Micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor
First Claim
1. A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor for picking up the acceleration of an object in at least one direction, said sensor comprising a frame structure, a sensor inertia mass made of a wafer movably supported about a rotation axis (Ax, Ay) relative to said frame structure, and a capacitive pick-up unit for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing the position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure, wherein said sensor inertia mass comprises a center of gravity (Mx, My) which is offset relative to said rotation axis (Ax, Ay) in a direction extending perpendicularly to a plane of said wafer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor is described for picking up the acceleration of an object in at least one direction. The sensor includes a frame structure (110), a sensor inertia mass (101) made of a wafer and movably mounted relative to the frame structure (110) about a rotation axis, and a capacitive pick-up unit (120) for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing the position of the sensor mass (101) relative to the frame structure (110). The sensor inertia mass (101) has a center of gravity which offset relative to the rotation axis in a direction perpendicularly to a wafer plane for measuring accelerations laterally to the wafer plane. The sensor mass (101) and the frame structure (110) are made monolithically of one single crystal silicon wafer. A cover section (112) forms a common connector plane (150) for the connection of capacitor electrodes (125,126). Torqueable elements (105) form an electrically conducting bearing device for the sensor mass (101).
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Citations
94 Claims
- 1. A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor for picking up the acceleration of an object in at least one direction, said sensor comprising a frame structure, a sensor inertia mass made of a wafer movably supported about a rotation axis (Ax, Ay) relative to said frame structure, and a capacitive pick-up unit for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing the position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure, wherein said sensor inertia mass comprises a center of gravity (Mx, My) which is offset relative to said rotation axis (Ax, Ay) in a direction extending perpendicularly to a plane of said wafer.
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3-48. -48. (canceled)
- 63. A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor, for picking up acceleration of an object in at least one direction (x, y, z), comprising a frame structure which is stationary relative to said object, a sensor inertia mass which is movable relative to said frame structure, a bearing device elastically supporting said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure for movement about a starting position, said capacitive acceleration sensor further comprising a capacitive pick-up unit for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing a position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure, said capacitive pick-up unit comprising first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor inertia mass and second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure opposite said first capacitor electrodes, and a coupling arrangement including first connector elements coupled to said first capacitor electrodes, said first connector elements being provided on said frame structure, and second connector elements coupled to said second capacitor electrodes, and wherein said first connector elements and/or said second connector elements are arranged in a common connector plane which is elevationally displaced relative to said first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor mass and/or relative to said second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure.
Specification