Microelectromechanical sensor with improved mechanical decoupling of sensing and driving modes
First Claim
1. An integrated microelectromechanical structure, comprising:
- a substrate;
a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation and having a central aperture relative to a central axis;
a first anchorage arrangement positioned in the central aperture and structured to anchor the driving mass to the substrate;
arranged at the central axis and coupled to the substrate;
a first opening provided within said driving mass;
elastic anchorage elements coupling the driving mass to the first anchorage;
a first sensing mass of a first type arranged inside said first opening;
first elastic supporting elements connecting coupling said first sensing mass to said driving mass and configured to enable the first sensing mass to move in a first direction in response to a first acceleration to perform a first detection movementin the presence of a first external stress;
a second sensing mass that is of a type that is different from the first sensing mass;
second elastic supporting elements coupled between the driving mass and the second sensing mass and configured to enable the second sensing mass to perform a second detection movement in response to a second acceleration, said first detection movement being a rotational movement about a first axis lying in a plane of said driving mass, and said second detection movement being a linear movement along a second axis lying in said plane;
a second anchorage arrangement positioned externally of said driving mass and coupled to a first side of the driving mass;
a third anchorage arrangement positioned externally of said driving mass and coupled to a second side of the driving mass, the second side being opposite to the first side;
wherein said first elastic supporting elements and said first, second and third anchorage arrangements anchorages are so configured so that said driving first sensing mass is fixed to said first sensing driving mass of the first type in said rotary motion and driven relative to the central axis, and the first sensing mass is decoupled therefrom in said detection movement from the driving mass when moving in said first direction.
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Abstract
A driving mass of an integrated microelectromechanical structure is moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation, and a sensing mass is connected to the driving mass via elastic supporting elements so as to perform a detection movement in the presence of an external stress. The driving mass is anchored to a first anchorage arranged along the axis of rotation by first elastic anchorage elements. The driving mass is also coupled to a pair of further anchorages positioned externally thereof and coupled to opposite sides with respect to the first anchorage by further elastic anchorage elements; the elastic supporting elements and the first and further elastic anchorage elements render the driving mass fixed to the first sensing mass in the rotary motion, and substantially decoupled from the sensing mass in the detection movement, the detection movement being a rotation about an axis lying in a plane.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An integrated microelectromechanical structure, comprising:
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a substrate; a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation and having a central aperture relative to a central axis; a first anchorage arrangement positioned in the central aperture and structured to anchor the driving mass to the substrate;
arranged at the central axis and coupled to the substrate;
a first opening provided within said driving mass; elastic anchorage elements coupling the driving mass to the first anchorage;
a first sensing mass of a first type arranged inside said first opening; first elastic supporting elements connecting coupling said first sensing mass to said driving mass and configured to enable the first sensing mass to move in a first direction in response to a first acceleration to perform a first detection movementin the presence of a first external stress; a second sensing mass that is of a type that is different from the first sensing mass;
second elastic supporting elements coupled between the driving mass and the second sensing mass and configured to enable the second sensing mass to perform a second detection movement in response to a second acceleration, said first detection movement being a rotational movement about a first axis lying in a plane of said driving mass, and said second detection movement being a linear movement along a second axis lying in said plane;
a second anchorage arrangement positioned externally of said driving mass and coupled to a first side of the driving mass; a third anchorage arrangement positioned externally of said driving mass and coupled to a second side of the driving mass, the second side being opposite to the first side; wherein said first elastic supporting elements and said first, second and third anchorage arrangements anchorages are so configured so that said driving first sensing mass is fixed to said first sensing driving mass of the first type in said rotary motion and driven relative to the central axis, and the first sensing mass is decoupled therefrom in said detection movement from the driving mass when moving in said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sensor device comprising:
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a microelectromechanical structure including; a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation; a first anchorage positioned along said axis of rotation; first elastic anchorage elements anchoring said driving mass to said first anchorage; a first opening provided within said driving mass; a first sensing mass arranged inside said first opening; first elastic supporting elements connecting said first sensing mass to said driving mass and configured to enable said first sensing mass to perform a first detection movement in the presence of an external stress; a second anchorage positioned externally of said driving mass; and a second elastic anchorage element coupling an external side of the driving mass to said second anchorage; wherein said first elastic supporting elements and said first and second elastic anchorage elements are so configured that said first sensing mass is fixed to said driving mass in said rotary motion, and is substantially decoupled from said driving mass in said detection movement. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A microelectromechanical device comprising:
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a first anchorage; first elastic anchorage elements; a driving mass operable to move in a rotary motion about an axis of rotation, the driving mass being anchored via the first elastic anchorage elements to the first anchorage positioned along the axis of rotation and the driving mass substantially extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation; a first opening disposed positioned within the driving mass; first elastic supporting elements; a first sensing mass of a first type disposed positioned within the first opening and having side surfaces enclosed by said driving mass, the first sensing mass being coupled to the driving mass via the first elastic supporting elements, the first elastic supporting elements being configured to allow for a first detection movement in response to a first external stress, the first detection movement being a rotational movement outside the plane about an axis lying in the plane; a pair of further second anchorages positioned externally of the driving mass; furthersecond elastic anchorage elements coupling, each of the second elastic anchorage elements being coupled between one of the furthersecond anchorages to oppositeand external sides of said driving mass; the first elastic supporting elements and the first and further elastic anchorage elements being configured to fix the first sensing mass to the driving mass during said rotary motion, and wherein the first and further elastic anchorage elements are being configured to prevent said driving mass from undergoing said rotational movement outside the plane in response to said first external stress. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification