SPRING-MASS SYSTEM WITH A SMALL TRANSVERSE DISPLACEMENT

• US 20150153377A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Boisseau, Sebastien, Chaillout, Jean-Jacques, Despesse, Ghislain, Duret, Alexandre-Benoit
• Granted Patent: US 9,869,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0109 Bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0163 Spring holders
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0021 Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0037 For increasing stroke, i.e. achieve large displacement of actuated parts
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/007 For controlling stiffness, e.g. ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/12 using electric or magnetic means G01D5/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 19/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups H10N10/00 - H10N15/00

Abstract

A spring-mass system including a support, a mass mobile with respect to the support, at least one first and one second spring connecting the mass to the support allowing a displacement of the mass relative to the support along a first direction, the first spring being the symmetrical of the second spring with respect to an axis, each first and second spring comprising at least first and second series-connected beams arranged in zigzag, and a first closed frame surrounding the mass, at a distance from the mass and the support, each first beam having a first end connected to the support and a second end attached to the first frame and each second beam having a third end attached to the first frame and a fourth end connected to the mass.

Claims

1. A spring-mass system (30) comprising:

a support (34);

a mass (32) mobile with respect to the support;

at least one first and one second spring (36A, 36B) connecting the mass to the support and allowing a displacement of the mass relative to the support along a first direction (Ox), the first spring being the symmetrical of the second spring with respect to an axis (C), each first and second spring comprising at least first and second series-connected beams (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) arranged in zigzag; and

a first closed frame (40) surrounding the mass, at a distance from the mass and the support, each first beam (38A, 38B) having a first end connected to the support and a second end attached to the first frame, and each second beam (39A, 39B) having a third end attached to the first frame and a fourth end connected to the mass.

2. The spring-mass system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second beams (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) comprises a bulge (60A, 60B) in its median portion.

3. The spring-mass system of claim 1, wherein the length (L₁) of each first and second beam (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) is greater than or equal to 1 mm.

4. The spring-mass system of claim 1, wherein the height of each first and second beam (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) measured parallel to the axis of symmetry (C) is greater than or equal to 300 μ

m.

5. The spring-mass system of claim 3, wherein the width (e₁) of each first and second beam (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) measured perpendicularly to the length in a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry is smaller than or equal to 100 μ

m.

6. The spring-mass system of claim 5, wherein the first frame (40) is connected to each first and second beam (38A, 38B, 39A, 39B) by a first rounded portion (50A, 52A, 50B, 52B) having a radius of curvature (R₁) greater than or equal to ten times said width (e₁).

7. The spring-mass system of claim 5, wherein the second beam (39A, 39B) is connected to the mass (32) by a second rounded portion (56A, 56B) having a radius of curvature (R₃) greater than or equal to ten times said width (e₁).

8. The spring-mass system of claim 1, comprising at least one third and one fourth spring (66A, 66B) connecting the mass (32) to the support (34) and allowing a displacement of the mass with respect to the support along the first direction (Ox), the third spring being the symmetrical of the fourth spring with respect to said axis (C), each third and fourth spring comprising at least third and fourth series-connected beams (67A, 67B, 68A, 68B) arranged in zigzag, each third beam comprising a third end connected to the support and a fourth end attached to the first frame and each fourth beam comprising a fifth end attached to the first frame and a sixth end connected to the mass.

9. The spring-mass system of claim 1, comprising, for each first and second spring (36A, 36B), at least one fifth beam (71A, 71B) in series with the second beam (39A, 39B) and in zigzag with the second beam, and a second closed frame (74) surrounding the mass (32), at a distance from the mass and the support (34), the fourth end of each second beam (39A, 39B) being attached to the second frame (74) and each fifth beam (71A, 71B) comprising a seventh end attached to the second frame and an eighth end connected to the mass.

10. The spring-mass system of claim 9, comprising, for each first and second spring (36A, 36B), at least one sixth beam (72A, 72B) in series with the fifth beam (71A, 71B) and in zigzag with the fifth beam, and a third closed frame (76) surrounding the mass (32), at a distance from the mass and the support (34), the eighth end of each fifth beam being attached to the third frame and each sixth beam (72A, 72B) comprising a ninth end attached to the third frame and a tenth end connected to the mass.

11. The spring-mass system of claim 1, wherein the first frame follows a closed curve selected from the group comprising a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, and a closed broken line.

12. An energy recovery device comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1.

13. A seismometer comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1.

14. An accelerometer comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1.

15. An inclinometer comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1.

16. A magnetometer comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1 and wherein at least a portion of the mass (32) is formed of a ferromagnetic material and/or of a permanent magnet.

17. A force and/or displacement sensor comprising the spring-mass system (30) of claim 1.