Compensated composite structure
First Claim
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1. A compensated composite structure comprising:
- a first support structure comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first support structure comprising a first end and a second end;
a first insulator coupled to said first end of said first support structure;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate coupled to said first insulator and surrounded by said first support structure; and
a flexure plate comprising said second material, said flexure plate disposed in a substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said second end of said first support structure, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance, wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating at least one capacitance signal.
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Abstract
A method for constructing a compensated composite structure, including a support tube coupled to a flexure plate and enclosing a capacitor plate, includes selecting a material for the support tube whereby the coefficient of expansion is larger than that of the material of the capacitor plates. Further, the method includes selecting the lengths of the support tube and the capacitor plate such that the composite structure is insensitive to changes in temperature.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A compensated composite structure comprising:
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a first support structure comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first support structure comprising a first end and a second end;
a first insulator coupled to said first end of said first support structure;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate coupled to said first insulator and surrounded by said first support structure; and
a flexure plate comprising said second material, said flexure plate disposed in a substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said second end of said first support structure, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance, wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating at least one capacitance signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An accelerometer system comprising:
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a housing;
a flexure plate section enclosed within said housing and comprising a first support structure comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a first insulator coupled to said first end of said first support structure;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate coupled to said first insulator and surrounded by said first support structure, a second support structure comprising said first material, said second support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a second insulator coupled to said first end of said second support structure, a second capacitor plate coupled to said second insulator and surrounded by said second support structure, a flexure plate comprising said second material and disposed between and in substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said second end of said first support structure and said second end of said second support structure, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a first capacitance signal, said flexure plate and said second capacitor plate defining a second distance wherein said second distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a second capacitance signal; and
a rigid plate section enclosed within said housing and electrically isolated from said flexure plate section and comprising a third capacitor plate and a fourth capacitor plate spaced apart from and in parallel relation to said first capacitor plate, and a rigid plate disposed between and in substantially parallel relation to said third capacitor plate and said fourth capacitor plate, said rigid plate electrically isolated from said housing, said rigid plate and said third capacitor plate defining a third distance and generating a third capacitor signal and said rigid plate and said fourth capacitor plate defining a fourth distance and generating a fourth capacitor signal, wherein a fifth distance is defined between said rigid plate and said flexure plate such that said fifth distance is a function of acceleration forces, said first capacitor signal, said second capacitor signal, said third capacitor signal and said fourth capacitor signal connect to form a bridge adapted to generate a bridge voltage signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An accelerometer system comprising:
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a housing;
a first support structure enclosed within said housing and comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a first insulator coupled to said first end of said first support structure;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate coupled to said first insulator and surrounded by said first support structure, a second support structure comprising said first material, said second support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a second insulator coupled to said first end of said second support structure, a second capacitor plate coupled to said second insulator and surrounded by said second support structure, a flexure plate comprising said second material and disposed between and in substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said second end of said first support structure and said second end of said second support structure, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a first capacitance signal, said flexure plate and said second capacitor plate defining a second distance wherein said second distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a second capacitance signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for controlling inertia of an object comprising:
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an inertial platform;
an inertial measurement unit coupled to said inertial platform, said inertial measurement unit comprising a first gimbal, whereby a first flexure accelerometer is coupled to said first gimbal, said first flexure accelerometer comprising a first support structure comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a first insulator coupled to said first end of said first support structure;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate coupled to said first insulator and surrounded by said first support structure, a second support structure comprising said first material, said second support structure comprising a first end and a second end, a second insulator coupled to said first end of said second support structure, a second capacitor plate coupled to said second insulator and surrounded by said second support structure, a flexure plate comprising said second material and disposed between and in substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said second end of said first support structure and said second end of said second support structure, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a first capacitance signal, said flexure plate and said second capacitor plate defining a second distance wherein said second distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a second capacitance signal, a processor leveling said platform perpendicular to a local gravity vector as a function of said first capacitance signal and said second capacitance signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An accelerometer comprising:
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a cylindrical support structure comprising a first material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
a first capacitor plate comprising a second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein said first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than said second coefficient of thermal expansion, said first capacitor plate surrounded by and thermally insulated from said support structure;
a second capacitor plate positioned a distance from and in parallel relation to said first capacitor plate, said second capacitor plate comprising said second material surrounded by and thermally isolated from said support structure;
a flexure plate comprising said second material and disposed between and in substantially parallel relation to said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate, said flexure plate coupled to said support structure through support flexures, said flexure plate and said first capacitor plate defining a first distance wherein said first distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a first capacitance signal, said flexure plate and said second capacitor plate defining a second distance wherein said second distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon said flexure plate thereby generating a second capacitance signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for constructing a compensated composite structure comprising:
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selecting a first material for a capacitor plate and a flexure plate disposed in parallel relation to said capacitor plate, said material comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
determining a length of said capacitor plate;
selecting a second material for a support structure for said capacitor plate and said flexure plate, said second material comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion larger than said coefficient of thermal expansion;
determining a length for said support structure larger than said length of said capacitor plate;
insulating said capacitor plate from said support structure; and
coupling said support structure to said flexure plate. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method for compensating for temperature effects on a composite structure, including a support tube coupled to a flexure plate through support flexures and enclosing two capacitor plates, which are disposed parallel to the flexure plate, comprising:
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selecting a material for the support tube whereby a coefficient of expansion of the support tube is larger than that of a material of the capacitor plates and the flexure plate; and
selecting lengths of the support tube and the capacitor plates such that the composite structure is insensitive to changes in temperature. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification