Magnetofluidic unidirectional accelerometer
First Claim
1. An accelerometer comprising:
- a housing;
a magnetic fluid within the housing;
an inertial body suspended in the magnetic fluid and generally constrained to move along a single axis, the inertial body including two permanent magnets;
centering magnets positioned on two sides of the inertial body along the single axis; and
a detector providing a signal indicative of acceleration that is based on displacement of the inertial body.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accelerometer includes a housing, a magnetic fluid within the housing, and an inertial body suspended in the magnetic fluid and generally constrained to move along a single axis. Centering magnets are positioned on two sides of the inertial body along the axis. A detector provides a signal indicative of acceleration based on displacement of the inertial body. A plurality of stops can be placed on the inertial body inside the housing. A coil winding can be placed on the housing to be coupled to the inertial body for maintaining the inertial body substantially in place. Cavities with air can be on sides of the inertial body. Openings in the housing can be placed at locations of the cavities. The inertial body can have a channel connecting the cavities. The detector can be a Hall sensor, a digital Hall sensor, or two Hall sensors for differential detection of the acceleration. The housing can have two lids that substantially enclose, within the housing, magnetic fields from the centering magnets.
19 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An accelerometer comprising:
-
a housing;
a magnetic fluid within the housing;
an inertial body suspended in the magnetic fluid and generally constrained to move along a single axis, the inertial body including two permanent magnets;
centering magnets positioned on two sides of the inertial body along the single axis; and
a detector providing a signal indicative of acceleration that is based on displacement of the inertial body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An accelerometer comprising:
-
a housing;
a magnetic fluid within the housing;
an inertial body suspended in the magnetic fluid and generally constrained to move in a plane, the inertial body including permanent magnets;
centering magnets positioned on four sides of the inertial body; and
a detector providing a signal indicative of acceleration that is based on displacement of the inertial body.
-
- 13. The accelerometer of claim 13, further comprising a coil winding magnetically coupled to the inertial body for maintaining the inertial body substantially in place.
-
21. An accelerometer comprising:
-
an inertial body suspended in a magnetic fluid, the, the inertial body including two permanent magnets and constrained to move generally along a single axis;
centering magnets positioned around the inertial body; and
a detector providing a signal indicative of acceleration that is based on movement of the inertial body.
-
Specification