Electrical Damping for Isolation and Control of Mems Sensors Experiencing High-G Launch
OwnerDonato Cardarelliinventor
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Abstract
A system and method for damping undesired motion of a suspended structure that is connected by one or more flexures that have an elastic limit to a fixed structure in a MEMS sensor, wherein the undesired motion is caused by a high G acceleration pulse. At one or more of before and during a high G acceleration pulse that could move the suspended structure beyond the elastic limit of a flexure, the system actively generates an attractive force that acts to counteract motion of the suspended structure caused by the high G acceleration pulse, so as to maintain motion of the suspended structure within the elastic limit of the flexure.
Claims24
A system for damping undesired motion of a suspended structure that is connected by one or more flexures to a fixed structure in a MEMS sensor, wherein the undesired motion is caused by a high G acceleration pulse, the system comprising:
- a capacitive forcer that is adapted to apply capacitive force to the suspended structure;
- and
- a control system that reacts to the high G acceleration pulse and in response provides a voltage to the forcer, to cause the forcer to apply a force to the suspended structure that decreases motion of the suspended structure caused by the high G acceleration pulse.
A method for damping undesired motion of a suspended structure that is connected by one or more flexures that have an elastic limit to a fixed structure in a MEMS sensor, wherein the undesired motion is caused by a high G acceleration pulse, the method comprising:
- at one or more of before and during a high G acceleration pulse that could move the suspended structure beyond the elastic limit of a flexure, actively generating an attractive force that acts to counteract motion of the suspended structure caused by the high G acceleration pulse, so as to maintain motion of the suspended structure within the elastic limit of the flexure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.