Quotables
"That the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced."
Scientific American ; Jan. 2 edition, 1909
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7757555 | Tri-axis accelerometer having a single proof mass and fully differential output signals A tri-axis accelerometer includes a proof mass, at least four anchor points arranged in at least two opposite pairs, a first pair of anchor points being arranged opposite one another along a first axis, a second pair of anchor points being arranged opposite one anot... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7347101 | Measuring strain in a structure using a sensor having an electromagnetic resonator The system (10) comprises a sensor (18) 90×90×90×30 mm as an electromagnetic microwave cavity (20) with a coupler (22) with a wire (40) and an antenna (42). Cavity (20) produces a response signal (26) in res... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7331229 | Magnetic null accelerometer An accelerometer system includes a capacitor plate fixed within a housing and a flexure plate positioned substantially parallel to the capacitor plate a distance therefrom. The distance varies in response to acceleration forces acting upon the flexure plate such tha... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7322236 | Process for manufacturing a triaxial piezoresistive accelerometer and relative pressure-monitoring device A manufacturing process of a semiconductor piezoresistive accelerometer includes the steps of: providing a wafer of semiconductor material; providing a membrane in the wafer over a cavity; rigidly coupling an inertial mass to the membrane; and providing, in the wafe... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7274079 | Sensor design and process An accelerometer (305) for measuring seismic data. The accelerometer (305) includes an integrated vent hole for use during a vacuum sealing process and a balanced metal pattern for reducing cap wafer bowing. The accelerometer (305) also includes... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7271459 | Physical quantity sensor A physical quantity sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate; a cavity disposed in the substrate and extending in a horizontal direction of the substrate; a groove disposed on the substrate and reaching the cavity; a movable portion separated by the cavity and the... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7268646 | Temperature controlled MEMS resonator and method for controlling resonator frequency There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a temperature compensated microelectromechanical resonator as well as fabricating, manufacturing, providing and/or controlling microelectromechanical reso... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7256588 | Capacitive sensor and method for non-contacting gap and dielectric medium measurement A method for non-contact measurement of a displacement between a surface and a capacitive sensor comprised of at least two superimposed conductive plates electrically insulated one from the other and a sensor circuit coupled to the plates including: positioning the ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7234364 | Angular rate sensor having circuit board and package An angular rate sensor includes: a circuit board; a package including an angular rate sensor chip and a connection terminal; and a conductive member. The angular rate sensor chip is accommodated in the package. The package is disposed on the circuit board through th... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7228739 | Precision flexure plate A precision flexure plate includes a flat disk positioned between two capacitor plates and supported by S-shaped beams. Deflection of the disk due to gravitational loads and resulting capacitance change is used to measure the accelerations in the direction perpendic... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7185542 | Complex microdevices and apparatus and methods for fabricating such devices Various embodiments of the invention are directed to various microdevices including sensors, actuators, valves, scanning mirrors, accelerometers, switches, and the like. In some embodiments the devices are formed via electrochemical fabrication (EFAB™) ... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7100448 | Accelerometer An accelerometer includes: a sensor chip including a weight portion for detecting a force imparted from outside, a frame portion that surrounds the weight portion, a beam portion that is deflectable and flexibly supports the weight portion, and a sensor element whos... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7077007 | Deep reactive ion etching process and microelectromechanical devices formed thereby A process for forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device by a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process during which a substrate overlying a cavity is etched to form trenches that breach the cavity to delineate suspended structures. A first general feature... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7068125 | Temperature controlled MEMS resonator and method for controlling resonator frequency There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a temperature compensated microelectromechanical resonator as well as fabricating, manufacturing, providing and/or controlling microelectromechanical reso... | 06/27/2006 |
| 6981414 | Coupled micromachined structure A suspended, coupled micromachined structure including two proof masses and multiple support arms configured to suspend the masses above a substrate and a coupling spring element having two ends. Each end of the coupling spring element may be attached to a proof mas... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6945110 | Sensor design and process An accelerometer (305) for measuring seismic data. The accelerometer (305) includes an integrated vent hole for use during a vacuum sealing process and a balanced metal pattern for reducing cap wafer bowing. The accelerometer (305) also includes... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6930487 | Method for electronic damping of electrostatic positioners Electronic damping may be provided to an electrostatic positioner by developing a signal proportional to the velocity of the movable positioner plate and then changing the voltage applied to the positioner in proportion to this velocity signal to oppose the velocity... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6928875 | Dual microwave cavity accelerometer A system and method for compensating for gradients in a dual cavity device such as but not limited to an accelerometer. A first source drives a first cavity at least two different modes, at least one mode varying with changes in cavity length. A second source drives... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6923062 | Sensor For a sensor whose sensor structure is implemented in a micromechanical structural component and which has parts which are movable in relation to the stationary substrate of the structural component, and which also includes an unsupported a seismic mass, a spring sy... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6805008 | Accelerometer with folded beams Disclosed is an accelerometer for measuring seismic data. The accelerometer includes a proof mass that is resiliently coupled to a support structure by folded beams, S-shaped balanced beams, straight beams, and/or folded beams with resonance damping. The support str... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6776042 | Micro-machined accelerometer The present invention is a seismometer/velocimeter, and can be also made to function as an accelerometer. The invention comprises an in-plane suspension geometry combined with a transverse periodic-sensing-array position transducer. The invention can incorporate a f... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6750775 | Integrated sensor having plurality of released beams for sensing acceleration and associated methods An integrated circuit and method are provided for sensing activity such as acceleration in a predetermined direction of movement. The integrated released beam sensor preferably includes a switch detecting circuit region and a sensor switching region connected to and... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6722197 | Coupled micromachined structure A suspended, coupled micromachined structure including two proof masses and multiple support arms configured to suspend the masses above a substrate and a coupling spring element having two ends. Each end of the coupling spring element may be attached to a proof mas... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6450031 | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor A semiconductor physical quantity sensor from which a stable sensor output can be obtained even when the usage environment changes. A silicon thin film is disposed on an insulating film on a supporting substrate, and a bridge structure having a weight par... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6291908 | Micro-miniature switch apparatus A micro-miniature switch apparatus (10) includes a substrate (12) having a surface (14) with first and second channels (16, 18) extending from the surface (14) into the substrate (12). The first and second channels (16, 18) are spaced apart from each othe... | 09/18/2001 |
| 5987989 | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor A semiconductor physical quantity sensor includes a substrate and a beam structure having movable electrodes and spacing a given distance from an upper surface of the substrate. First fixed electrodes and second fixed electrodes are fixedly provided on th... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5969250 | Micromechanical accelerometer having a peripherally suspended proof mass A monolithic, micromechanical vibrating beam accelerometer with a trimmable resonant frequency is fabricated from a silicon substrate which has been selectively etched to provide a resonant structure suspended over an etched pit. The resonant structure co... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5936294 | Optical semiconductor component and method of fabrication An optical semiconductor component (10) includes a substrate (11) having a surface (12), a photodetector (13) supported by the substrate (11), and a seismic mass (21) overlying the surface (12) of the substrate (11) and overlying a portion of the photodet... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5852242 | Apparatus with mechanical and electric springs and method for its manufacture Apparatus for measuring a characteristic of motion and methods for its manufacture are disclosed in which a sensor structure includes a support structure, and a mass suspended from such support structure by a spring connecting arrangement and electrical d... | 12/22/1998 |
| 5848206 | Device for compensating deformations of a part of an optomechanical or micromechanical system Device for compensating deformations of a part of an optomechanical or micromechanical system. This device compensates deformations, in a first direction (z), of a mobile part (26) of an apparatus, e.g. of a micromechanical and optomechanical nature, said... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5814727 | Semiconductor accelerometer having reduced sensor plate flexure A semiconductor accelerometer is formed with a sensor plate that remains substantially planar when acceleration forces are applied. The sensor plate is supported by support beams that are attached to the sensor plate at constraint points. A portion of the... | 09/29/1998 |
| 5777226 | Sensor structure with L-shaped spring legs A sensor structure (10) has a central mass (16) mounted within a support structure comprising an outer frame (18) with upper and lower covers (12, 14). Eight L-shaped or elbow-shaped ribbon springs are fit about the corners (28) of the mass (16) to allow ... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5693883 | Electromagnetic accelerometer An electromagnetic accelerometer includes a moving mass suspended to a peripheral frame and associated with stress gauges forming sensors for detecting the displacement of the moving mass which supports a coil, and a permanent magnet which is associated w... | 12/02/1997 |
| 5652384 | Sensor structure with L-shaped spring legs A sensor structure (10) has a central mass (16) mounted within a support structure comprising an outer support frame (18), and upper and lower plates or covers (12, 14). Eight L-shaped ribbon springs (32, 34) fit about the corners (28) of the mass (16) to... | 07/29/1997 |
| 5635739 | Micromechanical angular accelerometer with auxiliary linear accelerometer A micromechanical accelerometer comprises a mass of monocrystalline silicon in which a substantially symmetrical plate attached to a silicon frame by flexible linkages is produced by selective etching. The plate has a plurality of apertures patterned and ... | 06/03/1997 |
| 5563343 | Microelectromechanical lateral accelerometer A microelectromechanical accelerometer having submicron features is fabricated from a single crystal silicon substrate. The accelerometer includes a movable portion incorporating an axial beam carrying laterally-extending high aspect ratio released finger... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5563344 | Dual element electron tunneling accelerometer The use of a dual element approach provides high resolution position sensors based on electron tunneling. This approach allows miniaturization while utilizing the position sensitivity of electron tunneling to give high resolution. The dual-element tunneli... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5487305 | Three axes accelerometer A three axis accelerometer includes a semiconductor substrate with a plurality of layers of conductive material formed thereon by semiconductor manufacturing techniques, with each layer defining a plane and mounted in parallel spaced relation to each othe... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5261278 | Microwave acceleration transducer A microwave resonant cavity contains a dielectric resonator whose normal RF electromagnetic modes are varied by displacement of a probe. Acceleration of the cavity displaces the probe. The acceleration vector or displacement vector is determined by the va... | 11/16/1993 |
| 5253527 | Torque Balancer A torque balancer used in inclinometers, angular accelerometers or the like includes a magnet, a yoke, a movable coil, a weight, a relative declination detector and a feedback apparatus to hold the movable coil always in a reference position. The magnet i... | 10/19/1993 |
