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Sensor with separate actuator and sense fingers

  • US 5,565,625 A
  • Filed: 12/01/1994
  • Issued: 10/15/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1994
  • Status: Expired
First Claim
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1. A micromachined device comprising:

  • a member;

    a suspension connected to the member and to a substrate, so that the member is movable relative to the substrate in response to a force applied to the device along a predetermined axis;

    a sense differential capacitor having a first sense electrode connected to the substrate, a second sense electrode connected to the substrate, and a third sense electrode connected to the member, the sense differential capacitor including a first sense capacitor and a second sense capacitor, wherein the first sense capacitor includes the first sense electrode and the third sense electrode and the second sense capacitor includes the second sense electrode and the third sense electrode, and wherein the capacitances of the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor are oppositely variable in response to the force; and

    an actuator differential capacitor having a first actuator electrode connected to the substrate, a second actuator electrode connected to the substrate, and a third actuator electrode connected to the member, the actuator differential capacitor including a first actuator capacitor and a second actuator capacitor, wherein the first actuator capacitor includes the first actuator electrode and the third actuator electrode and the second actuator capacitor includes the second actuator electrode and the third actuator electrode, and wherein the capacitances of the first actuator capacitor and the second actuator capacitor are oppositely variable in response to the force;

    wherein the first sense electrode forms a separate electric node from the first actuator electrode, a separate electric node from the second actuator electrode, and a separate electric node from the third actuator electrode.

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