MEMS Vibrating Ring Resonator with Deformable Inner Ring-Shaped Spring Supports
AssigneeUniversity of Windsor
InventorsImran KHAN, David S.K. Ting, Mohammed Jalal Ahamed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based ring resonator includes an outer ring which is supported in resilient deformable movement relative to one or more peripherally disposed electrodes by a symmetrically positioned array of radially extending inner spring supports. The inner spring supports extend radially from a central anchor post or support to the inner circumferential edge of the outer ring. The innerspring supports are configured to deformation or regulate movement in outer ring driving and sensing modes.
Claims23
A vibrating ring resonator assembly comprising,
- a central support anchor having an anchor axis,
- an annular outer ring member,
- at least one electrode structure spaced radially about at least part of the outer ring member,
- a plurality of resiliently deformable spring supports supporting said outer ring member in oscillatory and/or deformation movement relative to said central anchor and said at least one electrode structure, whereby movement of the outer ring member relative to said at least electrode is structure is configured to generates an electrical signal,
- the spring supports configured to resiliently bias said outer ring to return to substantially circular undeformed geometry concentric with said anchor axis under forces selected less than predetermined threshold force.
A gyroscope ring resonator comprising,
- a ring resonator including,
- a central support having a support axis,
- an outer ring member disposed radially about the support axis, the outer ring member having an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface spaced radially towards the support axis,
- a plurality of spring supports interposed between said central support and said inner peripheral surface, the spring supports comprising a closed geometric body and supporting said outer ring member in at least one of oscillatory and deformable movement relative to said central support, whereby the application of a predetermined threshold force,
- the outer ring member being configured for movement from a rest orientation extending concentrically about said support axis with a substantially constant radial distance from said support axis, and a deformed orientation wherein portions of the outer ring member are moved to differing radial distances from said support axis, the spring supports resiliently biasing the outer ring member towards the rest orientation.
A vibrating ring resonator assembly comprising:
- a support anchor having a central anchor axis,
- a circular outer resonator ring having an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface,
- an electrode structure disposed radially outwardly from a least part of the outer peripheral surface from four to eight spring supports coupling the outer resonator ring to the support anchor, the spring supports spanning radially from the support anchor to the inner peripheral surface and having a substantially closed geometric shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, an oval and vesica piscis/lens/petal,
- each spring support being symmetrical about an associated radially extending spring axis, the spring axis of the spring supports being disposed at substantially equally spaced locations about the central anchor axis, and
- wherein the spring supports support the outer resonator ring in deformable and/or oscillatory movement relative to said electrode structure on the application of a threshold force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.