Patent ID: 6928876

Claim:
A dual capacitance accelerometer having a signal generator comprising: a housing; a first flexure plate coupled to said housing and defining a first flex axis; a second flexure plate fixed within said housing spaced apart from said first flexure plate and defining a second flex axis in parallel relation to said first flex axis; and a fixed plate adjacent to and in substantially parallel relation to said first and second flexure plates, said fixed plate coupled to said housing, said fixed plate and said first flexure plate defining a first distance and said fixed plate and said second flexure plate defining a second distance, wherein said first and second distances vary in response to acceleration forces acting upon said first flexure plate and said second flexure plate, and wherein a first phase shift capacitance signal is generated as a function of signals from the signal generator and from said first flexure plate and said fixed plate, and a second phase shift capacitance signal is generated as a function of signals from the signal generator and from said second flexure plate and said fixed plate.