IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,614,328
Granted Patent B2
US 11,614,328 · App. 17/420,790 · Granted Mar 28, 2023

Sensing device

Inventors: Sagnik Pal (Marlborough, MA); Diego Emilio Serrano (Peachtree City, GA); Thomas Kieran Nunan (Carlisle, MA)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G01C19/5712G01P1/00G01P15/125
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,614,328
App. No.
17/420,790
Granted
Mar 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensing device includes an anchor having a central axis that defines a first radial direction and a second radial direction, and a resonant member flexibly supported by the anchor that includes a main body made of a single-crystal solid. The main body has a first material stiffness in the first radial direction and a second material stiffness in the second radial direction that is less than the first material stiffness. Moreover, the main body has a first component stiffness in the first radial direction and a second component stiffness in the second radial direction that is substantially similar to the first component stiffness. Another sensing device includes a resonant member having a main body that defines an aperture extending through the main body, and an electrode located in the aperture such that a capacitive channel is defined between the electrode and the main body that circumscribes the electrode.

Claims (32)

1. A sensing device comprising:

an anchor having a central axis that defines a first radial direction and a second radial direction; and

a resonant member flexibly supported by the anchor that comprises a main body made of a single-crystal solid,

wherein the main body has a first material stiffness in the first radial direction and a second material stiffness in the second radial direction that is less than the first material stiffness, and

the main body has a first component stiffness in the first radial direction and a second component stiffness in the second radial direction that is substantially similar to the first component stiffness.

2. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the resonant member is movable in a resonant mode and the main body of the resonant member is shaped such that a net momentum force applied to the anchor from the resonant member from vibration in the resonant mode is 0.1 pN or less.

3. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the central axis and an outer perimeter of the main body in the first radial direction is greater than a second distance between the central axis and the outer perimeter of the main body in the second radial direction.

4. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the main body defines an aperture located along the first radial direction that extends through the main body.

5. The sensing device of claim 4 , wherein the main body has no aperture located along the second radial direction between an inner perimeter and outer perimeter of the main body.

6. The sensing device of claim 4 , further comprising an electrode capacitively coupled to the resonant member, wherein the electrode is located in the aperture such that a capacitive channel is defined between the electrode and the main body that circumscribes the electrode.

7. The sensing device of claim 6 , wherein the electrode is capacitively coupled to the main body about an entire outer perimeter of the electrode.

8. The sensing device of claim 6 , wherein the capacitive channel has a line of symmetry that is substantially parallel to a drive direction of the resonant member.

9. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the single-crystal solid is silicon.

10. The sensing device of claim 9 , wherein the single-crystal solid is (100) oriented silicon.

11. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the first radial direction and second radial direction is about 45 degrees.

12. A gyroscope comprising the sensing device of claim 1 .

13. A sensing device comprising:

an anchor having a central axis that defines a first radial direction and a second radial direction; and

a resonant member flexibly supported by the anchor that comprises a main body made of a single-crystal solid,

wherein the resonant member is movable in a resonant mode and the main body of the resonant member is shaped such that a net momentum force applied to the anchor from the resonant member from vibration in the resonant mode is 0.1 pN or less.

14. A sensing device comprising:

a resonant member having a main body that defines an aperture extending through the main body; and

an electrode capacitively coupled to the resonant member, wherein the electrode is located in the aperture such that a capacitive channel is defined between the electrode and the main body that circumscribes the electrode: and

an anchor having a central axis that defines a first radial direction and a second radial direction, wherein:

the resonant member is flexibly supported by the anchor,

the main body of the resonant member is made of a single-crystal solid and has a first material stiffness in the first radial direction and a second material stiffness in the second radial direction that is less than the first stiffness, and

the aperture is located along the first direction.

15. The sensing device of claim 14 , wherein the electrode is capacitively coupled to the main body about an entire outer perimeter of the electrode.

16. The sensing device of claim 14 , wherein the capacitive channel follows a continuous path and has a width that is substantially constant along the continuous path.

17. The sensing device of claim 14 , wherein the capacitive channel has a line of symmetry that is substantially parallel to a drive direction of the resonant member.

18. The sensing device of claim 14 , wherein a first distance between the central axis and an outer perimeter of the main body in the first radial direction is greater than a second distance between the central axis and the outer perimeter of the main body in the second radial direction.

19. A gyroscope comprising the sensing device of claim 14 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2021
From: PAL, SAGNIK; SERRANO, DIEGO EMILIO; NUNAN, THOMAS KIERAN
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057938/0802 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62789547 · Jan 8, 2019
Provisional Application 62789551 · Jan 8, 2019
Related Publication 20220128359A1 · Apr 28, 2022
Related Publication 20220349712A9 · Nov 3, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,680,814