Magneto-mechanical resonator sensor with absorption material

• US 10,401,233 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Erickson, David P., Li, Chaodi, Elsbernd, Cheryl Lee Senger, Hu, Jia, Bonifas, Andrew P., Knudson, Orlin B., Rylander, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cotey, Philip L
• Application Number:
  US15/504,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20170234741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/00 Measuring temperature based upon physical or chemical changes not covered by groups G01K3/00, G01K5/00, G01K7/00 or G01K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/36 using magnetic elements, e.g. magnets, coils magnetic elements per se H01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/10 Measuring moisture content, e.g. by measuring change in length of hygroscopic filament; Hygrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2412 using the magnetostrictive properties of the material to be examined, e.g. electromagnetic acoustic transducers [EMAT]; investigating the presence of flaws using eddy currents G01N27/90, magnetostrictive transducers B06B1/08, measuring magnetostrictive properties G01R33/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/46 by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis or wavelet analysis spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0052 Manufacturing aspects; Manufacturing of single devices, i.e. of semiconductor magnetic sensor chips devices based on galvano-magnetic effect or the like H10N50/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0286 comprising microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] MEMS devices in general B81B

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure feature a sensing device comprising a magnetic bias layer, a resonator, a spacer, and a housing. The spacer includes an environmental change receptor. The thickness of the environmental change receptor rapidly increases in response to a change to an environment variable.

Claims

1. A sensing device, comprising:

a magnetic bias layer having a first magnetic surface and an opposing second magnetic surface, the magnetic layer comprising a first electromagnetic material,

a resonator having a first resonator major surface and an opposing second resonator major surface, the resonator comprising a second magnetic material, the second resonator major surface facing toward the first magnetic surface,

a spacer, and

a housing containing the magnetic bias layer, the resonator, and the spacer,

wherein the spacer comprises an environmental change receptor,

wherein the thickness of the environmental change receptor increases in response to a change to an environment variable,

wherein a thickness of at least a portion of the spacer changes in response to an increase of the thickness of the environmental change receptor.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein at least part of the spacer is disposed between the resonator and the magnetic bias layer.

3. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein at least part of the spacer is disposed on top of the resonator.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein resonant frequency of the resonator shifts in response to the thickness change to the environmental change receptor.

5. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the resonator is damped in response to the thickness change to the environmental change receptor.

6. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the environmental change receptor comprises a porous material.

7. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the environmental change receptor comprises an absorption material.

8. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the environmental change receptor includes a plurality of receptor elements.

9. The sensing device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of receptor elements is disposed between the resonator and the magnetic bias layer.

10. The sensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing, wherein the magnetic bias layer, the resonator, and the spacer are disposed in the housing.

11. The sensing device of claim 10, wherein the housing comprising one or more openings to allow fluid distribution into the housing.

12. The sensing device of claim 10, wherein the housing has a plurality of chambers.

13. The sensing device of claim 12, wherein the magnetic bias layer and the resonator are disposed in a different chamber from each other.

14. A sensing device, comprising:

a magnetic bias layer having a first magnetic surface and an opposing second magnetic surface, the magnetic layer comprising a first magnetic material,

a resonator having a first resonator major surface and an opposing second resonator major surface, the resonator comprising a second magnetic material, the second resonator major surface facing toward the first magnetic surface,

a spacer disposed between the magnetic bias layer and the resonator, wherein the spacer comprises an environmental change receptor, and

a housing with one or more openings, wherein the magnetic bias layer, the resonator, and the spacer are disposed in the housing,

wherein the thickness of the environmental change receptor increases in response to a change to an environment variable,

wherein a thickness of at least a portion of the spacer changes in response to an increase of the thickness of the environmental change receptor.

15. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein at least part of the spacer is disposed between the resonator and the magnetic bias layer.

16. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein at least part of the spacer is disposed on top of the resonator.

17. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein resonant frequency of the resonator shifts in response to the thickness change to the environmental change receptor.

18. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein the resonator is damped in response to the thickness change to the environmental change receptor.