Multi-layer capacitive transducer
First Claim
1. A capacitive transducer of multi-layered construction comprising:
- a fixed frame;
a rotor plate including two sides, said rotor plate being movable with respect to said fixed frame;
a plurality of flexible springs supporting said rotor plate, the springs each including two ends, a first end of each of said springs being connected to said rotor plate and a second end of said springs being connected to spring anchor means, said spring anchor means being a constituent of said fixed frame, wherein said flexible springs include a buckling resistant feature.
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Abstract
A capacitive transducer of multi-layer construction includes two rotor plates supported by flexible springs, the plates being spaced apart and rigidly connected by a stem. One rotor plate my be used as either a pickup electrode or a grounded target electrode for determining position, displacement, or load force. The second rotor plate may be used for electrostatic actuation without interfering with or destroying circuitry associated with the first rotor plate. A number of improvements are disclosed including a hollow rotor plate structure for reduced moving mass, buckling resistant features for the springs, improved spring anchor joint design for reduced creep and hysteresis, and material selection and matching for reduced thermal sensitivity.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A capacitive transducer of multi-layered construction comprising:
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a fixed frame; a rotor plate including two sides, said rotor plate being movable with respect to said fixed frame; a plurality of flexible springs supporting said rotor plate, the springs each including two ends, a first end of each of said springs being connected to said rotor plate and a second end of said springs being connected to spring anchor means, said spring anchor means being a constituent of said fixed frame, wherein said flexible springs include a buckling resistant feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A capacitive transducer of multi-layered construction comprising:
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a fixed frame; a rotor plate including two sides, said rotor plate being movable with respect to said fixed frame; a plurality of flexible springs supporting said rotor plate, the springs each including two ends, a first end of each of said springs being connected to said rotor plate and a second end of said springs being connected to spring anchor means, said spring anchor means being a constituent of said fixed frame; wherein said rotor plate, said flexible springs, and said spring anchor means are fabricated from a single sheet of material such that a first end of said flexible springs is directly connected to said rotor plate with no intervening joint; and a stress reduction feature is included between the end of said springs not connected to said rotor plate, and said spring anchor means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A capacitive transducer of multi-layered construction comprising:
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a fixed frame including a ceramic substrate; a rotor plate layer fabricated from a single sheet of electrically conductive material, said rotor plate layer including a rotor plate, spring anchor means, and a plurality of flexible springs, said flexible springs movably connecting said rotor plate with said spring anchor means, said spring anchor means being a constituent of said fixed frame; wherein the ceramic material of said ceramic substrate and the electrically conductive material of said rotor plate layer are selected so as to have similar thermal expansion coefficients, thereby minimizing undesired temperature sensitivity in the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification