Coupled torsional resonators viscometer

A coupled resonator, comprising:

• a. a base structure having:
• a base stem having a base stem flexural elasticity per unit length;
• a base bridge;
• and
• a base neck connecting said bridge to said base stem, and having a flexural elasticity per unit length that is greater than that of said base stem;
• b. a plurality of tines having longitudinal axes, said axes being parallel to one another, all attached to and extending from said base structure in the same direction, each tine including:
• i. a narrow in transverse dimension tine stem portion;
• ii. a tine end wider in at least one transverse dimension than said tine stem portion, and having a tine end cross section;
• iii. a magnet held in said tine end.

A resonator assembly, comprising:

• a. a base structure;
• b. a first set of tines extending from said base structure in the same direction, each tine of the first set of tines having a portion that is not circular in cross-section;
• c. a second pair of tines extending from said base structure in the same direction, each tine of the second pair of tines being circular in cross-section;
• d. a driving mechanism, adapted to drive said tines in torsion;
• and
• e. a sensing mechanism, adapted to sense movement of said tines.

A resonator assembly, comprising:

• a. a torsionally resonant structure, including:
• i. a base;
• ii. at least two parallel tines affixed to said base and projecting in the same direction from said base, each tine including a magnet;
• and
• iii. wherein said base is sufficiently compliant as to mutually couple said tines so that they behave as a single resonator when said tines are driven in synchronized manner;
• b. an electromagnetic drive assembly, comprising a set of electromagnetic coils positioned to drive said tines;
• c. an electromagnet sense assembly, comprising a set of electromagnetic coils adapted to sense tine movement and being positioned orthogonally to said electromagnetic coils of said electromagnetic drive assembly.

A resonator assembly, comprising:

• a. a torsionally resonant structure, including:
• i. a base;
• ii. at least two parallel tines affixed to said base and projecting in the same direction from said base, each tine including a tine magnet;
• and
• iii. wherein said base is sufficiently compliant as to mutually couple said tines so that they behave as a single resonator when said tines are driven in synchronized manner;
• b. an electromagnetic drive and sense assembly, comprising a set of electromagnetic coils positioned to collectively drive said tines and sense resultant tine movement, and wherein at least a subset of said electromagnetic coils at least used to drive said tines are positioned, relative to said tine magnets so that an oscillating magnetic field produced by said subset drives said tines in torsion.