SUPERSENSITIVE LINEAR PRESSURE TRANSDUCER
First Claim
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1. A microfabricated variable capacitor, comprising:
- a stator including a plurality of electrically conductive plates each spaced apart from one another, each said pair of adjacent plates forming a channel therebetween, each of said plates being in a first common electrical communication;
a rotor including central hub and first and second arms extending in cantilever manner from opposite sides of said hub, a first plurality of electrically conductive blades being coupled to said first arm and a second plurality of electrically conductive blades being coupled to said second arm, each of said first plurality and said second plurality of blades being in a second common electrical communication; and
wherein said hub is suspended from said stator by first and second springs, such that each of said blades is received within a corresponding one of said channels and a portion of each said blade coacts with an adjacent said plate to store electrical charge, and the capacitance between the first electrical communication and the second electrical communication varies as said first and second springs bias the rotor to different positions relative to said stator.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for a MEMS-fabricated variable capacitor. In one embodiment the capacitor is a comb drive comprising a plurality of plates interdigitated with a corresponding blades. As the plates move relative to the blades, the capacitance of the sensor changes. The capacitor is sufficiently sensitive to measure respiratory pressure in an animal.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A microfabricated variable capacitor, comprising:
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a stator including a plurality of electrically conductive plates each spaced apart from one another, each said pair of adjacent plates forming a channel therebetween, each of said plates being in a first common electrical communication; a rotor including central hub and first and second arms extending in cantilever manner from opposite sides of said hub, a first plurality of electrically conductive blades being coupled to said first arm and a second plurality of electrically conductive blades being coupled to said second arm, each of said first plurality and said second plurality of blades being in a second common electrical communication; and wherein said hub is suspended from said stator by first and second springs, such that each of said blades is received within a corresponding one of said channels and a portion of each said blade coacts with an adjacent said plate to store electrical charge, and the capacitance between the first electrical communication and the second electrical communication varies as said first and second springs bias the rotor to different positions relative to said stator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 34)
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15. A microfabricated variable capacitor, comprising:
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a stator having a width and including a plurality of electrically conductive plates each spaced apart from one another, each said plate having a top, a bottom, and a midsection therebetween, each said pair of adjacent plates forming a channel between opposing midsections, each of said plates being in a first common electrical communication; a rotor having a length and including a plurality of electrically conductive blades, each said blade having a top, a bottom, and a midsection therebetween, said rotor being suspended relative to said stator such that each of said blades is received within a corresponding one of said channels and the midsection of each said blade includes an area that overlaps with an area of an adjacent said plate, each of said blades being in a second common electrical communication; and a suspension system for flexibly coupling said rotor relative to said stator, said system flexibly coupling to said stator at a location about midway across the width, said system flexibly coupling to said rotor at a location about midway along the length; wherein the capacitance between the first electrical communication and the second electrical communication varies in correspondence to different overlapping areas. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for transducing air pressure, comprising:
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providing a flexible diaphragm, a stator including a plurality of electrically conductive plates, and a rotor movable relative to the stator and including a plurality of electrically conductive blades; interdigitating the blades and the plates; coupling the diaphragm to the rotor such that the motion of the rotor is responsive to movement of a portion of the diaphragm in one direction and substantially unresponsive to movement of the portion in any direction orthogonal to the one direction; applying a pressure differential across the diaphragm; deflecting the diaphragm by said applying; moving the blades relative to the plates by said deflecting; and changing the electrical capacitance of the rotor and stator by said moving. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification