Micromechanical system and method for building a micromechanical system

• US 8,887,568 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Forke, Roman, Scheibner, Dirk, Shaporin, Alexey
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/138,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20120024066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.2, 735/143.8, 735/041.2, 735/041.4, 735/040.4
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0078 Constitution or structural means for improving mechanical properties not provided for in B81B3/007 - B81B3/0075
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Abstract

A micromechanical system with a system that can vibrate, has a seismic mass and at least two spring elements. The spring elements are respectively fastened on one side externally to the seismic mass and on the other side to fixed anchor points of the micromechanical system such that the seismic mass can vibrate in a movement direction. In order to obtain a particularly large frequency spacing between the useful mode and further vibration modes of the system, at least one further spring element is provided in the inner region of the seismic mass. The further spring element the is fastened to a further anchor point of the micromechanical system. A method builds a micromechanical system with a system that can vibrate.

Claims

1. A micromechanical system, comprising:

a seismic mass having an inner region surrounded by an external region; and

a plurality of spring elements supporting the seismic mass so that the seismic mass can vibrate, the spring elements comprising;

at least two outer spring elements, each having first and second sides with the first side being fastened to an external side of the seismic mass and the second side being fastened to a fixed anchor point of the micromechanical system; and

an inner spring element having first and second sides with the first side being fastened to the inner region of the seismic mass and the second side fastened to an inner anchor point of the micromechanical system, the inner spring element being fastened to a point on the inner region of the seismic mass that has a vibration amplitude perpendicular to a movement direction of the seismic mass.

2. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seismic mass vibrates at a resonant frequency in an ultrasonic range.

3. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer spring elements are embodied as bow springs.

4. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner spring element is embodied as a bow spring.

5. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the seismic mass comprises a comb pattern electrode,

the micromechanical system further comprises a capacitive fixed counter-electrode, and

the comb pattern electrode and the fixed counter-electrode have a varying capacitance used as a sensor output.

6. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the micromechanical system is embodied as a sensor for detecting acoustic emission signals.

7. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of inner spring elements.

8. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outer spring elements are embodied as bow springs.

9. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inner spring element is embodied as a bow spring.

10. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the seismic mass comprises a comb pattern electrode,

the micromechanical system further comprises a capacitive fixed counter-electrode, and

the comb pattern electrode and the fixed counter-electrode have a varying capacitance used as a sensor output.

11. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the micromechanical system is embodied as a sensor for detecting acoustic emission signals.

12. The micromechanical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein there are a plurality of inner spring elements.

13. A method for building a micromechanical system having a seismic mass supported by at least two outer spring elements, each having first and second sides with the first side being fastened to an external side of the seismic mass and the second side being fastened to a fixed anchor point of the micromechanical system such that the seismic mass can vibrate in a movement direction, the method comprising:

analyzing vibration modes of the system;

identifying a point in an inner region of the seismic mass, the point having a vibration amplitude perpendicular to the movement direction; and

providing an inner spring element for the point, the inner spring element having first and second sides with the first side being fastened to the point on the seismic mass and the second side being fastened to a further anchor point of the micromechanical system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

adapting a total spring stiffness of the inner and outer spring elements in such a way that a useful mode operation frequency for the micromechanical system is not changed by providing the inner spring element.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the analyzing vibration modes of the system, the identifying a point in an inner region and the providing an inner spring are repeated iteratively.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the vibration modes are analyzed using a computer-aided simulation model.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the simulation model models the system according to a finite-element method.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the analyzing vibration modes of the system, the identifying a point in an inner region and the providing an inner spring are repeated iteratively.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the vibration modes are analyzed using a computer-aided simulation model.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the simulation model models the system according to a finite-element method.