Mechanical resonating structures and methods
AssigneeSand 9, Inc.
InventorsBehraad Bahreyni, David M. Chen, Alexei Gaidarzhy, Guiti Zolfagharkhani, Pritiraj Mohanty, Klaus Juergen Schoepf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods of connecting mechanical resonating structures to a body are described. Multi-element anchors may include a flexible portion that flexes when the mechanical resonating structure vibrates. The flexible portion may have a length related to the resonance frequency of the mechanical resonating structures. Some of the multi-element anchors include elements that are oriented perpendicularly to each other. MEMS incorporating such structures are also described.
Claims29
A device comprising:
- a body;
- a substantially rectangular mechanical resonating structure comprising two opposing sides and configured to support in-plane Lamb wave vibration in a direction substantially parallel to the two opposing sides;
- and
- a multi-element anchor coupling the mechanical resonating structure to the body and connected to a side of the mechanical resonating structure, the multi-element anchor comprising a flexible element that is flexible in a direction perpendicular to a direction of vibration of the mechanical resonating structure.
A method of operating a substantially rectangular mechanical resonating structure comprising two opposing sides and configured to support in-plane Lamb wave vibration in a direction substantially parallel to the two opposing sides and coupled to a body by a multi-element anchor, the method comprising:
- actuating the substantially rectangular mechanical resonating structure so that the substantially rectangular mechanical resonating structure exhibits in-plane Lamb wave vibration with vibration in a primary direction and a secondary direction, the primary direction being substantially parallel to a side of the substantially rectangular mechanical resonating structure and the secondary direction being substantially perpendicular to the primary direction;
- and
- damping the vibration in the secondary direction using a flexible element of the multi-element anchor,
- wherein damping the vibration comprises flexing the flexible element of the multi-element anchor in a direction substantially parallel to the secondary direction.
A device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a substantially rectangular, planar mechanical resonating structure comprising two opposing sides and configured to support in-plane Lamb wave vibration in a direction substantially parallel to the two opposing sides;
- and
- first and second multi-element anchors coupling the mechanical resonating structure to the substrate and connected to respective ones of the two opposing sides of the mechanical resonating structure, each of the first and second multi-element anchors comprising a first element proximate the mechanical resonating structure and a second element distal the mechanical resonating structure and contacting the substrate, the second element being a flexible element that is configured to flex in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the in-plane Lamb wave vibration of the mechanical resonating structure, wherein
- the first and second elements of each of the first and second multi-element anchors are oriented substantially perpendicularly to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.