An acceleration transducer arranged in a rectangular coordinate system with three mutually orthogonal axes, one of the three axes being a transverse axis, one of the three axes being a longitudinal axis, one of the three axes being a vertical axis, the acceleration transducer comprising:
- a housing;
- a main body disposed within the housing and defining a first tangential side face lying in a first plane, a second tangential side face lying in a second plane that is disposed spaced apart from and normal to the first plane, a third tangential side face lying in a third plane that is disposed spaced apart from and parallel to the first plane, and a fourth tangential side face lying in a fourth plane that is disposed spaced apart from and parallel to the second plane, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth tangential side faces is disposed tangentially to the vertical axis;
- wherein the main body further defines a lower normal side face lying in a fifth plane that is normal to each of the first, second, third and fourth planes, and wherein the main body further defines an upper normal side face lying in a sixth plane that is disposed spaced apart along the vertical axis from and parallel to the fifth plane;
- exactly three piezoelectric elements, which include only a first piezoelectric element secured to the first tangential side face, a second piezoelectric element secured to the second tangential side face, and a third piezoelectric element secured to the third tangential side face;
- exactly three seismic masses, which include only a first seismic mass secured to the first piezoelectric element so that acceleration of the first seismic mass exerts on the first piezoelectric element a first shear force proportional to the acceleration, a second seismic mass secured to the second piezoelectric element so that acceleration of the second seismic mass exerts on the second piezoelectric element a second shear force proportional to the acceleration, and a third seismic mass secured to the third piezoelectric element so that acceleration of the third seismic mass exerts on the third piezoelectric element a third shear force proportional to the acceleration, wherein each of the three piezoelectric elements generates piezoelectric charges under the action of each respective shear force;
- and
- a signal output attached to the housing and including a signal conductor that is spaced apart by an assembly gap from the fourth tangential side face to which no piezoelectric element is attached, wherein the assembly gap extends in a direction perpendicularly to the vertical axis;
- a main body output conductor spanning the assembly gap perpendicularly to the vertical axis and directly connected to the signal conductor, wherein the main body output conductor is defined by one of the following:
- the lower normal side face of the main body, the upper normal side face of the main body, a support that is attached to either the lower normal side face of the main body or to the upper normal side face of the main body;
- wherein each of the three piezoelectric elements defines end faces;
- and
- wherein each of the three piezoelectric elements is configured with a high sensitivity for a shear force exerted by the respective seismic mass secured to each of the three piezoelectric elements;
- and
- wherein each of the three piezoelectric elements is further configured to generate piezoelectric charges on the end faces under the action of the shear force;
- wherein the piezoelectric element comprises lateral surfaces;
- wherein a first end face comprises a first electrically conductive end face coating;
- wherein a second end face comprises a second electrically conductive end face coating;
- wherein a first lateral surface comprises a first electrically conductive lateral surface coating and a further first electrically conductive lateral surface coating;
- wherein the first electrically conductive end face coating and the first electrically conductive lateral surface coating form a continuous first electrically conductive coating;
- and
- wherein the second electrically conductive end face coating and the further first electrically conductive lateral surface coating form a continuous second electrically conductive coating.