Accelerometric sensor with plane pendulum structure

• US 4,920,800 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 05/01/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Original Assignee: Societe Francaise D'Equipements Pour La Navigation Aerienne
• Inventors: Boura, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US07/251,606
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 73/517 R, 73/517 B
• US Class Current: 73/514.36
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details

Abstract

An accelerometric sensor according to the invention comprises a plane pendulum structure presenting a test body suspended to a fixed part by at least two parallel blades, flexible in the plane of the said test body, in order to be able to move in translation in the said plane according to a sensitive axis perpendicular to the said blades. This test body comprises a moving support element linked to the said flexible blades and a test mass suspended to the said support element by at least a third and fourth blade parallel to the preceding ones and flexible in the plane of the said test body. The invention enables to reduce substantially the sensitivity to the transverse acceleration of the detection structure when it is submitted to an acceleration directed according its sensitive axis S.

Claims

1. An accelerometer sensor comprising a pendulum structure having a planar test body suspended on a fixed part by at least first and second parallel blades, flexible in the plane of the said test body, so that the planar test body is able to move in translation in the said plane according to a sensitive axis substantially perpendicular to the said blades, wherein the planar test body comprises a moving support element linked to the said flexible blades and a planar test mass suspended to the said support element by at least third and fourth blades parallel to the above mentioned ones and flexible in the plane of the said test body.

2. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said third and fourth blades present a length substantially equal to that of the said first and second blades and are arranged in such a way that in presence of an acceleration according to the said sensitive axis a compensation of the transverse displacements of the test mass produced by the deformations of the first and second blades is obtained, due to displacements in opposite directions produced by deformations of the third and fourth blades.

3. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said pendulum structure is achieved by means of a crystalline blade machined in such a way as to constitute an external frame having two longitudinal edges and defining a cavity inside which is suspended the said test body.

4. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said cavity presents a substantially rectangular shape having a longitudinal axis, the said test body comprises a rod extending parallel to the said longitudinal axis and whose end portions are connected to one of the longitudinal edges of the frame by first and second flexible blades perpendicular to the said axis, and on the said rod a test mass is suspended by means of a third and fourth flexible blades parallel to the first two ones, the assembly contituted by this test mass and by the third and fourth flexible blades extending at least partially in the volume included between the two first flexible blades.

5. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said longitudinal edge comprises two lateral portions on which are respectively fastened the first two flexible blades and a central recess into which the test mass extends partially in order that the fastening points of the third and fourth flexible blades on the said test mass are at the same level as the fastening points of the two first blades on the said lateral portions.

6. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said test mass is mounted on the fixed part through the link of a double symmetrical suspension comprising two moving support elements each one mounted on the structure by means of two parallel flexible blades and two pairs of parallel blades linking respectively these two support elements to the test mass.

7. An accelerometric sensor as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the said pendulum structure is achieved by means of a machined crystalline blade in order to constitute an external frame defining a recess of substantially rectangular shape the lateral edges of which present two inwardly directed strips extending substantially according to the symmetry longitudinal axis of the recess and in that the said test mass presents a substantially rectangular shape and is provided with two lateral strips located in line with the said inward strips, in that said mass is suspended to two longitudinal rods located on each side of the said mass through the link of four transversal flexible blades fastened to the said lateral strips and in that the said rods are each one suspended on the frame by means of two flexible blades respectively fastened to the said inward strips.