Variable capacitance accelerometer with meandering flexures

US9476907B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITED · GB

Inventors

• Alan Malvern · Plymouth, GB
• Louise Snell · Saltash, GB
• Steven Westbury · Plymouth, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 2, 2012
• Grant date: Oct 25, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 14, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01P2015/0857
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An accelerometer comprises a support (12), a proof mass (14) supported for movement relative to the support (12) by a plurality of mounting legs (16), a plurality of fixed capacitor fingers associated with the support (12) and a plurality of movable capacitor fingers associated with the proof mass (14), the fixed capacitor fingers being interdigitated with the movable capacitor fingers, the mounting legs (16) being of serpentine shape, each mounting leg (16) comprising at least a first generally straight section (16a), a second generally straight section (16a), and an end section (16b) of generally U-shaped form interconnecting the first and second generally straight sections (16a), wherein the thickness Te of the end section (16b) is greater than the thickness Tc of a central part (16c) of both of the first and second generally straight sections (16a).