Digital flexure beam accelerometer and method
US5526688A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P15/0802
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An accelerative force may be measured using a plurality of deflection elements (102), each deflection element (102) comprising an inertial mass (104), and at least one hinge (104) supporting the inertial mass (104) in a normal position. Application of a force to inertial mass (104) will result in the deflection of the inertial mass (104) in a first direction out of the normal position. The movement of the inertial mass (104) from the normal position stores energy in the hinges (108) which tends to move the inertial mass (104) in a second direction back to its normal position. Either the mass of the inertial mass (104), or the compliance of the hinges (108) is varied from one deflection element (102) in the array to another so that the force applied to the inertial masses (104) by simultaneous acceleration of the deflection elements (102) deflects some of the inertial masses (104). A detection means (112) senses if inertial masses (104) have deflected and produces an output representative of the applied force.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.