Cross-quad and vertically coupled inertial sensors
First Claim
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1. An inertial sensor comprising:
- at least one substrate; and
four sensor elements arranged in a cross-quad configuration substantially in a plane above the at least one substrate, the four sensor elements including;
a first sensor element having a first resonator suspended within a first frame;
a second sensor element having a second resonator suspended within a second frame;
a third sensor element having a third resonator suspended within a third frame; and
a fourth sensor element having a fourth resonator suspended within a fourth frame, wherein the first and third frames are configured to move co-linearly along a first axis in the plane, the second and fourth frames are configured to move co-linearly along a second axis in the plane parallel to the first axis, and the frames of at least two pairs of adjacent sensor elements are interconnected by couplings that enable anti-phase movements of the frames but substantially prevent in-phase movements of the frames.
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Abstract
An inertial sensor includes a cross-quad configuration of four interconnected sensor elements. Each sensor element has a frame and a resonator suspended within the frame. The sensor elements are arranged so that the frames of adjacent sensor elements are allowed to move in anti-phase to one another but are substantially prevented from moving in phase with one another. The sensor elements may be configured in a horizontally coupled arrangement, a vertically coupled arrangement, or a fully coupled arrangement. A pair of sensor elements may be vertically coupled.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An inertial sensor comprising:
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at least one substrate; and four sensor elements arranged in a cross-quad configuration substantially in a plane above the at least one substrate, the four sensor elements including; a first sensor element having a first resonator suspended within a first frame; a second sensor element having a second resonator suspended within a second frame; a third sensor element having a third resonator suspended within a third frame; and a fourth sensor element having a fourth resonator suspended within a fourth frame, wherein the first and third frames are configured to move co-linearly along a first axis in the plane, the second and fourth frames are configured to move co-linearly along a second axis in the plane parallel to the first axis, and the frames of at least two pairs of adjacent sensor elements are interconnected by couplings that enable anti-phase movements of the frames but substantially prevent in-phase movements of the frames. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An inertial sensor comprising:
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at least one substrate; and four sensor elements arranged in a cross-quad configuration substantially in a plane above the at least one substrate, the four sensor elements including; a first sensor element having a first resonator suspended within a first frame; a second sensor element having a second resonator suspended within a second frame; a third sensor element having a third resonator suspended within a third frame; and a fourth sensor element having a fourth resonator suspended within a fourth frame, wherein the first and third frames are configured to move co-linearly along a first axis in the plane and the second and fourth frames are configured to move co-linearly along a second axis in the plane parallel to the first axis; first means for interconnecting the frames of a first pair of adjacent sensor elements to enable anti-phase movements of the frames but substantially prevent in-phase movements of the frames; and second means for interconnecting the frames of a second pair of adjacent sensor elements to enable anti-phase movements of the frames but substantially prevent in-phase movements of the frames. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. An inertial sensor comprising:
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at least one substrate; a pair of sensor elements substantially in a plane above the at least one substrate, each sensor element having a resonator suspended within a frame, the frames configured to move co-linearly along an axis in the plane; and a vertical coupling, interconnecting the frames, that enables anti-phase movements of the frames along the frame'"'"'s co-linear axis but substantially prevents in-phase movements of the frames. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification