Capacitive acceleration sensor having a movable mass and a spring element
First Claim
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1. An acceleration sensor, comprising:
- a mass which is movably supported outside a center of gravity of the mass;
first electrodes on the mass and second electrodes located at a distance therefrom forming a capacitive sensor in order to determine a change in position of the mass as a function of time; and
at least one spring element which generates a restoring force when the mass is deflected from a neutral position, the at least one spring element being provided on a side of the mass facing the capacitive sensor;
wherein the mass is obtained by being exposed from a material layer, and the mass is surrounded, at least at side faces, by a material of the material layer, and wherein at least one cavity is provided in the mass, and wherein the cavity is sealed by a diaphragm having a supporting base, and wherein the at least one spring element is formed by the cavity and the diaphragm.
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Abstract
An acceleration sensor having a mass which is movably supported outside its center of gravity, first electrodes on the mass and second electrodes located at a distance therefrom forming a capacitive sensor in order to determine a change in position of the mass as a function of time. At least one spring element which generates a restoring force when the mass is deflected from its neutral position is provided on the side of the mass facing the capacitive sensor. The mass may be obtained by being exposed from a material layer, and the mass is surrounded, at least at its side faces, by this material.
10 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An acceleration sensor, comprising:
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a mass which is movably supported outside a center of gravity of the mass; first electrodes on the mass and second electrodes located at a distance therefrom forming a capacitive sensor in order to determine a change in position of the mass as a function of time; and at least one spring element which generates a restoring force when the mass is deflected from a neutral position, the at least one spring element being provided on a side of the mass facing the capacitive sensor; wherein the mass is obtained by being exposed from a material layer, and the mass is surrounded, at least at side faces, by a material of the material layer, and wherein at least one cavity is provided in the mass, and wherein the cavity is sealed by a diaphragm having a supporting base, and wherein the at least one spring element is formed by the cavity and the diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12)
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10. A method of using an acceleration sensor, the acceleration sensor including a mass which is movably supported outside a center of gravity of the mass, first electrodes on the mass and second electrodes located at a distance therefrom forming a capacitive sensor in order to determine a change in position of the mass as a function of time, and at least one spring element which generates a restoring force when the mass is deflected from a neutral position, the at least one spring element being provided on a side of the mass facing the capacitive sensor, wherein the mass is obtained by being exposed from a material layer, and the mass is surrounded, at least at its side faces, by a material of the material layer, the method comprising:
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measuring, using the acceleration sensor, a lateral acceleration in three spatial directions, wherein at least one cavity is provided in the mass, and wherein the cavity is sealed by a diaphragm having a supporting base, and wherein the at least one spring element is formed by the cavity and the diaphragm.
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11. A motor vehicle having an acceleration sensor, the acceleration sensor comprising:
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a mass which is movably supported outside a center of gravity of the mass; first electrodes on the mass and second electrodes located at a distance therefrom forming a capacitive sensor in order to determine a change in position of the mass as a function of time; and at least one spring element which generates a restoring force when the mass is deflected from a neutral position, the at least one spring element being provided on a side of the mass facing the capacitive sensor; wherein the mass is obtained by being exposed from a material layer, and the mass is surrounded, at least at side faces, by a material of the material layer, and wherein at least one cavity is provided in the mass, and wherein the cavity is sealed by a diaphragm having a supporting base, and wherein the at least one spring element is formed by the cavity and the diaphragm.
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Specification