SPRING STRUCTURE, RESONATOR, RESONATOR ARRAY AND SENSOR

• US 20120222483A1
• Filed: 02/29/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: BLOMQVIST, Anssi, RUOHIO, Jaakko
• Granted Patent: US 9,127,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/574 the devices having two sensing masses in anti-phase motion

Abstract

The invention presents a spring structure (501), which has at least two masses (Ma, Mb) coupled in a first direction as opposite phase oscillators by means of springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to them (Ma, Mb), via a loop (L, E) between said springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to their coupling points, wherein oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) are connected from said coupling points of the loop (L) to the anchors (A) of the base such that the longitudinal motion of the loop (L) is arranged to occur perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to said first direction, to thus attenuate opposite phase oscillation other than that of the masses (Ma, Mb). The invention also presents the use of a spring structure in a resonator and/or in a resonator array as well as in a sensor or a sensor comprising system.

Claims

1. A spring structure (501), wherein it has at least two masses (Ma, Mb) coupled in a first direction as opposite phase oscillators by means of springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to them (Ma, Mb), via a loop (L, E) between said springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to their coupling points, wherein oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) are connected from said coupling points of the loop (L) to the anchors (A) of the base such that the longitudinal motion of the loop (L) is arranged to occur perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to said first direction, to thus attenuate opposite phase oscillation other than that of the masses (Ma, Mb).

2. A spring structure according to claim 1, wherein the oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) are symmetrically in relation to the loop (L).

3. A spring structure according to claim 1, wherein the oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) have the same spring constant.

4. A spring structure according to claim 1, wherein the oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) have the same chemical and/or structural composition.

5. A spring structure according to claim 1, wherein the oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) have in common at least one of the dimensions length, width and thickness.

6. A double differential spring structure, which has two spring structures (901, 902) according to claim 1 coupled with a connecting stiff member C as opposite phase oscillators.

7. A resonator, said resonator having at least one spring structure according to claim 1.

8. A resonator array, said resonator array having at least one resonator according to claim 7.

9. A sensor, said sensor having at least one resonator according to claim 7.

10. A sensor system, said sensor system having at least one resonator according to claim 9.