Electrostatically driven dual vibrating beam force transducer
First Claim
1. In a vibrating beam force transducer of the type comprising a body including first and second generally parallel beams coupled together at their ends, the improvement comprising first and second electrodes positioned adjacent to but not in contact with the first and second beams, respectively, and drive means electrically coupled to the electrodes for causing an oscillating voltage to be applied to the electrodes such that the beams are subjected to electrostatic forces that cause the beams to oscillate 180°
- out of phase with one another in a vibration plane containing both beams, whereby said oscillating voltage has a frequency that is a function of a force applied lengthwise along the beams.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual vibrating beam force transducer having an electrostatic drive system. The transducer comprises a body having first and second generally parallel beams, coupled together at their ends. First and second electrodes are positioned adjacent to but not in contact with the respective beams. A drive circuit causes an oscillating voltage to be applied to the electrodes. The beams are thus subjected to electrostatic forces that cause the beams to oscillate in a vibration plane containing both beams. The mechanical resonance of the beams controls the oscillation frequency, such that the frequency is a function of a force exerted along the beams. An embodiment is also described in which the drive means is coupled directly to one of the beams.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. In a vibrating beam force transducer of the type comprising a body including first and second generally parallel beams coupled together at their ends, the improvement comprising first and second electrodes positioned adjacent to but not in contact with the first and second beams, respectively, and drive means electrically coupled to the electrodes for causing an oscillating voltage to be applied to the electrodes such that the beams are subjected to electrostatic forces that cause the beams to oscillate 180°
- out of phase with one another in a vibration plane containing both beams, whereby said oscillating voltage has a frequency that is a function of a force applied lengthwise along the beams.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vibrating beam force transducer for measuring a force exerted between the first and second structures, the transducer comprising first and second bodies, each body comprising a beam extending between first and second end sections, the bodies being positioned such that each body has one end section connected to each structure, and such that the beams are parallel and adjacent to one another but not in contact with one another, the transducer further comprising means for applying a periodic voltage to one of the bodies, to thereby produce a periodic electrostatic force between the beams to drive the beams into resonant vibration at a frequency that is a function of an axial force applied along the beams by the structures.
Specification