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US 12,105,114 B2Granted
Accelerometer having an over travel stop with a stop gap less than a minimum etch size
AssigneeNXP USA, Inc.
InventorsAaron A. Geisberger, Jun Tang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer comprises a compliant spring structure with a first beam, a second beam, and a rigid structure. One end of the first beam and one end of the second beam are coupled to the rigid structure and a proof mass is coupled to another end of the second beam. Further, a spring anchor is coupled to another end of the first beam. In response to the proof mass moving, an extension coupled to the rigid structure moves in an opposite direction to motion of the proof mass to contact the proof mass and stop the movement of the proof mass.
Claims10
A method comprising:
- moving a proof mass of an MEMS accelerometer in a first direction in response to an acceleration;
- moving an extension of a compliant spring structure of the MEMS accelerometer in a second direction opposite to the first direction in response to the proof mass moving in the first direction, wherein the compliant spring structure is coupled to the proof mass, wherein the extension is coupled to a rigid structure which is further coupled in between one end of a first beam and one end of a second beam, wherein another end of the first beam is coupled to an anchor, and wherein another end of the second beam is coupled to the proof mass;
- causing the first beam and second beam coupled to the rigid structure to deform in response to the proof mass moving in the first direction, wherein the first beam and second beam are arranged parallel to each other when not being deformed;
- and
- contacting by the extension the proof mass when a sum of absolute displacement of the proof mass and an absolute displacement of the extension is less than or equal to a minimum etch size to stop the proof mass.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.