Accelerometer

• US 5,345,823 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Christensen, Douglas B., Kawate, Keith W., Johnson, Larry K., Southworth, Robert O., Reidemeister, Eric P., Mandeville, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodiel, Donald
• Application Number:
  US07/790,956
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 73/517 R, 73/517 B, 73/497, 73/431, 73/720, 73/721, 73/726, 73/727, 73/717, 73/718, 73/719, 73/722, 73/723, 73/724, 73/725, 73/728, 73/756, 361/280, 361/283.1, 361/283.4, 361/283, 29/25.41, 338/4
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends

Abstract

An accelerometer unit has a capacitor detect plate and a source place connector preferably defined respectively inside and outside a groove in one surface of a ceramic substrate. A flat metal member has an attachment portion secured in electrically conductive relation to the connector, has a source plate portion spaced over the detect plate to form a capacitor, and has integral resilient beams extending from the attachment portion to support the source plate portion spaced from the detect plate to be movable relative to the detect plate in response to acceleration force to provide an electrical signal. Preferably glass rods between the attachment member portion and source place connector facilitate the spacing. An electrically insulating housing base has integral pins extending through openings in the accelerometer unit substrate and in a separate electrical circuit unit to mount the circuit unit in spaced, overlying relation to the accelerometer unit, and an electrically conductive adhesive extends through guide holes in a gasket between the accelerometer and circuit units to electrically connect the circuit to the detect plate and to the connector on the ceramic substrate.

Claims

1. In a condition-responsive device comprising a ceramic substrate having means thereon responsive to a selected condition to provide an electrical signal and having electrically-conductive means on a surface of the substrate defining circuit path means connected to the condition-responsive means, and comprising signal-conditioning electrical circuit means, a base part having integral pins extending through openings in the substrate and electrical circuit means securing the electrical circuit means in overlying relation to the substrate, and electrically conductive means extending between the circuit means and the substrate electrically connecting the electrical circuit means to the circuit path means on the substrate for conditioning the electrical signal to provide an output signal corresponding to the selected condition.

2. In a condition-responsive device comprising a ceramic substrate having means thereon responsive to a selected condition to provide an electrical signal and having electrically-conductive means on a surface of the substrate defining circuit path means connected to the condition-responsive means, and comprising signal-conditioning electrical circuit means, a base part having integral pins extending through openings in the substrate and electrical circuit means securing the electrical circuit means in overlying relation to the substrate, and electrically conductive adhesive means extending between the electrical circuit means and the substrate electrically connecting the electrical circuit means to the circuit path means on the substrate for conditioning the electrical signal to provide an output signal corresponding to the selected condition.

3. A condition-responsive device according to claim 2 wherein the condition-responsive means comprise a plurality of components and the pins extend through openings in a plurality of the components and secure the components in assembled relation to each other to form the condition-responsive means.

4. An accelerometer device comprising an electrically insulating ceramic substrate having electrically conductive means on one surface defining a capacitor detect plate, capacitor source plate connector means, and circuit path means connected to the detect plate and to the source plate connector means;

an electrically conductive metal plate member having an attachment portion secured in electrically conductive relation to the source plate connector means, a capacitor source plate portion, and integral resilient beam means extending between the attachment and source plate member portions supporting the source plate portion of the member in spaced relation to the detect plate to form a capacitor and to be movable relative to the detect plate in response to an acceleration force to provide an electrical signal;

signal-conditioning electrical circuit means;

a base having integral pins extending through openings in the substrate and the electrical circuit means securing the electrical circuit means in overlying relation to the plate member; and

an electrically conductive adhesive extending between the electrical circuit means and the substrate electrically connecting the electrical circuit means to the circuit path means on the substrate for conditioning the electrical signal to provide an output signal corresponding to the acceleration force.

5. An accelerometer device according to claim 4 wherein the ceramic substrate has a recess with a flat bottom and a selected depth in said one surface, the detect plate is defined within the recess on the recess bottom, and the capacitor source plate connector means is defined outside the recess, and wherein the electrically conductive metal plate member has said attachment and source plate portions and said beam means disposed in a common plane, the attachment portion of the member being secured in overlying relation to the source plate connector means outside the recess to locate the source plate portion of the member in selected spaced relation to the detect plate on the recess bottom.

6. An accelerometer device according to claim 5 wherein the beam means include a pair of first beams extending away from the attachment portion of the plate member to dispose distal ends of the first beams at a location spaced from the attachment portion and a second beam extending from the distal ends the first beams towards the attachment portion to dispose the capacitor source plate portion of the member in said selected spaced relation to the detect plate between the first beams to be movable along a first axis toward the detect plate in response to an acceleration force applied along the first axis, the source plate portion of the member having integral spacer portions extending toward the respective first beams at a location adjacent the attachment member portion to engage the first beams and limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beams in response to acceleration forces along a second axis in said plane perpendicular to the first axis to reduce stress in the first beams in response to the acceleration force along the second axis.

7. An accelerometer according to claim 6 wherein the second beam comprises a first portion connecting distal ends of the first beams and a second portion extending from the first portion to the source plate portion of the member, the source plate member portion having additional integral spacer portions extending toward the first portion of the second beam adjacent junctions of the second beam with distal ends of the respective first beams to engage the second portion of the second beam and further limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beams in response to acceleration forces along the second axis to further reduce stress in the first beams in response to the acceleration force along the second axis.

8. An accelerometer according to claim 7 wherein the source plate portion has third spacer means extending from the distal end of the source plate portion extending toward the attachment portion of the member to engage the attachment portion and limit stress in the second beam means in response to acceleration force along a third axis perpendicular to said first and second axes.

9. An accelerometer device according to claim 6 wherein the attachment portion of the plate member has a central part of selected width soldered to the source plate connector means and has arms of selected lesser width extending away from each other from respective opposite sides of said central part connected to the respective first beams, the source plate portion of the member has a distal end disposed in selected spaced relation to said central part of the attachment portion of the member, and each of the first beams has a selected width along a major part of its length and flares to a greater width in a continuously increasing rate from a point adjacent the distal end of the source plate member portion to a respective arm of the attachment plate portion for permitting selected movement of the source plate member portion in response to acceleration force along the first axis while reducing risk of damage to the first beams from acceleration force along the second axis.

10. An accelerometer according to claim 4 wherein the ceramic substrate comprises 94% alumina and the metal plate member comprises an alloy having a nominal composition by weight of 42 percent nickel and the balance iron and has substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the substrate in the temperature range from 25°

C. to 100°

C.

11. An accelerometer according to claim 4 having gasket means disposed on the substrate around the plate member, a cover disposed on the gasket means extending over the plate member to exclude contaminants from between the detect plate and source plate portions of the capacitor, the pins extending through openings in the cover securing the cover against the gasket means for excluding the contaminants.

12. An accelerometer according to claim 11 wherein the cover is positioned to limit movement of the source plate portion of the plate member in one direction in response to acceleration force along a first axis away from the detect plate.

13. An accelerometer according to claim 11 having holes in the gasket means aligned with corresponding holes in the cover providing a sealed passage from the electrical circuit means to the circuit path means and having the electrically conducting adhesive extending through the holes for electrically conducting the electrical circuit means with the circuit path means on the substrate while shielding the plate member from contamination by the adhesive.

14. An accelerometer according to claim 13 wherein the electrical circuit means comprises a circuit board having signal-conditioning means mounted thereon, a plurality of hollow rivets connected to the signal-conditioning means extend through the board into respective holes in the cover positioning the electrical circuit means on the cover and extending into the sealed passage, and the electrically conducting adhesive extends into the respective hollow rivets in electrically conducting relation to the rivets for electrically connecting the signal-conditioning means to the circuit paths on the substrate.

15. An accelerometer device comprising an electrically insulating housing base having integral pins upstanding from the base;

an electrically insulating ceramic substrate having a groove with a flat bottom and a selected depth extending across one surface of the substrate and having electrically conductive film means on said one surface defining a capacitor detect plate inside the groove bottom, capacitor source plate connector means outside the groove, and circuit path means connected to the detect plate and source plate connector means;

an electrically conductive metal plate member having an attachment portion, a capacitor source plate portion, and integral resilient beams extending between the attachment and source plate portions disposed in a common plane, the attachment portion being secured in electrically conductive relation to the source plate connector means outside the groove to dispose the source plate member portion in spaced relation to the detect plate on the groove bottom to form a capacitor and to be movable relative to the detect plate in response to an acceleration force to provide an electrical signal;

gasket means disposed on the substrate around the plate member;

a cup-shaped cover fitted over the gasket means and around the substrate to extend over the plate member for excluding contaminants from between the detect and source plate portions of the capacitor, the cover being positioned to limit movement of the source plate member portion away from the detect plate in response to an acceleration force;

signal-conditioning electrical circuit means disposed on the cover;

the pins extending through openings in each of the substrate, gasket means, cover and electrical circuit means and being staked at distal ends of the pins for securing the substrate, gasket means, cover and electrical circuit means in assembled relation to form an accelerometer mechanism;

electrically conductive adhesive extending between the electrical circuit means and substrate electrically connecting the electrical circuit means to the circuit path means for conditioning the electrical signal to provide an output signal corresponding to the acceleration force; and

a second housing part secured to the base enclosing the accelerometer mechanism.

16. An accelerometer device according to claim 15 wherein the housing base has a cup shape with a bottom, side walls and an open end, has three of said pins upstanding from the base bottom inside the cup shape, has first shoulder means on the respective pins spaced from the base bottom and facing the open base end, and has second shoulder means facing the open base end adjacent the open end, the acceleration mechanism is supported on the first shoulder means spaced from the base bottom, and a lid is secured on the second shoulder means spaced from the acceleration mechanism enclosing the mechanism.

17. An accelerometer device according to claim 16 having shield means at least partially surrounding the accelerometer mechanism to shield the capacitor and electrical circuit means from electromagnetic interference, and having the pins extending through openings in the shield means securing the shield means in assembled relation with the mechanism.

18. An accelerometer device according to claim 17 wherein the shield means extends around six sides of the accelerometer mechanism and is connected to the electrical circuit means to be electrically grounded.

19. An accelerometer device according to claim 18 wherein the shield means comprises a metal sheet having six integral side elements foldable to define a cube surrounding the accelerometer mechanism, having openings in one of said side elements fitted over the pins resting on the first shoulder means, having four of said side elements upstanding from said one side element around respective sides of the substrate, gasket means, cover and electrical circuit means fitted on the pins, having integral ground means on one of said four other side elements fitted into openings in the electrical circuit means to be grounded, and having a sixth one of said side elements folded over the staked distal ends of the pins and secured in overlying relation to the mechanism.

20. An accelerometer device according to claim 18 wherein the electrical circuit means comprises a circuit board, signal-conditioning components disposed on one side of the circuit board, and a ground plane disposed on an opposite side of the circuit board, the electrical circuit means being disposed on the cover with the ground plane disposed between the signal-conditioning components and the capacitor for providing electromagnetic shielding therebetween.

21. An accelerometer device according to claim 16 having integral bosses extending from two opposite sides of the housing base, having apertures in the bosses for receiving bolts to mount the device, and having metal eyelets secured in the apertures to permit bolts to clamp the eyelets with selected torque in mounting the device.

22. An accelerometer device according to claim 15 wherein glass rods of selected diameter are disposed on the capacitor source plate connector means, bonding glass secures the rods to limited portions of the source plate connector means so that the rods protrude from the bonding glass, the attachment portion of the plate member abuts the glass rods to dispose the source plate member portion in said spaced relation to the detect plate, and solder means secure and electrically connect the plate member to the source plate connector means.

23. An accelerometer unit comprising an electrically insulating ceramic substrate having a recess with a flat bottom and a selected depth in one surface of the substrate and having electrically conducting means on said one surface defining a capacitor detect plate within the recess on the recess bottom, capacitor source plate connector means outside the recess, and circuit path means connected to the detect plate and source plate connector means, and an electrically conductive metal plate member having an attachment portion, a source plate portion, and integral resilient beam means extending between the attachment and source plate member portions disposed in a common plane, the attachment portion of the plate member being secured in electrically conductive, overlying relation to the source plate connector means on the substrate outside the substrate recess to locate the source plate portion of the member in selected spaced relation to the detect plate to form a capacitor and to be movable relative to the detect plate in response to an acceleration force to provide an electrical signal.

24. An accelerometer unit according to claim 23 wherein the beam means include a pair of first beams extending away from the attachment portion of the plate member to dispose distal ends of the first beams at a location spaced from the attachment portion and a second beam extending from the distal ends of the first beams towards the attachment portion to dispose the capacitor source plate portion of the member in said selected spaced relation to the detect plate between the first beams to be movable along a first axis toward the detect plate in response to an acceleration force applied along the first axis, the source plate portion of the member having integral spacer portions extending toward the respective first beams at a location adjacent the attachment member portion to engage the first beams and limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beams in response to acceleration forces along a second axis in said plane perpendicular to the first axis to reduce. stress in the first beams in response to the acceleration force along the second axis.

25. An accelerometer unit according to claim 24 wherein the second beam comprises a first portion connecting distal ends of the first beams and a second portion extending from the first portion to the source plate portion of the member, the source plate member portion having additional integral spacer portions extending towards the first portion of the second beam adjacent junctions of the second beam with the distal ends of the respective first beams to engage the second portion of the second beam and further limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beam in response to acceleration forces along the second axis to further reduce stress in the first beams in response to acceleration forces along the second axis.

26. An accelerometer unit according to claim 25 wherein the source plate portion has third spacer means extending from the distal end of the source plate portion extending toward the attachment portion of the member to engage the attachment portion and limit stress in the second beam means in response to acceleration force along a third axis perpendicular to said first and second axes.

27. An accelerometer unit according to claim 23 wherein the attachment portion of the plate member has a central part selected width soldered to the source plate connector means and has arms of selected lesser width extending away from each other from respective opposite sides of said central part connected to the restrictive beams, the source plate portion of the member has a distal end disposed in selected space relation to said central part of the attachment portion of the member, and each of the first beams has a selected width along a major part of its length and flares to greater width in a continuously increasing rate from a point adjacent the distal end of the source plate member portion to a respective arm of the attachment plate portion for permitting selected movement of the source place member portion in response to acceleration force along the first axis while reducing risk of damage to the first beams from acceleration force along the second axis.

28. An accelerometer unit according to claim 23 wherein the ceramic substrate comprises 94 percent alumina and the metal plate member comprises an alloy having a nominal composition by weight of 42 percent nickel and the balance iron and has substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the substrate in the temperature range from 25°

C. to 100°

C.

29. An accelerometer unit according to claim 23 wherein the recess comprises a groove extending across the surface.

30. An accelerometer unit comprising an electrically insulating ceramic substrate having a surface and having electrically conducting means on said surface defining a capacitor detect plate and circuit path means connected to the detect plate and source plate connector means, and an electrically conductive metal plate member having an attachment portion, a source plate portion, and integral resilient beam means extending between the attachment and source plate member portions disposed in a common plane, the attachment portion of the plate member being secured in electrically conductive, overlying relation to the source plate connector means on the substrate to locate the source plate portion of the member in selected spaced relation to the detect plate to form a capacitor and to be movable relative to the detect place in response to an acceleration force to provide an electrical signal, the beam means including a pair of first beams extending away from the attachment portion of the plate member to dispose distal ends of the first beams at a location spaced from the attachment portion and a second beam extending from the distal ends of the first beams towards the attachment portion to dispose the capacitor source plate portion of the member in said selected spaced relation to the detect plate between the first beams to be movable along a first axis toward the detect plate in response to an acceleration force applied along the first axis, the source plate portion of the member having integral spacer portions extending toward the respective first beams at a location adjacent the attachment member portion to engage the first beams and limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beams in response to acceleration forces along a second axis in said plane perpendicular to the first axis to reduce stress in the first beams in response to the acceleration force along the second axis.

31. An accelerometer unit according to claim 30 wherein the second beam comprises a first portion connecting distal ends of the first beams and a second portion extending from the first portion to the source plate portion of the member, the source plate member portion having additional integral spacer portions extending towards the first portion of the second beam adjacent junctions of the second beam with the distal ends of the respective first beams to engage the second portion of the second beam and further limit movement of the source plate member portion toward the first beam in response to acceleration forces along the second axis to further reduce stress in the first beams in response to acceleration forces along the second axis.

32. An accelerometer unit according to claim 31 wherein the source plate portion has third spacer means extending from the distal end of the source plate portion extending toward the attachment portion of the member to engage the attachment portion and limit stress in the second beam means in response to acceleration force along a third axis perpendicular to said first and second axes.

33. An accelerometer unit according to claim 30 wherein the attachment portion of the plate member has a central part selected width soldered to the source plate connector means and has arms of selected lesser width extending away from each other from respective opposite sides of said central part connected to the restrictive beams, the source plate portion of the member has a distal end disposed in selected space relation to said central part of the attachment portion of the member, and each of the first beams has a selected width along a major part of its length and flares to greater width in a continuously increasing rate from a point adjacent the distal end of the source plate member portion to a respective arm of the attachment plate portion for permitting selected movement of the source plate member portion in response to acceleration force along the first axis while reducing risk of damage to the first beams from acceleration force along the second axis.