Micromechanical apparatus for measurement of forces
First Claim
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1. A micromechanical dynamometer, comprising:
- a) a substrate;
b) a ring-shaped high-compliance deflection element comprising at least one anchor site and at least one input site;
c) one anchor for each anchor site, extending between the substrate and said anchor site;
d) a force coupler transferring force from an external source to the at least one input site; and
, e) at least one distance scale for optically measuring a deflection of the high-compliance deflection element in response to the force provided from the external source, with the distance scale being functionally attached to the high-compliance deflection element.
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Abstract
A new class of micromechanical dynamometers has been disclosed which are particularly suited to fabrication in parallel with other microelectromechanical apparatus. Forces in the microNewton regime and below can be measured with such dynamometers which are based on a high-compliance deflection element (e.g. a ring or annulus) suspended above a substrate for deflection by an applied force, and one or more distance scales for optically measuring the deflection.
15 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A micromechanical dynamometer, comprising:
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a) a substrate;
b) a ring-shaped high-compliance deflection element comprising at least one anchor site and at least one input site;
c) one anchor for each anchor site, extending between the substrate and said anchor site;
d) a force coupler transferring force from an external source to the at least one input site; and
,e) at least one distance scale for optically measuring a deflection of the high-compliance deflection element in response to the force provided from the external source, with the distance scale being functionally attached to the high-compliance deflection element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification