Sensor structure incorporating multiple piezoelectric generators
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Sensor means comprising:
- a plurality N of flat plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing major surfaces, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure, andfirst, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a first signal-generating electrode pair, said second and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a second signal-generating electrode pair, said first electrode and said second electrode being configured and located such that, relative to a reference axis perpendicular to the major surfaces, the first and second electrodes are angularly displaced from one another by a non-zero amount, anda further electrode EM located between said first and second electrodes and having at least a portion located on the same major surface as is contacted by at least one of the first and second electrodes, said further electrode EM being electrically isolated from both the first and second electrodes and being electrically shorted to said third electrode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Sensor structure integrates multiple piezoelectric bender elements into a single piezoelectric unit. A single base member comprising a plurality of plates of piezoelectric material includes three or more electrodes for forming two or more bender elements. Preferred embodiments include one or more of the following: (i) electrodes for forming inactive regions near structure center and/or ends, (ii) aspects of structural symmetry aiding to establish preferred signal phase and amplitude relationships (iii) base member fashioned according to a three layer laminated structure (iv) circular base member (v) uniform plate polarization (vi) two or four substantially matched bender elements.
45 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. Sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing major surfaces, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a first signal-generating electrode pair, said second and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a second signal-generating electrode pair, said first electrode and said second electrode being configured and located such that, relative to a reference axis perpendicular to the major surfaces, the first and second electrodes are angularly displaced from one another by a non-zero amount, and a further electrode EM located between said first and second electrodes and having at least a portion located on the same major surface as is contacted by at least one of the first and second electrodes, said further electrode EM being electrically isolated from both the first and second electrodes and being electrically shorted to said third electrode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
2. Sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing major surfaces, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a first electrode pair, said second and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermied one of said plates so as to form a second electrode pair, said first electrode and said second electrode being configured and located such that, relative to a reference axis perpendicular to the major surfaces, the first and second electrodes are angularly displaced from one another by a non-zero amount, said first and second electrode pairs being located and configured such that when the following conditions is imposed, namely, when (i) said plates are appropriately polarized and (ii) the sensor means is rotated at a predetermined frequency fs about the reference axis and (iii) the sensor means experiences a movement such that the reference axis tilts at a constant angular rate away from a previous orientation, then said first and second electrode pairs will generate, respectively, first and second AC signals which will (a) have the same frequency fs, and (b) have peak amplitudes whose ratio will be substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 42)
-
-
4. Sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing major surfaces, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a first electrode pair, said second and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a second electrode pair, said first electrode and said second electrode being configured and located such that, relative to a reference axis perpendicular to the major surfaces, the first and second electrodes are angularly displaced from one another by a non-zero amount, said first and second electrode pairs being located and configured such that when the following condition is imposed, namely, when (i) said plates are appropriately polarized and (ii) the sensor means is rotated at a predetermined frequency fs about the reference axis and (iii) the sensor means experiences a movement such that the references axis tilts at a constant angular rate away from a previous orientation, then said first and second electrode pairs will generate, respectively, first and second AC signals which will (a) have the same frequency fs, and (b) differ in phase by a predetermined one of substantially 0°
or substantially 180°
. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
-
-
7. Sensor means definable relative to a coordinate system having three mutually perpendicular axes designated as X, Y, and Z, said sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat circular plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing circular major surfaces normal to, and centered about, said Z axis, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure and each said plate being uniformly polarized normal to its major surfaces, each said circular plate being configured such that the piezoelectric material thereof continuously extends full circle around the Z axis and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and second electrodes located on one major surface of a predetermined plate designated as P1 and further located so as to be on opposite sides of the X-Z plane, at least part of said third electrode being configured and located to contact the opposite major surface of plate P1 so as to form, in conjunction with said first and second electrodes, first and second signal-generating electrode parts respectively, and a first additional electrode located between said first and second electrodes, said first additional electrode being located and configured to be electrically isolated from said first and second electrodes and to cause a predetermined portion of the major surface contacted by the first electrode to be shorted to said third electrode.
-
-
16. Sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing major surfaces, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a first electrode pair, said second and third electrodes located to contact opposite major surfaces of a predetermined one of said plates so as to form a second electrode pair, said first electrode and said second electrode being configured and located such that, relative to a reference axis perpendicular to the major surfaces, the first and second electrodes are angularly displaced from one another by a non-zero amount, and a fourth electrode located on the same side of the reference axis as the first electrode but at a greater distance from the reference axis than the first electrode, said fourth electrode having at least a portion located on the same major surface as is contacted by the first electrode, said fourth electrode being electrically isolated from both the first and second electrodes, and said fourth electrode being electrically connected to said third electrode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
21. Sensor means definable relative to a coordinate system having three mutually perpendicular axes designated as X, Y, and Z, said sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat circular plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing circular major surfaces normal to, and centered about, said Z axis, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure and each said plate being uniformly polarized normal to its major surfaces, each said circular plate being configured such that the piezoelectric material thereof continuously extends full circle around the Z axis, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and second electrodes located on one major surface of a predetermined plate designated as P1 and further located so as to be on opposite sides of the X-Z plane, at least part of said third electrode being configured and located to contact the opposite major surface of plate P1 so as to form, in conjunction with said first and second electrodes, first and second electrode pairs respectively. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. Sensor means definable relative to a coordinate system having three mutually perpendicular axes designated as X, Y, and Z, said sensor means comprising:
-
a plurality N of flat circular plates of piezoelectric material, each said plate having two opposing circular major surfaces normal to, and centered about, said Z axis, said plates being arranged according to a laminated structure and each said plate being uniformly polarized normal to its major surfaces, and first, second, and third electrodes located on predetermined major surfaces, said first and second electrodes located on one major surface of a predetermined plate designated as P1 and further located so as to be on opposite sides of the X-Z plane, at least part of said third electrode being configured and located to contact the opposite major surface of plate P1 so as to form, in conjunction with said first and second electrodes, first and second electrode pairs respectively, and a fourth electrode located on the same side of the X-Z plane as the first electrode but at a greater distance from the X-Z plane than the first electrode, said fourth electrode being further located and configured to be electrically isolated from said first electrode and to cause a predetermined portion of the major surface contacted by the first electrode to be shorted to said third electrode, and further including a fifth electrode located and configured on the same side of the X-Z plane as the second electrode but at a greater distance from the X-Z plane than the second electrode, said fifth electrode further being located and configured to be electrically isolated from said second electrode and to cause a predetermined portion of the major surface contacted by the second electrode to be shorted to said third electrode. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
Specification