公开(公告)号：US10884020B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-05

申请号：US16056699

申请日：2018-08-07

Applicant: Atlantic Inertial Systems Limited

Inventor： Alan Malvern ,  Louise Snell

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/13 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: A sensing structure for an accelerometer includes a support and a proof mass mounted thereto by flexible legs. The proof mass has moveable electrode fingers perpendicular to the sensing direction and at least four fixed capacitor electrodes, with fixed capacitor electrode fingers perpendicular to the sensing direction. The fixed capacitor electrode fingers interdigitate with the movable electrode fingers and the proof mass is mounted to the support by an anchor on a centre line of the proof mass. The proof mass has an outer frame surrounding the fixed capacitor electrodes and the flexible legs extend laterally inwardly from the proof mass to the anchor. The fixed capacitor electrodes comprise two inner electrodes, one on each side of the proof mass centre line, and two outer electrodes, one on each side of the proof mass centre line.

公开(公告)号：US20190242925A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-08

申请号：US16261752

申请日：2019-01-30

Applicant: Atlantic Inertial Systems, Limited

Inventor： Alan Malvern

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/13 ,  G01P1/00

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  B81B5/00 ,  G01P1/006 ,  G01P15/131 ,  G01P2015/0814

Abstract: A method for controlling closed loop operation of a capacitive accelerometer comprises applying first in-phase and anti-phase PWM drive signals, respectively, to a first pair of fixed capacitive electrodes and applying second in-phase and anti-phase PWM drive signals, respectively, to a second pair of fixed capacitive electrodes. A displacement of a proof mass relative to fixed capacitive electrodes is sensed by measuring a pickoff signal from the proof mass and adjusting the mark-space ratio of the first and/or second PWM drive signals to provide a restoring force on the proof mass that balances an applied acceleration and maintains the proof mass at a null position. The first and second PWM drive signals applied to the first and second pairs of fixed capacitive electrodes are offset in time from one another by an offset period.

公开(公告)号：US20180231382A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-16

申请号：US15758948

申请日：2016-08-11

Applicant: ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITED

Inventor： Alan Malvern

IPC: G01C19/5684

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor comprises: an insulative support layer (10); a substrate layer (8) formed of a silica-based material and comprising a planar ring structure (2) mounted to vibrate in-plane; and a plurality of conductive electrodes (14), each comprising a first set of moveable conductive electrode tracks (14a) formed on a surface of the planar ring and a second set of fixed conductive electrode tracks (14b) formed on a surface of the insulative support layer axially spaced from the surface of the planar ring. The first and second sets of conductive electrode tracks are interdigitated with a lateral spacing between them in a radial direction. Each moveable conductive electrode track has a radial offset from a median line between adjacent fixed conductive electrode tracks such that each moveable conductive electrode track has a different lateral spacing from two different adjacent fixed conductive electrode tracks in opposite radial directions.