Patent · US Expired

Acoustic transducer

US5146435A · kind A · utility

198Cited by
7References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 4, 1989
Grant dateSep 8, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 4, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/435
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An acoustic transducer includes a perforated capacitor plate; a movable capacitor plate spaced from the perforated plate; springs for movably supporting the movable capacitor plate relative to the perforated plate; and a support structure for supporting the perforated and movable plates, where the movable plate is interconnected to the support structure by the springs and where the plates, springs and support structure form a unified, monolithic structure. The movable plate, springs and support structure are made from a silicon wafer. The transducer also includes a dielectric fluid in the space between the plates; and equipment for applying an electric field across the plates for producing an output signal representative of the variation in capacitance induced by the variation in space between the plates in response to an acoustic signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.