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Microelectromechanical accelerometer for automotive applications

  • US 6,199,874 B1
  • Filed: 12/07/1995
  • Issued: 03/13/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A micromechanical automotive suspension system in a vehicle comprising:

  • an accelerometer for producing a continuous output signal in response to sensed acceleration vectors, said accelerometer including at least two capacitively-coupled fingers, at least one of said fingers moves relative to another finger in response to said acceleration vectors to produce a change in capacitance, wherein at least one of said fingers is characterized by an aspect ratio greater than about 4 to 1, said fingers being fabricated from a single silicon substrate by etching the substrate at least partially by reactive ion etching;

    means for applying a potential across adjacent capacitively-coupled fingers to generate said output signal upon a change in the capacitance between said adjacent fingers upon relative motion of said adjacent fingers;

    a vehicle suspension; and

    a suspension positioning unit for receiving the output signal from the accelerometer and for positioning the vehicle suspension in response to said acceleration vectors.

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