Capacitive sensor sensitive to the accelerations orientated in all the directions of a plane

• US 5,528,937 A
• Filed: 12/02/1993
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Dufour, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US08/161,649
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 73/514.01, 73/514.16, 73/514.32
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

A capacitive acceleration sensor is composed of two electrodes placed on a support and a mobile inertial mass connected to the support by a rigid frame and blades. The network of blades is selected so that the acceleration inside the plane of the blades causes a uniform movement of the upper electrode, irrespective of the direction of acceleration.

Claims

1. Acceleration sensor including two electrodes comprising a capacitor, one electrode being located on a fixed support and the other electrode being located on an inertial mass, wherein the inertial mass is connected to a frame integral with the support by means of a system of ductile blades situated parallel to the plane of the inertial mass, the ductile blades having an identical rigidity as regards all the directions of the plane and being dimensionally stable perpendicular to the plane, the width of the blades in a direction parallel to the plane being less than the width of the each of said blades in a direction perpendicular to the plane throughout the entire length of each of said blades, wherein the electrodes are concentric along an axis perpendicular to the plane.

2. Acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are flat.

3. Acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes are circular.

4. Acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein one of the electrodes is a circular crown and divided into four portions via two perpendicular cutting diameters.

5. Acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein one of the electrodes is oblong and divided into four portions by two main and perpendicular cutting axes.

6. Acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the blades are grouped into bundles, the blades of a bundle being parallel to one another.

7. Acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the blades are branched.

8. Acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the inertial mass includes portions protruding between the blades.

9. Acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of said blades has at least a first segment and a second segment, said first and second segments having a different width from each other measured in the direction of the plane.

10. Acceleration sensor including two electrodes comprising a capacitor, one electrode being located on a fixed support and the other electrode being located on an inertial mass, wherein the inertial mass is connected to a frame integral with the support by means of a system of ductile blades situated parallel to the plane of the inertial mass, the ductile blades having an identical rigidity as regards all the directions of the plane and being dimensionally stable perpendicular to the plane, the width of the blades in a direction parallel to the plane being less than the width of the each of said blades in a direction perpendicular to the plane throughout the entire length of each of said blades, wherein each of said blades is connected obliquely to a face of the frame and a face of the inertial mass.

11. Acceleration sensor including two electrodes comprising a capacitor, one electrode being located on a fixed support and the other electrode being located on an inertial mass, wherein the inertial mass is connected to a frame integral with the support by means of a system of ductile blades situated parallel to the plane of the inertial mass, the ductile blades having an identical rigidity as regards all the directions of the plane and being dimensionally stable perpendicular to the plane, the width of the blades in a direction parallel to the plane being less than the width of the each of said blades in a direction perpendicular to the plane throughout the entire length of each of said blades, wherein the outside perimeter of the inertial mass and the inside perimeter of the frame are both rectangles having faces, such that for each of said faces of the inertial mass there is a corresponding face of the frame situated opposite therefrom, and one of said blades is connected between one of said faces of the inertial mass and a connecting face of the frame, said connecting face of the frame being adjacent to said corresponding face of the frame.

12. Acceleration sensor according to claim 11, wherein the blades are each composed of at least two integral segments having longitudinal axes meeting at an angle.

13. Acceleration sensor according to claim 12, wherein each of said blades is composed of two of said integral segments meeting at approximately a right angle.

14. Acceleration sensor according to claim 13, wherein each of said blades meets one of said faces of the inertial mass and one of said faces of the frame at a right angle.

15. Acceleration sensor according to claim 12, wherein each of said blades is obliquely connected to one of said faces of the inertial mass and said connecting face of the frame.

16. Acceleration sensor including two electrodes comprising capacitor, one electrode being located on a fixed support and the other electrode being located on an inertial mass, wherein the inertial mass is connected to a frame integral with the support by means of a system of ductile blades situated parallel to the plane of the inertial mass, the ductile blades having an identical rigidity as regards all the directions of the plane and being dimensionally stable perpendicular to the plane, the width of the blades in a direction parallel to the plane being less than the width of the each of said blades in a direction perpendicular to the plane throughout the entire length of each of said blades, wherein a first and second angle are formed at a first location where a first end of one of said blades of said system of ductile blades is connected to a face of the frame and a third and fourth angle are formed at a second location where a second end of said one of said blades is connected to a face of the inertial mass, said first angle is formed between a first side of the first end of said one of said blades and the face of the frame, and the second angle is formed between a second side of the first end of said one of said blades and the face of the frame, said third angle is formed between a first side of the second end of said one of said blades and the face of the inertial mass, and the fourth angle is formed between a second side of the second end of said one of said blades and the face of the inertial mass, the sum of the first and second angles at said first location being 180 degrees, and the sum of the third and fourth angles being 180 degrees at said second location.