Isolating and temperature compensating system for resonators
First Claim
1. A system for isolating a resonator having a pair of mounts from a force producing environment, comprising an elongated, resilient bellows having its ends closed by respective rigid end covers to which said mounts are secured such that forces imparted to the ends of said bellows are coupled to said resonator while said bellows isolates said resonator from the force producing environment external to said bellows.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mounting structure for crystal resonators used as frequency standards and transducers which maximizes performance and reduces the sensitivity to environmental errors. In one embodiment, force sensitive crystal resonators having inherent unmounted temperature sensitivities are used in conjunction with reactive spring-like mounting arrangements having predetermined temperature stress characteristics such that the thermally induced mechanical stress of the mounting arrangements changes, compensates, and optimizes the overall combined temperature characteristics. In another embodiment crystal resonators are isolated from the external environment so that they are capable of sensing forces while operating in a vacuum or inert atmosphere. Environmental isolation is provided by bellows and/or diaphragm arrangements used alone or in conjunction with air-tight enclosures which enable forces to be applied to stress-sensitive crystals while isolating the crystals from the external force producing environment.
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Citations
24 Claims
- 1. A system for isolating a resonator having a pair of mounts from a force producing environment, comprising an elongated, resilient bellows having its ends closed by respective rigid end covers to which said mounts are secured such that forces imparted to the ends of said bellows are coupled to said resonator while said bellows isolates said resonator from the force producing environment external to said bellows.
- 8. A system for isolating a resonator having a pair of mounts from a force producing environment, comprising an airtight enclosure to which one of said mounts is secured, said enclosure having an opening covered by one end of an elongated, flexible bellows, with the other end of said bellows being closed by a rigid end cap to which the other of said mounts is secured such that forces may be applied to said resonator through said bellows while said enclosure and bellows isolate said resonator from a force producing environment external to said enclosure.
- 12. A system for isolating a resonator from an external environment, said system comprising a rigid, elongated force transmitting beam, pivotally mounted on the base by a flexure hinge which is relatively compliant about a pivot axis which is perpendicular to the length of said beam, and a resonator extending between said beam and said base, said beam, base, flexure hinge and resonator being positioned in a air-tight enclosure having an opening covered by one end of the flexible bellows extending along the axis which is perpendicular to said pivot axis, the other end of said bellows being closed by an end cap which is secured to said beam such that pressure or forces may be applied from said external environment to said beam through said bellows while said enclosure and bellows isolate said resonator from said external environment.
- 16. A system for temperature compensating a relatively low frequency, flexurally vibrating resonator having a pair of mounts, comprising an elongated spring having its ends connected to respective mounts of said resonator to resiliently bias said resonator, wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion, dimensions, and reactive spring rates are chosen so that thermally induced stress acts on said resonator in such a way as to result in an overall temperature sensitivity which is lower than the unmounted temperature sensitivity of said resonator at the operating temperature of said resonator.
- 22. A system for temperature compensating a relatively low frequency, flexurally vibrating resonator having a pair of mounts, said system comprising a rigid, elongated beam pivotally mounted on a base by a flexure hinge which is relatively compliant about a pivot axis which is perpendicular to the length of said beam, said resonator having one of its mounts secured to one end of said beam while the other of its mounts is carried by said base, the coefficient of thermal expansion and the reactive spring rate of said flexure hinge being chosen such that thermally induced stress acts on said resonator in such a way as to result in an overall temperature sensitivity which is lower than the unmounted temperature sensitivity of said resonator at the operating temperature of said resonator.
Specification