Accelerometer
First Claim
1. An accelerometer, comprising:
- a housing;
a spring comprising a planar area separated from a periphery of the spring by at least one path;
a detector for detecting motion of the planar area; and
a conversion circuit for converting the motion into electrical signals, wherein the planar area is supported by at least one land with a width that varies linearly.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An accelerometer is limited to a very small displacement range, and within that range, is useful for detecting motion and change of rate of motion by optical, magnetic, or electrical means. A unique spring suspends a planar mass that is very sensitive to motion of an object in which the accelerometer is held. In one embodiment, an optical detector detects the motion of the mass by the intensity of reflected radiation. In another embodiment, a Hall-effect sensor detects the motion of the mass by a current generated by the motion of the mass in an electric field. The accelerometer may be used in a variety of automotive, appliance, and industrial applications.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An accelerometer, comprising:
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a housing;
a spring comprising a planar area separated from a periphery of the spring by at least one path;
a detector for detecting motion of the planar area; and
a conversion circuit for converting the motion into electrical signals, wherein the planar area is supported by at least one land with a width that varies linearly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting movement, the method comprising:
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suspending a planar spring by at least one land having a width that varies linearly;
vibrating the planar spring in response to motion;
detecting vibration of the spring; and
generating a signal indicative of the vibration. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An accelerometer, comprising:
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a housing;
a spring comprising a planar area separated from a periphery of the spring by one to two complete paths between the central planar area and the periphery;
a detector for detecting motion of the planar area; and
a conversion circuit for converting the motion into electrical signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A motion detector, comprising:
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a housing;
a non-metallic spring comprising a planar area separated from a periphery of the spring by at least one path; and
a detector for detecting motion of the planar area. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification