 15/125: by capacitive pick-up - G01P 2015/0814: {for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type} - G01P 2015/0828: {the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends} - G01P 2015/0857: {using a particular shape of the suspension spring} - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) ## Abstract An inertial sensor includes a substrate, a movable element having an edge, and a suspension system retaining the movable element in spaced apart relationship above a surface of the substrate. The suspension system includes an anchor attached to the surface of the substrate, the anchor having a first side laterally spaced apart from the edge of the movable element, and a spring structure having a first attach point coupled to the first side of the anchor and a second attach point coupled to the edge of the movable element. The spring structure includes beam sections serially adjoining one another, the beam sections extending from the first side of the anchor and surrounding the anchor to couple to the edge of the movable element. The spring structure makes no more than one coil around the anchor to position the first attach point in proximity to the second attach point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inertial sensor comprising: a substrate; a movable element having an edge; and a suspension system retaining the movable element in spaced apart relationship above a surface of the substrate, the suspension system including: an anchor attached to the surface of the substrate, the anchor having first, second, third, and fourth sides, the first side being laterally spaced apart from the edge of the movable element; and a spring structure having a first attach point coupled to the first side of the anchor and a second attach point coupled to the edge of the movable element, the spring structure including beam sections serially adjoining one another, the beam sections extending from the first side of the anchor and surrounding the first, second, third, and fourth sides of the anchor to couple to the edge of the movable element, wherein the spring structure makes no more than one coil around the anchor to position the first attach point in proximity to the second attach point, and wherein the beam sections of the spring structure include: a first beam section having the first attach point coupled to the first side of the anchor; a second beam section coupled to the first beam section; a third beam section coupled to the second beam section and arranged substantially parallel to the first beam section, the third beam section residing adjacent to the second side of the anchor; a fourth beam section coupled to the third beam section and residing adjacent to the third side of the anchor; and a fifth beam section coupled to the fourth beam section and residing adjacent to the fourth side of the anchor, wherein the third beam section is characterized by a length that is greater than a discrete length of each of the first, second, fourth, and fifth beam sections, the length of the third beam section determining a spring constant of the spring structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein the edge of the movable element is oriented parallel to and facing the first side of the anchor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, and the first and second attach points are displaced away from one another in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The inertial sensor of claim 3 wherein the first and second attach points are offset from one another in the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, the edge of the movable element is oriented perpendicular to the first side of the anchor, and the first attach point is displaced away from the second attach point in the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, and a length of the third beam section is oriented in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein an opening extends through the movable element, the edge of the movable element is at an inner perimeter of the opening, and the anchor and spring structure reside in the opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inertial sensor of claim 1 wherein the suspension system is one of multiple suspension systems retaining the movable element in spaced apart relationship above the surface of the substrate, and one each of the multiple suspension systems resides in one each of multiple openings extending through the movable element. ### Claim 9 An inertial sensor comprising: a substrate; a movable element having an edge, and an opening extending through the movable element, wherein the edge is at an inner perimeter of the opening; and a suspension system residing in the opening, the suspension system retaining the movable element in spaced apart relationship above a surface of the substrate, the suspension system including: an anchor attached to the surface of the substrate, the anchor having first, second, third, and fourth sides, the first side being laterally spaced apart from the edge of the movable element; and a spring structure having a first attach point coupled to the first side of the anchor and a second attach point coupled to the edge of the movable element, the spring structure including beam sections serially adjoining one another, the beam sections extending from the first side of the anchor and surrounding the first, second, third, and fourth sides of the anchor to couple to the edge of the movable element, wherein the spring structure makes no more than one coil around the anchor to position the first attach point in proximity to the second attach point, and wherein the beam sections of the spring structure include: a first beam section having the first attach point coupled to the first side of the anchor; a second beam section coupled to the first beam section; a third beam section coupled to the second beam section and arranged substantially parallel to the first beam section, the third beam section residing adjacent to the second side of the anchor; a fourth beam section coupled to the third beam section and residing adjacent to the third side of the anchor; and a fifth beam section coupled to the fourth beam section and residing adjacent to the fourth side of the anchor, wherein the third beam section is characterized by a length that is greater than a discrete length of each of the first, second, fourth, and fifth beam sections, the length of the third beam section determining a spring constant of the spring structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The inertial sensor of claim 9 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, and the first and second attach points are displaced away from one another in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The inertial sensor of claim 9 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, the edge of the movable element is oriented perpendicular to the first side of the anchor, and the first attach point is displaced away from the second attach point in the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The inertial sensor of claim 9 wherein the spring structure enables sense motion of the movable element in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, and a length of the third beam section is oriented in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction.