Patents Examined by Christitine K. Oda
  • Patent number: 5872313
    Abstract: A motion sensor having a micromachine sensing element and electrodes formed on a silicon chip. The sensing element includes a ring supported above a substrate so as to have an axis of rotation normal to the substrate. Surrounding the ring is at least one pair of diametrically-opposed electrode structures. The sensing ring and electrode structures are configured to include interdigitized members whose relative placement to each other enables at least partial cancellation of the effect of differential thermal expansion of the ring and electrodes. As a result, the performance of the motion sensor is, to first order, insensitive to temperature variation. The sensor further includes circuitry for creating and detecting an electrostatic force between the interdigitized members of the sensing ring and electrode structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Seyed Ramezan Zarabadi, Jack Daniel Johnson, Michael William Putty