Fiber optic accelerometer
AssigneeFibersonde Corporation
InventorsMichel J. F. Digonnet, Elliot M. Burke, John J. Fling
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An acceleration transducer for use in an accelerometer includes a proof mass that comprises a transmissive optics device arranged to receive an optical signal such that the optical signal propagates through the transmissive optics device along a first optical path having a selected optical path length. A support assembly is arranged to support the proof mass such that the transmissive optics device moves from a reference position along a selected sensing axis in response to an acceleration of the proof mass along the selected sensing axis and produces an optical path length change that indicates the acceleration.
Claims16
An acceleration transducer for use in an accelerometer, comprising:
- a proof mass formed as a transmissive optics device arranged to receive an optical signal such that the optical signal propagates through the transmissive optics device along a first optical path having a selected optical path length;
- and
- a frame arranged to constrain the transmissive optics device to move from a reference position along a selected sensing axis in response to an acceleration of the proof mass along the selected sensing axis and produce an optical path length change that indicates the acceleration.
An acceleration transducer for use in an accelerometer, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first lens mounted to the frame;
- a beamsplitter formed in the first lens;
- a proof mass formed as a transmissive optics device arranged to receive an optical signal such that the optical signal propagates through the transmissive optics device along a first optical path having a selected optical path length;
- a second lens mounted to the frame such that the transmissive optics device is between the first and second lens;
- an optical fiber mounted to the frame with an end of the optical fiber arranged to be adjacent the first lens;
- a first reflector mounted to the second lens;
- and
- a second reflector mounted to the second lens, the optical fiber, the transmissive optics device and the first and second reflectors being arranged such that a light beam travels from the optical fiber into the first lens to the beamsplitter with a first portion of the light beam traveling through the transmissive optics device and the second lens to the first reflector and a second portion of the light beam reflecting from the beam splitter and traveling through the transmissive optics device and the second lens to the second reflector with reflected light beams from the first reflector and the second reflector traveling back through the transmissive optics device and combining in the beam splitter to form an interference pattern.
An acceleration transducer, comprising
- means for producing a first optical signal and a second optical signal;
- a proof mass formed to include a transmissive optics device arranged to receive the first and second optical signals such that the first and second optical signals propagate through the transmissive optics device along corresponding first and second optical paths that are included in the interferometer, and
- a support assembly arranged to support the proof mass such that the transmissive optics device moves from a reference position along a selected sensing axis in response to an acceleration of the proof mass along the selected sensing axis and produces changes in the first and second optical paths to produce an interference signal that indicates changes in acceleration of the transmissive optics device along the selected sensing axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.