US 5,635,739 AGranted

Micromechanical angular accelerometer with auxiliary linear accelerometer

AssigneeThe Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

InventorsPaul Grieff, Burton Boxenhorn, Marc S. Weinberg

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A micromechanical accelerometer comprises a mass of monocrystalline silicon in which a substantially symmetrical plate attached to a silicon frame by flexible linkages is produced by selective etching. The plate has a plurality of apertures patterned and etched therethrough to speed further etching and freeing of the plate and flexible linkages, suspending them above a void etched beneath. The plate is capable of limited motion about an axis created by the flexible linkages. An accelerometer comprised of a substantially symmetrical, linkage supported plate configuration is implemented as an angular accelerometer paired with an auxiliary linear accelerometer, which is used to compensate for the linear sensitivity of the angular sensor, to achieve an instrument that is insensitive to linear acceleration and responds to angular acceleration.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A semiconductor micromechanical device comprising:

at least one generally rigid structural element comprising a first boron diffusion region of a substrate, said first boron diffusion region having a first depth, and said at least one structural element mechanically free from said substrate;
at least one pair of flexures having first and second ends comprising a second boron diffusion region of said substrate, said second boron diffusion region having a second depth smaller than said first depth, a first end of said flexures mechanically free from said substrate and supporting said at least one structural element, a second end of said flexures connected to said substrate, said flexures controlling a drive or response motion of said at least one structural element;
and
at least one electrode for sensing or exciting said motion of said at least one structural element, said at least one electrode being located vertically proximate said at least one structural element.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/428,531Filed 25 Apr 1995 · continuation
Priority: 14 Feb 1990
Granted: 3 Jun 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01C 19/5719
Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces: using planar vibrating masses driven…
G01P 15/0802
With conversion into electric or magnetic values: details
G01P 15/0888
With conversion into electric or magnetic values: for indicating angular acceleration
G01P 2015/0814
For one single degree of freedom of movement of the mass: for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Family

Serial479,854Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Feb 1990
Serial528,812Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 May 1990
Serial904,211Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 25 Jun 1992
US 5,126,812 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Jun 1992
US 5,195,371 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Mar 1993
Serial103,896Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Aug 1993
US 5,473,945 AParent of this continuation
US 5,635,739 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.