Micromechanical Angular Acceleration Sensor and Method for Measuring an Angular Acceleration

• US 20120297878A1
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Neul, Reinhard, Ohms, Torsten, Hattass, Mirko, Meisel, Daniel Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.29
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0922 of the bending or flexing mode type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors

Abstract

A micromechanical angular acceleration sensor for measuring an angular acceleration is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate, a seismic mass, at least one suspension, which fixes the seismic mass to the substrate in a deflectable manner, and at least one piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element for measuring the angular acceleration. The piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element is arranged in a cutout of the seismic mass. A corresponding method and uses of the sensor are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A micromechanical angular acceleration sensor for measuring an angular acceleration, comprising:

a substrate;

a seismic mass defining a cutout;

at least one suspension configured to fix the seismic mass to the substrate in a deflectable manner, and

at least one piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element configured to measure the angular acceleration,

wherein the piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element is arranged in the cutout of the seismic mass.

2. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the seismic mass is embodied integrally or in multipartite fashion.

3. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one suspension is arranged in the cutout.

4. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 1, further comprising at least one bending beam arranged in a deflectable manner firstly with the at least one suspension and secondly with the substrate.

5. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 4, wherein the at least one piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element is arranged on the at least one bending beam.

6. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the seismic mass is configured in ring-shaped fashion.

7. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 4, wherein:

the sensor includes (i) a plurality of suspensions that includes the at least one suspension, and (ii) a plurality of bending beams that includes the at least one bending beam, and

wherein the at least one bending beam is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the at least one suspension.

8. The angular acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bending beam is configured as a piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element.

9. A method for measuring an angular acceleration, comprising:

subjecting a seismic mass to a force on account of an angular acceleration, and

measuring a deflection of the seismic mass on account of the force,

wherein the deflection is measured by at least one piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element, and

wherein the piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric element is arranged in a cutout of the seismic mass.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using the angular acceleration sensor in a motor vehicle for detecting a motor vehicle roll-over and/or in mobile devices as means of a human-machine interface.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using the angular acceleration sensor for positioning a write/read head of a mass storage device of a hard disk of a computer.