Three-axis accelerometer
First Claim
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1. An accelerometer, comprising:
- a base;
a proof mass;
electromagnetic means for constraining displacement of said proof mass relative to said base in three degrees of freedom;
elastic suspension means for constraining displacement of said proof mass relative to said base, wherein said elastic suspension means comprises a plurality of filaments extending between said proof mass and said base, and wherein one end of each of said filaments is attached to a suspension region of said proof mass; and
capacitive pickoff means for sensing translational displacement along the longitudinal axis of said proof mass and for sensing rotational displacement about two orthogonal cross axes of said proof mass, wherein all capacitive elements of said pickoff means are clustered adjacent the suspension region of said proof mass.
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Abstract
A proof mass for an accelerometer is electromagnetically constrained in three orthogonal directions. An array of filaments forms an elastic suspension for the proof mass to constrain it in the remaining degrees of freedom. The resulting instrument has the potential for low cost and high-accuracy operation over a wide temperature range without the use of temperature controls.
23 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An accelerometer, comprising:
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a base; a proof mass; electromagnetic means for constraining displacement of said proof mass relative to said base in three degrees of freedom; elastic suspension means for constraining displacement of said proof mass relative to said base, wherein said elastic suspension means comprises a plurality of filaments extending between said proof mass and said base, and wherein one end of each of said filaments is attached to a suspension region of said proof mass; and capacitive pickoff means for sensing translational displacement along the longitudinal axis of said proof mass and for sensing rotational displacement about two orthogonal cross axes of said proof mass, wherein all capacitive elements of said pickoff means are clustered adjacent the suspension region of said proof mass. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of suspending a proof mass from a housing in an electromagnetic force rebalance accelerometer, comprising:
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generating forces electromagnetically in each of three orthogonal directions, said forces acting on said proof mass to maintain said proof mass substantially centered at its null position relative to said housing; providing an elastic suspension of filaments to constrain said proof mass in the remaining degrees of freedom, wherein said elastic suspension comprises a plurality of said filaments extending between said proof mass and said base, and wherein one end of each of said filaments is attached to a suspension region of said proof mass; and providing capacitive pickoff means for sensing translational displacement along the longitudinal axis of said proof mass and for sensing rotational displacement about two orthogonal cross axes of said proof mass, wherein all capacitive elements of said pickoff means are clustered adjacent the suspension region of said proof mass.
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Specification