IN-PLANE SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20110226060A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: WANG, CHUAN WEI, Lee, Sheng Ta
• Granted Patent: US 8,371,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.38
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00182 Arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures, e.g. membrane and cavity for use in a transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Abstract

According to the present invention, an in-plane sensor comprises: a fixed structure including a fixed finger and a fixed column connected to each other, the fixed finger having a supported end supported by the fixed column and a suspended end which is unsupported; and a movable structure including at least one mass body and an extending finger connected to each other; wherein the supported end of the fixed finger is closer to the mass body than the suspended end is.

Claims

1. An in-plane sensor, comprising:

a fixed structure including a fixed finger and a fixed column connected to each other, the fixed finger having a supported end supported by the fixed column and a suspended end; and

a movable structure including at least one mass body and an extending finger connected to each other;

wherein the supported end of the fixed finger is closer to the mass body than the suspended end is.

2. The in-plane sensor of claim 1, wherein the movable structure further includes a connection part and an anchor, the mass body being connected to the anchor by the connection part, and the anchor and the fixed structure being fixed to a substrate.

3. The in-plane sensor of claim 2, wherein the connection part includes a spring.

4. The in-plane sensor of claim 3, wherein there is at least one curve in a longer dimension of the spring.

5. The in-plane sensor of claim 1, wherein the mass body has an opening.

6. The in-plane sensor of claim 1, wherein the continuous length of the mass body in any of x and y directions is limited within a predetermined length.

7. The in-plane sensor of claim 1, wherein the movable structure further includes an extending mass connected with the mass body through the extending finger.

8. The in-plane sensor of claim 7, wherein the extending mass has an opening.

9. The in-plane sensor of claim 7, wherein the movable structure includes a plurality of mass bodies and a plurality of extending masses connected together by one or more extending fingers.

10-26. -26. (canceled)