Abstract: Disclosed is a MEMS sensor including a sense element and a single anchor that supports the sense element arranged in a central hub-like fashion that reduces the effects of thermal stress. Usually, two or more anchors are required to suitably constrain the sense element's motion. The anchor disclosed herein, however, supports the sense element with connection elements having a connection geometry that substantially limits the motion of the sense element to a single-degree-of-freedom. The connection elements may include, for example, converging flexures, an extender bar, or both.

Abstract: A dynamic quantity sensor has a weigh portion that is supported by a base portion to be displaced by a dynamic quantity, a movable electrode protruding from the weigh portion, and a fixed electrode protruding from the base portion and defining a detection interval with the movable electrode. The detection interval changes in response to displacement of the weight portion for detecting the dynamic quantity. Each of the movable electrode and the fixed electrode has a tapered plane shape with a width that decreases from a root portion toward a tip portion thereof.

Abstract: An electrostatic capacitance type acceleration sensor, an electrostatic capacitance type angular acceleration sensor and an electrostatic actuator are provided each having a low probability of damage to electrodes even when an excessive acceleration is applied. A movable electrode is provided instead of a fixed electrode conventionally used in the background art to include two movable electrodes. The rigidities of beams of a first movable electrode and a second movable electrode are controlled so that the amounts of movement of the first movable electrode and the second movable electrode are different from each other during application of an acceleration. The acceleration is detected by a change in capacitance between the first movable electrode and the second movable electrode.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor element including a weight, a support having a hollow part which is disposed around the weight as a center, and a flexible plate having piezoelectric elements including a piezoelectric body sandwiched by at least one set of electrodes and disposed horizontally across the support to suspend the weight at the hollow part of the support. Acceleration applied from the prior is converted into deflection of the flexible plate based on movement of the weight corresponding to the acceleration, and the direction and rate of the acceleration are three-dimensionally detected by electric charges generated in the piezoelectric body corresponding to deflection of the flexible plate. The piezoelectric elements are disposed only at flexible parts of the flexible plate.

Abstract: In an arrangement for measuring the rotational velocity of a rotatable wheel (21) at or in a vehicle (23) by means of a sensor (1) which is manufactured by a thin-film technology, which comprises magnetoresistive sensor elements (11, 12, 13, 14), and which measures a magnetic field modulated by means of a toothed structure (22) of the wheel (21) in dependence on the rotational velocity thereof, an optimized guidance of interference currents which may be induced through radiation from electromagnetic fields is achieved in that an electrically conducting layer (5) is provided at the outside of the sensor (1), which layer (5) reduces a capacitive coupling between the wheel (21) and the sensor elements (11, 12, 13, 14) which would occur without said layer (5), and which layer (5) in its turn is capacitively coupled to the wheel (21), in that the electrically conducting layer (5), which is made of a metal material, is manufactured by a thin-film technique at least at one side of the sensor (1) by means of layer d

Abstract: In a capacitance type dynamic quantity sensor, a movable electrode is connected to a support substrate through a frame shaped displacement portion. The displacement portion is composed of first and second beams and a beam connection part connecting the first and second beams at ends thereof. The support substrate has electrode pads for wire bonding involving vibration. The first and second beams can perform flexural vibration at a natural frequency with the beam connection part working as a free end. The shape of the beam connection part is adjusted so that the natural frequency at the flexural vibration is different from that of the vibration applied by the wire bonding.

Abstract: A slave mobile plate accelerometer using variations of capacitance to detect the movement of a mass. The apparatus comprises at least one pair of fixed electrodes rigidly attached to an armature, and at least one mobile electrode suspended by springs from the armature, between the two fixed electrodes of each pair of fixed electrodes, to form two capacitors, each mobile electrode being adapted to move between the fixed electrodes of each pair of fixed electrodes, due to the effect of acceleration, so causing a variation of the capacitance of each capacitor. The accelerometer further includes an electronic circuit for adjusting the electrostatic stiffness of at least one combination of a fixed electrode and a mobile electrode and a control system for detecting the variation of the capacitance of each capacitor.

Abstract: A method for measuring motion of a user, which is adapted to apply to output signals proportional to rotation and translational motion of the carrier, respectively from angular rate sensors and acceleration sensors, is more suitable for emerging MEMS angular rate and acceleration sensors. Compared with a conventional IMU, said processing method utilizes a feedforward open-loop signal processing scheme to obtain highly accurate motion measurements by means of signal digitizing, temperature control, sensor error and misalignment calibrations, attitude updating, and damping control loops, and dramatically shrinks said size of mechanical and electronic hardware and power consumption, meanwhile, obtains highly accurate motion measurements.

Abstract: The present invention is a semiconductor sensor having a semiconductor sensor chip for detecting a physical value applied in a direction perpendicular to the chip surface; and a package for incorporating the semiconductor sensor chip. The main surface for mounting the semiconductor sensor chip is formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of a printed circuit board for mounting the package. The main surface is provided with a plurality of terminals along two opposite sides for connecting with input/output terminals of the semiconductor sensor chip. A bottom surface, perpendicular to the main surface, is provided with a plurality of pins formed along the two sides parallel to the main surface, so that the plurality of pins are inserted into mounting holes formed in the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A micro electromechanical switch for detecting acceleration or deceleration includes a rectangular planar mass of, for example, etched silicon suspended on a pair of beams from an anchor located in the same silicon base. Motion in a plane of movement caused by acceleration or deceleration is detected by a pair of photodiodes and a light emitting diode located on opposite sides of the planar mass or shutter so that when the shutter moves the interruption of the light is sensed and thus acceleration or deceleration is indicated.

Abstract: A semiconductor acceleration sensor, which prevents an adhesion of a movable electrode to a first or second fixed electrode due to an electrostatic attracting force generated therebetween. The sensor has a weight portion and movable electrodes formed on both sides of which, and first and second fixed electrodes each engaging with the each of the movable electrodes. Each of the first and second fixed electrodes is disposed in parallel with each of the movable electrodes so that side faces thereof determine a detection interval and non-detection interval larger than the detection interval with side faces of adjoining two of the movable electrodes. Protrusions are formed on both of the side faces of each of the first and second fixed electrodes. These protrusions prevent the movable electrodes from adhering to the first or second fixed electrode in both of the detection interval and non-detection interval.

Abstract: A micromechanical rotation rate sensor based on the Coriolis principle includes two plate-like oscillators arranged one above the other in two planes for excitation to oscillate by means of an electrostatic drive. Three elements in each case form an oscillator structure. The oscillators are in each case suspended on opposite side edges by at least one web between an associated plate-like support and an associated drive plate element. The two supports and the two drive plate elements are, in each case, arranged one above the other in layers. A fixed plate element is located between the two drive plate elements so that, in each case, an identical narrow drive gap is defined between the drive plate elements. The drive gap is considerably smaller than the distance between the plate-like oscillators.

Abstract: A vibration monitor is provided which is worn on the wrist of an operative for an operating plant or apparatus. The monitor includes a piezoelectric transducer and associated circuitry which generates electronic digital signals during the periods when vibrations are experienced by the operative. Preferably, the plant or apparatus has a transmitter which transmits a code identifying the plant which is received by the monitor. Alternatively, the code may be entered manually. The monitor preferably includes a logger which can be connected to a host computer which data can be transferred over an external communications link. The logger includes a storage device for storing how long the operative is subjected to vibrations.

Abstract: A non-destructive method for characterizing a sputter target material comprises the steps of sequentially irradiating a test sample of the sputter target material with sonic energy at a plurality of positions on a surface of the sample; detecting echoes induced by the sonic energy; discriminating texture-related back-scattering noise from the echoes to obtain modified amplitude signals; comparing the modified amplitude signals with said at least one calibration value to detect flaw data points and no-flaw data points; counting the flaw data points to determine a flaw count; counting the total flaw data points and the no-flaw data points to determine a total number of data points and calculating a cleanliness factor.

Abstract: Apparatus for balancing a rotary object, such as a disc drive disc pack. A balance correction member is provided as a C-shaped ring formed from a length of wire of nominally uniform cross-sectional area. The member has a substantially elliptical shape in an uncompressed state. During installation, the amount of imbalance in the disc pack is measured and a member with an appropriate length is selected and compressed to a substantially circular shape. The compressed member is then placed adjacent the disc pack so that the member expands to compressingly engage an annular recess in the disc pack. The member is preferably installed using an automated dynamic balance correction station as part of a high volume disc drive manufacturing environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-destructive inspection is provided. An automatic couplant delivery system that delivers and maintains a constant water supply to a single path chamber located at a transducer head. Any couplant run-off is removed and reclaimed by vacuum recovery. A transducer holder block that supports two transducers is used, and mounts to a manifold and brush subassembly. A manifold and brush subassembly includes a manifold block, a couplant containment/removal block, and gimbal. The manifold and brush subassembly has three sets of brushes that define three chambers for water or vacuum. An innermost chamber sets the water path, the middle chamber may provide water or regulated vacuum, and the outer chamber provides full vacuum for water removal. Couplant flow rate and vacuum are selectable and can be adjusted by an operator during initial set up.

Abstract: A wheel balancer includes a method that provides a centering check for a wheel that is based on measuring wheel runout. The wheel is mounted on a spindle of the wheel balancer and runout measurements are taken. The wheel is remounted on the spindle and runout measurements are taken again. The wheel balancer has a processor that checks the differences in the runout measurements according to a predetermined threshold for proper centering. The wheel balancer can compensate for the difference in the runout measurements and can signal the user of the wheel balancer to remount the wheel.

Abstract: A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrator having a plurality of piezoelectric members stacked and polarized in directions opposing each other; at least one drive electrode formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to input a signal for exciting the vibrator; at least two detection electrodes formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to output a signal in accordance with vibration of the vibrator; and at least one reference electrode formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to be connected to a reference potential. The reference electrode is formed in a position opposing the drive electrodes and the detection electrodes.

Abstract: A simplified and smaller accelerometer-gyro is provided by combining gyro and accelerometer functions in a single sensor unit which has a pair of counter oscillating accelerometers each having a pendulum or sense element and a vibrating element. The pendulum and vibrating element of each accelerometer are designed to be symmetrical so that the center of mass for each accelerometer are on a line which is parallel to the dither motion of the unit. The geometry of these two pendulums is configured so that the centers of percussion of each is at the same point. Electrodes on the top and bottom cover of the sensor unit combine the pickoff and forcing function with the pendulum tuning function, thereby simplifying electrical connection. A pair of mounting tabs are fastened to the frame by respective compliant beams. The accelerometer-gyro may be mounted in an enclosure that maintains a pressure below atmospheric around the accelerometer-gyro.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain an acceleration sensor that can reliably detect acceleration when inclination of an inclining member is within a fixed range, and that can reduce unnecessary movement of relevant members when inclination of the inclining member is outside of the range, so that space efficiency in an inner portion is high. In the present invention, a gear of a fixed gear fixed at a seat cushion is formed in only a portion in the circumferential direction, and a portion at which the gear is not formed is a sliding surface. One of teeth among a plurality of teeth of a pinion of a revolving gear is short, to form a notched tooth portion. In a state in which the forward-collapsed angle of a seatback exceeds a predetermined angle, the notched tooth portion faces the sliding surface and the revolving gear body no longer rotates. At this time, since a bracket at which a sensor ball is mounted also does not rotate, the bracket is held at a fixed position relative to a frame plate.