Wide G Range Accelerometer
First Claim
1. A MEMS device comprising:
- a substrate;
a mass having a main body, a first set of elongated mass fingers, and a second set of elongated mass fingers, the first and second sets of elongated mass fingers extending from the main body;
a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate, the support structure allowing movement of the mass relative to the substrate;
a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, the first set of sensing fingers having a first finger gap between the first set of sensing fingers and the first set of mass fingers; and
a second set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers, the second set of sensing fingers having a second finger gap between the second set of sensing fingers and the second set of elongated mass fingers, the second finger gap being larger than the first finger gap when the mass is in a steady state, the first and second sets of sensing fingers being stationary relative to the substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A MEMS device includes a substrate, a mass having a first and second set of elongated mass fingers extending from the mass, and a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate. The support structure may include at least one anchor and a plurality of springs that allow movement of the mass relative to the substrate. The MEMS device may also include a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, and a second set of sensing figures for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers. The first and second sets of sensing fingers may have different size finger gaps between the sensing fingers and the respective mass fingers.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A MEMS device comprising:
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a substrate; a mass having a main body, a first set of elongated mass fingers, and a second set of elongated mass fingers, the first and second sets of elongated mass fingers extending from the main body; a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate, the support structure allowing movement of the mass relative to the substrate; a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, the first set of sensing fingers having a first finger gap between the first set of sensing fingers and the first set of mass fingers; and a second set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers, the second set of sensing fingers having a second finger gap between the second set of sensing fingers and the second set of elongated mass fingers, the second finger gap being larger than the first finger gap when the mass is in a steady state, the first and second sets of sensing fingers being stationary relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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providing a MEMS device having; a main body and a first and second set of elongated mass fingers extending from the main body, a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate, the support structure allowing movement of the mass relative to the substrate, a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, the first set of sensing fingers having a first finger gap between the first set of sensing fingers and the first set of mass fingers, and a second set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers, the second set of sensing fingers having a second finger gap between the second set of sensing fingers and the second set of elongated mass fingers, the second finger gap being larger than the first finger gap when the mass is in a steady state, the first and second sets of sensing fingers being stationary relative to the substrate; applying a voltage to at least one of the first and second set of sensing fingers; measuring a change in capacitance between at least one of the first and second set of elongated mass fingers and the at least one of the first and second set of sensing figures to which the voltage is applied; and determining an acceleration based upon the measured change in capacitance. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A MEMS device comprising:
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a substrate; a mass having a main body with a first and second cavity, a first set of elongated mass fingers extending from an inner wall of the main body and into the first cavity, and a second set of elongated mass fingers extending from the inner wall and into the second cavity; a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate, the support structure allowing movement of the mass relative to the substrate; a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, the first set of sensing fingers having a first finger gap between the first set of sensing fingers and the first set of mass fingers; and a second set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers, the second set of sensing fingers having a second finger gap between the second set of sensing fingers and the second set of elongated mass fingers, the second finger gap being larger than the first finger gap when the mass is in a steady state, the first and second sets of sensing fingers being stationary relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification