Gravity gradiometer with torsion flexure pivots
AssigneeGedex Inc.
InventorsJohn Barry French, Kieran A. Carroll
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer comprises a housing, and a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing. The mass quadrupole has a pair of sides, and also has a center of mass between the sides. At least a pair of torsion spring flexures are provided by pins connecting said side of said mass quadrupole to the housing. The torsion spring flexures provide an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of the mass quadrupole and through both spring flexures. The pins are integral with the mass quadrupole.
Claims38
A quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing, said mass quadrupole having a pair of opposing quadrupole faces and a center of mass between said opposing quadrupole faces;
- (c) at least a pair of torsion spring flexures provided by pins connecting said opposing quadrupole faces of said mass quadrupole to the housing, said torsion spring flexures providing an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of said mass quadrupole and through both spring flexures;
- and,
- (d) a pair of bosses, each boss being integral with and coaxial with one of the pins, and each boss being located outwardly of one of the pins;
- wherein said pins are integral with said mass quadrupole;
- and further,
- wherein said housing has two halves, each half containing at least one V-shaped notch, said V- shaped notches from each half of the housing together forming a clamp around one of the bosses, said one of the bosses being diffusion bonded to said housing at said notches.
A method of making a quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer, said responder including a housing, a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing, said mass quadrupole having a pair of opposing quadrupole faces, and a center of mass between said opposing quadrupole faces, at least a pair of torsion spring flexures provided by pins connecting said opposing quadrupole faces of said mass quadrupole to the housing, said torsion spring flexures providing an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of said mass quadrupole and through both spring flexures, and a pair of bosses, each boss integral with and coaxial with one of the pins, and each boss being located outwardly of one of the pins, said method comprising:
- (a) providing said housing in at least two parts;
- (b) assembling said parts of said housing with said mass quadrupole and clamping said bosses between said at least two parts of said housing;
- and
- (c) bonding said bosses with the assembled housing parts.
A method of forming a quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer, said gravity gradiometer comprising (a) a housing, (b) a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing, said mass quadrupole having a pair of opposing quadrupole faces and a center of mass between said opposing quadrupole faces, and (c) at least a pair of torsion spring flexures provided by pins connecting said opposing quadrupole faces of said mass quadrupole to the housing, said torsion spring flexures providing an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of said mass quadrupole and through both spring flexures, said method comprising:
- selecting a monoblock of a material and then cutting said monoblock to form said housing, said mass quadrupole and said spring flexures as a single integral structure, wherein said spring flexures are connected to said opposing quadrupole faces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.