Gravity gradiometer
US7942054B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Grant date | May 17, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V7/16
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has a sensor in the form of bars (41 and 42) which are supported on a mounting (5) which has a first mount section (10) and a second mount section (20). A first flexure web (33) pivotally couples the first and second mount sections about a first axis. The second mount has a first part (25), a second part (26) and a third part (27). The parts (25 and 26) are connected by a second flexure web (37) and the parts (26 and 27) are connected by a third flexure web (35). The bars (41 and 42) are located in housings (45 and 47) and form a monolithic structure with the housings (45 and 47) respectively. The housings (45 and 47) are connected to opposite sides of the second mount section 20. The bars (41 and 42) are connected to their respective housings by flexure webs (59). Transducers (71) are located in proximity to the bars for detecting movement of the bars to in turn enable the gravitational gradient tensor to be measured. The first mount section (10) has cut-outs (16) and the second mount section (20) has lugs (13) which pass through the cut-outs for connecting the first and second mount sections (10 and 20) in a Dewar (1).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.