Robert Boschgmbh

First Sensor Ag

Andreas Niendorf

Wilhelm Frey

Zhiyu Pan

Karsten Funk

Oleg Grudin

The present disclosure provides thermal gas property sensors and compensated differential pressure sensors, as well as methods for measuring a physical property of a gas and methods for compensating differential pressure sensors. A reference overpressure of a gas is generated in a cavity. Based on the flow of the gas from the cavity through a channel, properties of the gas are identified.

Thermal gas property sensor

An arrangement for use with a micro-mechanical beam, in which a plurality of support structures are configured to directly attach to the micro-mechanical beam to increase bending stiffness of the micro-mechanical beam without significantly influencing torsional stiffness. At least two of the support structures are arranged to touch each upon reaching a predetermined bending action of the micro-mechanical beam and prevent a further bending action of the micro-mechanical beam, and at least two of the support structures are non-identical.

Micro-mechanical beam protective support structures wherein at least two adjacent support structures touch each other upon reaching a predetermined bending action

An arrangement for a micro-mechanical beam includes a support structure to provide an increase in bending stiffness of the micro-mechanical beam without significantly influencing torsional stiffness, where the support structure is configured to directly attach to the micro-mechanical beam.

Apparatus, method and system for providing enhanced mechanical protection for thin beams

A sensor arrangement for measuring a displacement of a proof mass using a tunneling current includes a proof mass body suspended by micro-mechanical beams to permit a mass body movement, at least one integrated electrode tip arranged to be integrated with the proof mass body, and at least one external electrode tip arranged externally to the proof mass body and suspended by micro-mechanical beams to permit an external electrode movement, the at least one external electrode tip further arranged to be in a close proximity to the at least one integrated electrode tip to permit a flow of the tunneling current between the at least one external electrode tip and the at least one integrated electrode tip, in which the displacement of the proof mass causes a change in the tunneling current.

Differential in-plane tunneling current sensor

A device for levitating a disk including three bottom electrodes situated below the disk and equidistantly around a top circle and three top electrodes situated above the disk, opposite the three bottom electrodes, and situated equidistantly around a bottom circle. Two bottom reference electrodes are situated below the disk, a first bottom reference electrode forming a bottom inner circle on a bottom inner perimeter of the set of three bottom electrodes, a second bottom reference electrode forming a bottom outer circle on a bottom outer perimeter of the set of three bottom electrodes. Two top reference electrodes are situated above the disk, a first top reference electrode forming a top inner circle on a top inner perimeter of the set of three top electrodes, a second top reference electrode forming a top outer circle on a top outer perimeter of the set of three top electrodes. A drive circuit for driving the three bottom electrodes, the three top electrodes, the two bottom reference electrodes, and the two top reference electrodes. A method of levitating a disk includes applying a first plurality of voltages to three bottom electrodes situated below the disk. A second plurality of voltages is applied to three top electrodes situated above the disk and opposite the three bottom electrodes. A third plurality of voltages is applied to two bottom reference electrodes situated below the disk. A fourth plurality of voltages is applied to two top reference electrodes situated above the disk. A fifth plurality of voltages may be applied to side electrodes to rotate the disk.

Device and method for electrostatically levitating a disk and method for using an electrostatic levitated disk as a sensor

A micromirror ( ), a micro-oscillating mirror in particular, having an at least largely cantilevered mirror surface ( ) which may be displaced from the rest position about at least one torsional axis ( ) is described. The mirror surface ( ) is linked to at least one support body ( ) by at least two torsion beams ( &prime;), which are arranged at least approximately parallel to each other. Also described is the displacement of the micrometer from its rest position by an electrostatic or magnetic interaction.

Micromirror

A vibrating microdevice, such as a vibrating micromirror, includes a vibrating structure which is connected to a supporting body via at least one spring structure in an at least a largely floating manner, the spring structure including at least one torsion-spring element defining a torsion axis and permitting a torsional vibration about the torsion axis to be induced in the vibrating structure, the spring structure also including at least one converter structure, which at least partially converts forces acting at least largely perpendicularly to the torsion axis on the torsion spring element into forces acting at least partially parallelly to the torsion axis on the torsion-spring element.

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, Germany

Andreas Niendorf