US 9,752,900 B2Granted

Multi-plate capacitive transducer

AssigneeWyrobek International, Inc.

InventorJerzy Wyrobek

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Abstract

A capacitive transducer includes first and second fixed outer plates, each having fixed electrodes positioned on inner surfaces, and a center plate assembly positioned between the fixed outer plates. The center plate assembly includes a top center plate and bottom center plate. The top and bottom center plates each have an inner section, an outer frame positioned outward of a perimeter of the inner section, a set of springs connecting the outer frame to the inner section, and a center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the inner section. The set of springs has thickness less than each of the inner section and the outer frame. The center electrodes of the top and bottom center plates are connected to become electrically one electrode.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A capacitive transducer comprising:

a first fixed outer plate having a first fixed electrode positioned on an inner surface;
a second fixed outer plate having a second fixed electrode positioned on an inner surface;
and
a center plate assembly positioned between the first and second fixed outer plates, the center plate assembly comprising:
a top center plate comprising:
a first silicon substrate;
a first inner section of the first silicon substrate;
a first outer frame of the first silicon substrate positioned outward of a perimeter of the first inner section, wherein a first raised spacer member is integrally formed with the first outer frame and extends upward from an outer surface of the first outer frame;
a first set of springs of the first silicon substrate connecting the first outer frame to the first inner section, wherein the first set of springs has thickness less than each of the first inner section and the first outer frame;
and
a first center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the first inner section;
and
a bottom center plate comprising:
a second silicon substrate;
a second inner section of the second silicon substrate;
a second outer frame of the second silicon substrate positioned outward of a perimeter of the second inner section, wherein a second raised spacer member is integral with the second outer frame and extends downward from an outer surface of the second outer frame;
a second set of springs of the second silicon substrate connecting the second outer frame to the second inner section, wherein the second set of springs has a thickness less than each of the second inner section and the second outer frame;
a second center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the second inner section, wherein the second center electrode and the first center electrode are connected to form a single electrode, and wherein the bottom center plate is a mirror image of the top center plate.

15 more elements

A capacitive transducer comprising:

a first fixed outer plate having a first fixed electrode positioned on an inner surface;
a second fixed outer plate having a second fixed electrode positioned on an inner surface;
a center plate assembly positioned between the first and second fixed outer plates and comprising:
a top center plate comprising:
a first silicon substrate;
a first inner section of the first silicon substrate;
a first outer frame of the first silicon substrate positioned outward of a perimeter of the first inner section, wherein a first raised spacer member is integrally formed with the first outer frame and extends upward from an outer surface of the first outer frame;
a first set of springs of the first silicon substrate connecting the first outer frame to the first inner section;
and
a first center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the first inner section;
and
a bottom center plate comprising:
a second silicon substrate;
a second inner section of the second silicon substrate;
a second outer frame of the second silicon substrate positioned outward of a perimeter of the second inner section, wherein a second raised spacer member is integrally formed with the second outer frame and extends downward from an outer surface of the second outer frame;
a second set of springs of the second silicon substrate connecting the second outer frame to the second inner section;
and
a second center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the second inner section, wherein the second center electrode and the first center electrode are connected to form a single electrode;
wherein the bottom center plate is a mirror image of the top center plate, and an inner surface of the top center plate and an inner surface of the bottom center plate are bonded together.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/796,266Filed 10 Jul 2015
Published: US 2017/0010129 A112 Jan 2017
Granted: 5 Sep 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

G01D 5/2417
By relative movement of capacitor electrodes: by varying separation
G01D 5/24
Influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage: by varying capacitance
G01H 11/06
Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties: by electric means
G01L 1/148
Using capacitors: using semiconductive material, e.g. silicon

Family

US 2017/0010129 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Jan 2017
US 9,752,900 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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