Resonating Sensor with Mechanical Constraints
First Claim
1. A bulk acoustic wave sensor comprising:
- a primary member configured to resonate in a flexure mode in response to receipt of an electrostatic signal, the primary member having a top side and a bottom side, the primary member being configured to operate in a bulk mode when rotated;
a bottom substrate; and
a top substrate,the primary member being between the bottom substrate and the top substrate,the bottom substrate having a bottom support portion securing the bottom substrate to the bottom side of the primary member,the top substrate having a top support portion securing the top substrate to the top side of the primary member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sensing movement resonates a primary member in a flexure mode at a given frequency, thus causing the primary member to have top and bottom portions that resonate at substantially about zero Hertz. The method also secures the bottom portion to a first substrate, and mechanically constrains the top portion while resonating in the flexure mode to substantially eliminate vibrations in the top portion. Finally, the method generates a changing capacitance signal in response to movement of the primary member. When generating this changing capacitance signal, the primary member resonates in a bulk mode at a given frequency.
12 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A bulk acoustic wave sensor comprising:
-
a primary member configured to resonate in a flexure mode in response to receipt of an electrostatic signal, the primary member having a top side and a bottom side, the primary member being configured to operate in a bulk mode when rotated; a bottom substrate; and a top substrate, the primary member being between the bottom substrate and the top substrate, the bottom substrate having a bottom support portion securing the bottom substrate to the bottom side of the primary member, the top substrate having a top support portion securing the top substrate to the top side of the primary member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A MEMS bulk resonating gyroscope comprising:
-
a primary member configured to resonate in a flexure mode in response to receipt of an electrostatic signal, the primary member having a top side and a bottom side and configured to respond to rotation in a bulk mode; a bottom substrate secured to the primary member; and a bottom support portion securing the bottom substrate to the bottom side of the primary member, the top side of the primary member having a constrained portion that is mechanically constrained to resonate at substantially about zero Hertz when resonating in the flexure mode and in the bulk mode. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of sensing movement, the method comprising:
-
resonating a primary member in a flexure mode, resonating causing the primary member to have top and bottom portions that resonate at substantially about zero Hertz; securing the bottom portion to a first substrate; mechanically constraining the top portion while resonating in the flexure mode to substantially eliminate vibrations in the top portion; and generating a changing capacitance signal in response to movement of the primary member, generating comprising the primary member resonating in a bulk mode at a given frequency. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification