Microresonator of tuning fork configuration operating at its second overtone frequency
First Claim
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1. An improved, flexural-mode piezoelectric tuning fork, comprising:
- a stem portion;
a pair of tines extending from said stem;
a slot between said tines, said slot having a crotch where said tines join said stem; and
electrode means mounted on said tines for causing said fork to oscillate preferentially at its second overtone frequency when oscillating electrical fields are applied to said electrode means and for suppressing fundamental and first overtone components in the oscillations of said fork.
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Abstract
An improved piezoelectric tuning fork (12) is disclosed in which the electrodes which drive the tuning fork (30, 32, 34; 36, 38, 40; 42, 48, 50; 52, 54, 56; 58, 60, 62; 64, 66, 68) are positioned along the tines (16, 18) so as to optimize operation at the second overtone frequency.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An improved, flexural-mode piezoelectric tuning fork, comprising:
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a stem portion; a pair of tines extending from said stem; a slot between said tines, said slot having a crotch where said tines join said stem; and electrode means mounted on said tines for causing said fork to oscillate preferentially at its second overtone frequency when oscillating electrical fields are applied to said electrode means and for suppressing fundamental and first overtone components in the oscillations of said fork. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An improved, flexural mode piezoelectric tuning fork, comprising:
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a stem portion; a pair of tines extending from said stem, each of said tines being defined in part by first and second substantially planar, opposed surfaces; a slot between said tines, said slot having a crotch where said tines join said stem; and electrode means mounted on said tines for causing said fork to oscillate preferentially at its second overtone frequency when oscillating electrical fields are applied to said electrode means and for suppressing fundamental and first overtone components in the oscillations of said fork, said electrode means comprising six sets of electrodes disposed on said first surface with three sets spaced along the length of each tine, each set of electrodes comprising a pair of side electrodes disposed along at least a portion of the opposite edges of its tine and a central electrode disposed between and spaced from each pair of side electrodes, each set of electrodes being spaced along its tine so that as the tine vibrates at its second overtone frequency, the material of the edge of the tine underlying substantially the entire length of each side electrode will experience at a given instant only a single state of stress at that electrode, said single state being either a tensile stress, a compressive stress or zero stress. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An improved, flexural mode piezoelectric tuning fork, comprising:
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a stem portion; a pair of tines extending from said stem, each of said tines being defined in part by first and second substantially planar, opposed surfaces; a slot between said tines, said slot having a crotch where said tines join said stem; and electrode means mounted on said tines for causing said fork to oscillate preferentially at its second overtone frequency when oscillating electrical fields are applied to said electrode means and for suppressing fundamental and first overtone components in the oscillations of said fork, said electrode means comprising six pairs of side electrodes disposed on said first surface with three pairs disposed along the length of each tine, each pair of side electrodes being disposed along at least a portion of the opposite edges of its tine, each pair of side electrodes being spaced along its tine so that as the tine vibrates at its second overtone frequency, the material of the edge of the tine underlying substantially the entire length of each side electrode will experience at any given instant only a single state of stress at that electrode, said single state being either a tensile stress, a compressive stress or zero stress. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification