Air variable capacitor comprising an interdigital mobile comb and fixed comb, accelerometer and gyrometer comprising such a capacitor

• US 8,300,384 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memscap Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Memscap Incorporated
• Inventors: Wenk, Beatrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US12/329,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20090147436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 361277-300
• US Class Current: 361/290
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/16 using variation of distance between electrodes

Abstract

The invention relates to an air variable capacitor including a mobile comb and a fixed comb. Each of the combs include a body and teeth each having an end fixed to the body and free end. The teeth of the mobile and fixed combs being interdigital and an the air-gap of the capacitor is adjustable by the transverse movement of the teeth of the mobile comb. The teeth of the mobile comb have geometric differences between one another, in order to attenuate the transverse resonance modes of the mobile comb.

Claims

1. A capacitor with variable air-gap, the capacitor comprising:

a mobile comb and a fixed comb,

each of the combs comprising a body and a plurality of teeth,

each of the teeth of the mobile comb having an axis parallel to adjacent teeth of the mobile comb,

each of the teeth of the mobile comb having an end fixed to the body of the mobile comb and a free end,

the teeth of the mobile and fixed combs being interdigital,

an air-gap of said capacitor varies according to a movement of the mobile comb perpendicular to the axis of the teeth of the mobile comb,

wherein the teeth of the mobile comb have geometric differences between one another, in order to attenuate transverse resonance modes of the mobile comb.

2. The capacitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the mobile comb have differences in length, width and/or shape between one another.

3. The capacitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein a natural resonance frequency of each tooth of the mobile comb differs from those of neighboring teeth of the mobile comb by at least one percent.

4. The capacitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layout of the teeth of the mobile comb has blocks of substantially identical teeth.

5. The capacitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the free ends of the teeth of the mobile comb form a linear layout in pieces.

6. The capacitor as claimed in claim 5, wherein the free ends of the teeth of the mobile comb form a herringbone layout.

7. The capacitor as claimed in claim 5, wherein the free ends of the teeth of the mobile comb form a V layout.

8. The capacitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the free ends of the teeth of the mobile comb form a pseudo-random layout.

9. The capacitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teeth of the fixed comb are substantially identical to the teeth of the mobile comb.

10. An accelerometer comprising a capacitor as claimed in claim 2.

11. A gyrometer comprising a capacitor as claimed in claim 2.