Twisting actuator accelerometer

• US 5,178,012 A
• Filed: 01/13/1992
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Culp, Gordon W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US07/803,804
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 73/517 B, 73/517 R, 73/517 A, 73/510, 310/329
• US Class Current: 73/510
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/08 signals being recorded or played back by vibration of a stylus in two orthogonal directions simultaneously

Abstract

This invention is for an accelerometer having a stack comprising both linearly responsive transducers and rotationally responsive transducers for measuring accelerations in the six degrees of freedom. Linear transducers such as lifters and tangenters can be combined in a stack with rotational transducers such as teeters and twisters which react to accelerations. Position sensors can be placed adjacent the transducers to sense their movement. When the position sensors detect a change, a current is applied to the transducer to return the transducer to its rest state. The current applied to return the transducer to its rest state is proportional to the acceleration experienced by the transducer, thereby providing a means to measure the acceleration on the transducer.

Claims

1. An accelerometer comprising an actuator stack having a lifter and at least two tangenters all three acting perpendicular to each other, a twister and at least two teeters all three acting perpendicular to each other, a computer, at least six position sensors for detecting motion of the stack and sending a signal indicating said motion to the computer, the computer processing said motion data and sending a signal to the laminae in the actuator stack to place the actuator stack back in its rest position, the computer processing the signal data to the laminae to calculate the acceleration force experienced by the actuator stack.

2. An accelerometer as in claim 1 wherein the position sensors are quantum tunneling electrodes positioned in pairs adjacent to the stack.

3. An accelerometer comprising an actuator stack having at least three linear acting transducer lamina each acting perpendicular to the other two, so that a combination of their movements can account for three linear degrees of freedom of motion, and at least three angularly acting transducer lamina each acting perpendicular to the other two, so that a combination of their movements can account for three angular degrees of freedom of motion, a computer, at least six position sensors for detecting motion of the stack and sending a signal indicating said motion to the computer, the computer processing said motion data and sending a signal to the laminae in the actuator stack to place the actuator stack back in its rest position, the computer processing the signal data to the laminae to calculate the acceleration force experienced by the actuator stack. 1