Coupling for multiple masses in a micromachined device
First Claim
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1. A micromachined device comprising:
- a substrate;
a first movable mass anchored to the substrate;
a second movable mass anchored to the substrate, the first and second masses each being movable along a dither axis, the first and second masses defining an intermediate region therebetween; and
a first coupling extending from the first mass to the second mass, the coupling allowing relative anti-phase movement and resisting relative in-phase movement by the masses, the first coupling including;
a first arcuate member extending along a first path from the first mass to the second mass, the first path extending around and not through the intermediate region.
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Abstract
A micromachined device has two suspended masses positioned near each other, each of the masses being dithered along a dither axis. Two couplings, each including an arcuate member and an anchored support beam, are provided between the masses to allow relative anti-phase movement and to resist relative in-phase movement. The coupling extends around a region intermediate the masses where a dither detection device is disposed.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first movable mass anchored to the substrate; a second movable mass anchored to the substrate, the first and second masses each being movable along a dither axis, the first and second masses defining an intermediate region therebetween; and a first coupling extending from the first mass to the second mass, the coupling allowing relative anti-phase movement and resisting relative in-phase movement by the masses, the first coupling including; a first arcuate member extending along a first path from the first mass to the second mass, the first path extending around and not through the intermediate region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first movable mass anchored to the substrate; a second movable mass anchored to the substrate; means for dithering the first and second masses along a dither axis; and a coupling extending from the first mass to the second mass, the coupling allowing anti-phase movement and resisting in-phase movement of the masses, the coupling including; a suspended support beam extending along the dither axis and being anchored to the substrate so that the support beam is substantially immobile along the dither axis, the support beam bending along a direction substantially transverse to the dither axis; and a coupling member extending from each of the masses to the support beam. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first movable mass anchored to the substrate; a second movable mass anchored to the substrate, the first and second masses defining an intermediate region therebetween; means for dithering the first and second masses along a dither axis; a transduction device anchored to and suspended over the substrate and disposed in the intermediate region between the masses for sensing movement of the first and second masses; and a coupling extending from the first mass to the second mass, the coupling allowing relative anti-phase movement of the masses and resisting relative in-phase movement of the masses. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first movable mass anchored to the substrate; a second movable mass anchored to the substrate; the first and second masses defining an intermediate region therebetween, each of the first and second masses having a first end facing the other mass and a second end facing away from the other mass; first means, at the first end of each of the first and second masses, for dithering the first and second masses along a dither axis; and second means, at the second end of each of the first and second masses, for dithering the first and second masses along the dither axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification