Abstract:
A pendulous accelerometer wherein the active reaction mass is pendulously mounted external to a fixed support structure and may include sensor cover or covers in the total active reaction mass.
Abstract:
A force rebalance accelerometer includes a proof mass suspended by one or more flexures between stationary mounted upper and lower excitation rings. Pick-off capacitance plates formed on opposing sides of the proof mass form capacitance elements whose capacitance varies in response to displacement of the proof mass to provide a displacement signal. The displacement signal is applied to one or more electromagnets, used to force the proof mass back to a null or at-rest position. The drive current applied to the electromagnets thus represents the force or acceleration applied to the accelerometer. The electromagnets include a magnet and a pole piece which forms a magnetic return path. In order to relieve stresses due to thermal expansion, the magnet is spaced apart from the pole piece to enable the bonding area to be constrained to a minimum which, in turn, reduces the overall stress on the accelerometer.
Abstract:
A force rebalance accelerometer includes a proof mass suspended by one or more flexures between stationary mounted upper and lower excitation rings. Pick-off capacitance plates formed on opposing sides of the proof mass form capacitance elements whose capacitance varies in response to displacement of the proof mass to provide a displacement signal. The displacement signal is applied to one or more electromagnets, used to force the proof mass back to a null or at-rest position. The drive current applied to the electromagnets thus represents the force or acceleration applied to the accelerometer. The electromagnets include a magnet and a pole piece which forms a magnetic return path. In order to relieve stresses due to thermal expansion, the magnet is spaced apart from the pole piece to enable the bonding area to be constrained to a minimum which, in turn, reduces the overall stress on the accelerometer.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for flexibly suspending a sensing mechanism between a pair of cover plates, including a sensing mechanism formed in a crystalline silicon substrate; a pair of cover plates formed in crystalline silicon substrates; a first plurality of complementary interfaces in fixed relation between the sensing mechanism and a first one of the cover plates; and a second plurality of complementary interfaces flexibly suspended between the sensing mechanism and a second one of the cover plates with one or more of the flexibly suspended interfaces being a complementary male and female interface.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for suspending two or more force-versus-displacement sensors for measuring displacement of a pendular structure relative to a frame structure, wherein a suspension structure includes the frame and pendular structures, the pendular structure having a base structure suspended from the frame structure for rotation about a first axis, a beam structure spaced away from the first axis, and a flexure suspending the beam structure from the base structure for rotation about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The flexure suspending the beam structure from the base structure is positioned substantially intermediate between suspension positions of the force-versus-displacement sensors, and constrains the beam structure to motion substantially within the plane of the pendular structure.
Abstract:
A method for designing a sensor using a dual double-ended tuning forks which provides composite cancellation of second-order non-linearity terms.
Abstract:
A pendulous accelerometer wherein the active reaction mass is pendulously mounted external to a fixed support structure and may include sensor cover or covers in the total active reaction mass.
Abstract:
An accelerometer is of the type in which a paddle is suspended from a support so that the paddle is displaceable with respect to the support. A suspension arrangement for the paddle includes a pair of compliant beams having longitudinal axes that are substantially orthogonal to each other so that the beams provide compliant isolation to internal stresses while being rigid to external loading forces.
Abstract:
An improved technique for mounting a coil to a paddle in a force rebalance accelerometer so as to provide relief from temperature induced strains without increasing the mass of the proof mass. The coil is mounted to the paddle at a plurality of mounting sites on the paddle, at least one of which is connected to the paddle by suspension means compliant for movement in the plane of the paddle. In a preferred arrangement, three mounting sites are used, two of which are moveable towards and away from the third, fixed mounting site.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for operation of a differential capacitance transducer, including generating substantially opposing polarity excitation drive signals by operation of a pair of drive signal generators, applying the excitation drive signals to a pair of sense capacitors of a differential capacitance sensor, sensing a differential capacitance at a common junction between the pair of sense capacitors; and individually controlling the drive signal generators for trimming a null bias of the sense capacitor pair at the common junction.