Linear accelerometer with piezoelectric suspension

Abstract

A piezoelectric flexible arm member is mounted to a base at one end and supports a torque coil in a magnetic field at its other end. The torque coil comprises a seismic element disposed to be moved in accordance with acceleration forces applied thereto. A voltage is produced across the piezoelectric flexure arm when movement of the torque coil causes it to flex. The torque coil may include means to induce a signal in a position detector circuit representative of the position thereof. Both the signals from the piezoelectric member and the position detector may be used as error signals in a servo amplifier system to provide restoring forces to the torque coil and to produce an output signal representative of acceleration forces. A third conventional error signal may also be employed in the system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.