| US 7,367,242 B2 | ||
| Active sensor for micro force measurement | ||
| Ning Xi, Okemos, Mich. (US); and Yantao Shen, East Lansing, Mich. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich. (US) | ||
| Filed on Feb. 27, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/366,014. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/657909, filed on Mar. 02, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0196280 A1, Sep. 07, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01L 1/10 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 73—862.625 [73/862.634; 73/862.639; 73/104; 73/105; 73/579] | 17 Claims |
| 1. An active micro-force sensor for use on a micromanipulation device, comprising:
a cantilever structure in a form of a plate which extends lengthwise away from a connection point to the micromanipulation
device, the cantilever structure having an actuator layer of piezoelectric material and a sensing layer of piezoelectric material;
a contact tip or tool extending outwardly from the cantilever structure at a distal end from the connection point to the micromanipulation
device
a sensing circuit electrically coupled to the sensing layer and operable to measure a voltage thereon; and
an actuating circuit configured to receive the voltage from the sensing circuit and operable to maintain rigidity of the cantilever
structure during a manipulation operation by applying a voltage to the actuating layer, wherein the voltage applied to the
actuating layer represents a force exerted on the contact tip or tool.
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