Quartex, Inc.

Gary J Banik

Walter P Kistler

Errol P EerNisse

Jerome M Paros

A resonator force transducer assembly includes an elongate base element, a first arm disposed generally in parallel with a front portion of the base element, a first hinge joining the arm near a rear end thereof to the base element at about the middle thereof, an elongate resonator element such as a quartz crystal attached to the front ends of the arm and base element to extend therebetween, a second arm disposed generally in parallel with a rear portion of the base element, and a second hinge joining the second arm to the base element. A third hinge joins the front end of the second arm to the rear end of the first arm to form a type of compound lever arrangement so that when a force is applied to the second arm to urge it either toward or away from the base element, a portion of this force is transmitted via the third hinge to the first arm to urge it either away from or toward the base element to thereby stress the quartz resonator element. The force applied to the second arm can be measured by causing the quartz resonator element to vibrate and then taking measurements of the change in frequency with the application of force. To protect the quartz resonator element and the rest of the force transducer assembly from corrosive effects of the environment and from ambient perturbations which may introduce error in the force measurement, the entire assembly is disposed in a vacuum enclosure. The force to be measured is then transmitted to the second arm via a rod which is attached to the arm and which extends through an opening in the enclosure. A seal between the second arm and the opening in the enclosure is provided by bellows, and another bellows in opposing relationship is provided to compensate for the effect of atmospheric pressure on the second arm introduced through the first mentioned bellows.

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Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Gary J Banik