Acceleration sensing device

• US 5,996,409 A
• Filed: 04/22/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Funk, Karsten, Laermer, Franz, Frey, Wilhelm, Elsner, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/064,495
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 73/504.03, 73/504.04, 73/504.02, 73/510, 73/511, 73/514.01, 73/514.02
• US Class Current: 73/504.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01306 monitoring vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Abstract

An acceleration sensing device includes a rotational speed sensor which is mounted on a substrate and detects rotational speed, at least one oscillating structure with a deflectable seismic mass, and an acceleration sensor that detects linear acceleration and has at least one additional seismic mass which is suspended on flexible elements so that it can be deflected. The seismic masses of the two sensors are deflected independently of one another.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensing device, comprising:

a rotational speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed, the rotational speed sensor being mounted on a substrate, the rotational speed sensor including at least one oscillating structure, the at least one oscillating structure including a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass being plate shaped and being capable of oscillating around an axis perpendicular to a first plane containing the first seismic mass; and

an acceleration sensor for detecting a linear acceleration, the acceleration sensor including at least one second seismic mass suspended on flexible elements, the at least one second seismic mass being plate shaped,

wherein the first seismic mass and the at least one second seismic mass are independently deflectable,

wherein, in response to a rotation, the first seismic mass is deflected in a direction substantially parallel to the axis perpendicular to the first plane, and

wherein, in response to the linear acceleration, the at least one second seismic mass is deflected within a second plane containing the at least one second seismic mass.

2. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first analysis device coupled to the rotational speed sensor; and

a second analysis device coupled to the acceleration sensor,

wherein the first analysis device supplies first output information as a function of a deflection of the first seismic mass, and

wherein the second analysis device supplies second output information as a function of a deflection of the at least one second seismic mass.

3. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed sensor and the acceleration sensor form a roll-over sensor.

4. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 2, wherein the first output information and the second output information are provided to an analyzing unit.

5. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 2, wherein the first analysis device includes a first capacitive analysis element, and wherein the second analysis device includes a second capacitive analysis element.

6. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 4, wherein the first output information and the second output information are processed.

7. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 6, further comprising an electronic filter element for processing the second output information, the electronic filter element having an electronic filter output.

8. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic filter element is a low-pass filter element.

9. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 8, wherein a time constant T_t of the low-pass filter element is 1 s≦

T_t ≦

30 s.

10. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 6, further comprising an integrator element for processing the first output information coupled to a high-pass filter, the integrator element having an integrator output.

11. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 10, wherein a time constant T_h of the high-pass filter is 1 s≦

T_h ≦

100 s.

12. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 8, further comprising:

an integrator element for processing the first output information coupled to a high-pass filter, the integrator element having an integrator output;

wherein the electronic filter output and the integrator output are provided to the analyzing unit.

13. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 12, wherein the analyzing unit detects the electronic filter output and the integrator output in a multiplex operation.

14. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 12, wherein the rotational speed sensor, the acceleration sensor, and the analyzing unit are each arranged on the substrate.

15. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the rotational speed sensor, the acceleration sensor and the analyzing unit are fully integrated on the substrate by additive integration technology.

16. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 12, wherein the electronic filter output supplies an average position of a vehicle as analog information free of rapid interfering pulses.

17. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 12, wherein information on a position of a vehicle is supplied to the integrator element as an initial integration condition.

18. The acceleration sensing device according to claim 12, further comprising a controller for numerically processing the electronic filter output and the integrator output.