Accelerometer and methods thereof
AssigneeNth Tech Corporation
InventorMichael D. Potter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An accelerometer includes a housing with a chamber, a member with a stored static charge, and a pair of electrodes connected to the housing. The member is connected to the housing and extends at least partially across the chamber. The pair of electrodes are each spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the member from each other and are at least partially in alignment with each other. The member is movable with respect to the pair of electrodes or one of the pair of electrodes is movable with respect to the member.
Claims33
An accelerometer comprising:
- a non-conducting member with a stored static charge that remains substantially constant;
- and
- a pair of electrodes are spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the non-conducting member from each other and are at least partially in alignment with each other, wherein the non-conducting member is movable with respect to the pair of electrodes or one of the pair of electrodes is movable with respect to the non-conducting member in response to an acceleration.
A method for making an accelerometer, the method comprising:
- providing a non-conducting member with a stored static charge that remains substantially constant;
- and
- providing a pair of electrodes, the electrodes are spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the non-conducting member from each other and are at least partially in alignment with each other, wherein the non-conducting member is movable with respect to the pair of electrodes or one of the pair of electrodes is movable with respect to the non-conducting member in response to an acceleration.
A method for measuring acceleration, the method comprising:
- exposing at least one of a non-conducting member with a stored static charge that remains substantially constant or one of a pair of electrodes to an acceleration;
- displacing the non-conducting member or one of the pair of electrodes in response to the acceleration;
- producing a potential difference in the pair of electrodes which are spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the non-conducting member from each other and are at least partially in alignment with each other;
- and
- outputting the potential difference which represents a measurement of the acceleration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.