Patent ID: 8792981

Claim:
An omnidirectional accelerometer device comprising: a piezoelectric sensor element comprising a mass-supporting platform and a plurality of mass-supporting arms for a plurality of electrically distinct sensor electrodes, each of the mass-supporting arms extending from a central bore defined in the mass-supporting platform, and each of the mass-supporting arms having one of the sensor electrodes formed thereon; a connecting rod having a mounting end, a mass end, and a longitudinal length defined between the mounting end and the mass end, the mounting end being coupled to the mass-supporting platform such that the connecting rod passes through the central bore; a conductive offset block coupled to a perimeter of the mass supporting platform of the piezoelectric sensor element so as to be positioned between the piezoelectric sensor element and a circuit board, the offset block sized such that the mounting end of the connecting rod is spaced apart from the circuit board; and a proof mass coupled to the mass end of the connecting rod, wherein acceleration of the proof mass causes deflection of the mass-supporting arms, which generates distinct sensor signals at the sensor electrodes; wherein: the longitudinal length of the connecting rod is tuned in accordance with a predetermined parallel acceleration sensitivity for the omnidirectional accelerometer device; each of the sensor electrodes has a longitudinal sensor length along its respective mass-supporting arm; and the longitudinal sensor length is tuned in accordance with a predetermined perpendicular acceleration sensitivity for the omnidirectional accelerometer device.