D'arsonval movement mems accelerometer
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
- a housing;
a proof mass suspended within the housing by at least one torsional flexure; and
a torsional magnetic rebalancing component, the torsional magnetic rebalancing component comprises;
at least one coil on the proof mass; and
at least one magnet,wherein the at least one coil is a planar coil,wherein the proof mass is configured to rotate about the at least one torsional flexure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer and acceleration sensing methods. A MEMS accelerometer includes a housing, a proof mass suspended within the housing by at least one torsional flexure, and a torsional magnetic rebalancing component. In an example embodiment, the torsional magnetic rebalancing component includes at least one planar coil on the proof mass that extends on both sides of an axis of rotation of the proof mass about the at least one torsional flexure and at least one magnet oriented such that a north-south axis of the at least one magnet is oriented approximately orthogonal to the rotational axis of the proof mass. A method includes sensing a change in capacitance of a pickoff in the MEMS accelerometer and rebalancing the MEMS accelerometer by sending a current through the planar coil.
22 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
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a housing; a proof mass suspended within the housing by at least one torsional flexure; and a torsional magnetic rebalancing component, the torsional magnetic rebalancing component comprises; at least one coil on the proof mass; and at least one magnet, wherein the at least one coil is a planar coil, wherein the proof mass is configured to rotate about the at least one torsional flexure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of sensing acceleration with a MEMS accelerometer that includes a proof mass having an axis of rotation about at least one flexure and at least one magnet positioned such that a magnetic flux field flows approximately orthogonally to the axis of rotation, the method comprising:
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sensing a change in capacitance of a pickoff in the MEMS accelerometer; and rebalancing the MEMS accelerometer by sending a current through a planar coil positioned on the proof mass such that the coil extends on both sides of the axis of rotation of the proof mass through the magnetic flux field. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
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a housing; a proof mass suspended within the housing by at least one torsional flexure; and a torsional magnetic rebalancing component comprising; a first planar coil on a first side of the proof mass; a second planar coil on a second side of the proof mass; a first magnet disposed near a first side of the proof mass; and a second magnet disposed near a second side of the proof mass, wherein a north-south axis of the first magnet and a north-south axis of the second magnet are oriented approximately orthogonal to a rotational axis of the proof mass about the at least one torsional flexure.
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Specification