Asymmetric out-of-plane accelerometer
AssigneeInvenSense, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Thompson, Houri Johari-Galle, Leonardo Baldasarre, Sarah Nitzan, Kirt Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer senses linear acceleration perpendicular to a MEMS device plane of the MEMS accelerometer based on a rotation of a proof mass out-of-plane about a rotational axis. A symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis. The proof mass includes a symmetric portion that is symmetric about the symmetry axis and that is contiguous with an asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the symmetry axis.
Claims20
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer, comprising:
- one or more anchors;
- a proof mass within a MEMS device layer comprising a plurality of contiguous portions that rotate collectively about a rotational axis in response to a linear acceleration along a sense axis, wherein the plurality of contiguous portions of the proof mass comprise:
- a symmetric portion that is symmetric about a symmetry axis wherein the symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis;
- and
- an asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the symmetry axis;
- and
- one or more springs within the MEMS device layer and coupling the proof mass to the one or more anchors, wherein the one or more springs couple the proof mass to the one or more anchors such that the proof mass rotates about the rotational axis in response to the linear acceleration along the sense axis.
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer, comprising:
- one or more anchors, wherein a symmetry axis and a rotational axis intersect within the region defined by the one or more anchors;
- a proof mass within a MEMS device layer, wherein the proof mass rotates collectively about the rotational axis in response to a linear acceleration along a sense axis, and wherein a first portion of the proof mass is symmetric about the symmetry axis and a second portion of the proof mass is not symmetric about the proof mass;
- and
- one or more springs within the MEMS device layer and coupling the proof mass to the one or more anchors, wherein the one or more springs couple the proof mass to the one or more anchors such that the proof mass rotates about the rotational axis in response to the linear acceleration along the sense axis.
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer, comprising:
- a first proof mass suspended within a MEMS device layer and comprising a plurality of first contiguous portions that rotate collectively about a rotational axis in response to a linear acceleration along a sense axis, wherein the plurality of first contiguous portions of the first proof mass comprise:
- a first symmetric portion that is symmetric about a first symmetry axis wherein the first symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis;
- and
- a first asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the first symmetry axis;
- and
- a second proof mass suspended within the MEMS device layer and comprising a plurality of second contiguous portions that rotate collectively about the rotational axis in anti-phase to the first proof mass in response to the linear acceleration along the sense axis, wherein the plurality of second contiguous portions of the second proof mass comprise:
- a second symmetric portion that is symmetric about a second symmetry axis wherein the second symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis and parallel to the first symmetry axis;
- and
- a second asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the second symmetry axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.