Vibrating tine resonators and methods for torsional and normal dynamic vibrating mode

A vibrating tine resonator for use as a transducer or the like, said resonator comprising:

• a unitary body cut from flat, planar crystalline stock and having a generally uniform thickness;
• said body including spaced apart end portions;
• and
• said body including a tine system extending between said end portions;
• said vibrating tine resonator being characterized by:
• said tine system including a pair of similar tine arrays extending side-by-side between said end portions;
• each array including a pair of tines extending parallel to one another and defining a slot separating said pair of tines;
• each array including a bridge portion spanning said slot and joining said tines;
• means for exciting said tines to vibrate in a dynamic mode including a torsional component;
• wherein said exciting means comprises electrodes coupled to said tine, wherein said electrodes are metallized areas on the surfaces of said tines, wherein said electrodes are located substantially only on the major surfaces of said tines, and wherein said electrodes comprise a pair of electrodes disposed in a parallel relationship on each of the major surfaces of said tines.

A vibrating tine resonator comprising:

• a body of crystalline material made from flat planar stock;
• said body including a pair of end portions and a pair of tines extending generally parallel to one another between said end portions;
• an unsupported bridge portion extending between the tines of said pair;
• means for exciting said tines to vibrate in a dynamic mode in which said bridge portion pivots around an axis that is in the plane of the stock and is parallel to said tines and in which said tines move normal to the plane of said stock.

A vibrating tine resonator comprising:

• a body of crystalline material made from flat planar stock;
• said body including a pair of end portions and a pair of tines extending generally parallel to one another between said end portions;
• a bridge portion extending between the tines of said pair;
• means for exciting said tines to vibrate in a dynamic mode in which said bridge portion pivots around an axis that is in the plane of the stock and is parallel to said tines and in which said tines move normal to the plane of said stock;
• wherein said electrode means includes an array of electrodes with two opposite polarities, wherein said array of electrodes is formed in a layer of metal on the surfaces of said tines, wherein said array of electrodes is formed substantially only on the two major surfaces of each tine, and wherein said electrodes comprise a pair of electrodes disposed in a parallel relationship on each of the major surfaces of said tines.