Patent ID: 7707873
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: B82Y,G01Q

Abstract:
1. A multidirectional force sensor for a probe based instrument, the force sensor comprising: a detection surface; a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface, wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance; a probe tip positioned on the flexible mechanical structure; at least one bottom electrode contacting the detection surface; two spaced apart top electrodes contacting the flexible mechanical structure, wherein the at least one bottom electrode and the two spaced apart top electrodes are configured to selectively actuate the flexible mechanical structure and correspondingly generate multi-directional probe tip motion; and a detector configured to detect a deflection of the flexible mechanical structure and thereby detect multidirectional tip motion, wherein the multi-directional probe tip motion includes vertical, lateral, orbital, angularly lateral, and angularly orbital.