Patent ID: 6892576
Filing Date: 2005-05-17
Classification: B81B,G01P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An accelerometer comprising: a substrate; a mass having an outer periphery, a cavity defining an inner periphery, and a plurality of elongated fingers along a portion of the inner periphery; mass support structures, positioned within the inner periphery and affixed to the substrate by at least one anchor positioned proximate to the mass' center of mass, for supporting the mass above the substrate and allowing movement of the mass relative to the substrate along at least one linear axis, and a plurality of elongated sensing fingers for sensing movement of the mass fingers relative to the sensing fingers, the sensing fingers positioned substantially alongside the mass fingers within the inner periphery and affixed to the substrate proximate to the at least one anchor such that mechanical stresses cause the mass fingers and the sensing fingers to move in substantially equal ways.