| US 7,363,816 B2 | ||
| Inertial sensor | ||
| Michael W. Judy, Ipswich, Mass. (US); and Howard R. Samuels, Newton, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, Mass. (US) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 13, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/598,540. | ||
| Application 11/598540 is a division of application No. 11/130025, filed on May 16, 2005, granted, now 7,134,340, filed on Nov. 14, 2006. | ||
| Application 11/130025 is a division of application No. 10/622380, filed on Jul. 18, 2003, granted, now 6,892,576, filed on May 17, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/397379, filed on Jul. 19, 2002. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0180912 A1, Aug. 09, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01P 15/125 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 73—514.32 | 9 Claims |
| 1. A sensor comprising:
a substrate;
a mass having an outer periphery, a cavity defining an inner periphery, and a plurality of elongated fingers along a portion
of the inner periphery;
mass support structures, positioned within the inner periphery and affixed to the substrate by at least one anchor positioned
proximate to the mass' center of mass, for supporting the mass above the substrate and allowing movement of the mass relative
to the substrate; and
a plurality of elongated sensing fingers for sensing movement of the mass fingers relative to the sensing fingers, the sensing
fingers positioned substantially alongside the mass fingers within the inner periphery and affixed to the mass support structures
proximate to the at least one anchor such that mechanical stresses cause the mass fingers and the sensing fingers to move
in substantially equal ways.
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