Acoustic resonator for measuring force

US5813280A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce · US

Inventors

• Ward L. Johnson · Louisville, US
• George A. Alers · Albuquerque, US
• Bert A. Auld · Portola Valley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 4, 1996
• Grant date: Sep 29, 1998
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/02827
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A force sensor including a cylindrical body having a central section and two distal sections wherein selected acoustic resonant modes are trapped in the central section and decays exponentially in the distal sections. An electromechanical acoustic transducer (EMAT) can be used to excite and detect the selected resonant modes in the central section. Force applied to the distal sections, including axial stress and torque, alter the resonant frequencies of the selected modes.