Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Murata Electronics Oy

Ville-Pekka Rytkönen

Anssi Blomqvist

Matti Liukku

Heikki T Kuisma

Hannu Vesterinen

Antti Iihola

Altti Torkkeli

Yoshitaka Kato

Leif Roschier

Tommi Piirainen

Mikko Partanen

Akira Konno

Teppo Syrjänen

Ville Ahtee

Reijo Rautakoski

Matii Liukku

An accelerometer comprising a first proof mass and a second proof mass which are coupled to each other with a coupling structure which extends from the first proof mass to the second proof mass. The coupling structure synchronizes the movement of the first and second proof masses so that the first and second proof masses may be linearly displaced from their rest position in the x-direction, rotationally displaced in opposite in-plane directions and rotationally displaced in opposite out-of-plane directions.

Three-axis accelerometer with two masses

A microelectromechanical accelerometer is provided that includes one or more proof masses. The accelerometer also includes four sets of stator combs that form a set of four measurement capacitors together with rotor combs. Some rotor combs have a positive offset in a direction in the device plane in relation to stator, while others have a negative offset. Some rotor combs have a negative offset in a direction perpendicular to the device plane in relation to stator combs. Moreover, some stator combs have a negative offset in the direction perpendicular to the device plane in relation to rotor combs.

In-plane and out-of-plane accelerometer

The invention relates to the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes. The MEMS gyroscope of the present invention drives oscillation of at least one proof mass in a primary drive mode at a first frequency and in a secondary drive mode at a second frequency, different to the first frequency. The primary drive mode and secondary drive mode are orthogonal. Sense circuitry measures oscillation of the at least one proof mass in a sense mode, which is orthogonal to the primary drive mode and the secondary drive mode, in order to determine the angular rate of rotation of the MEMS gyroscope about sense axes parallel to the movement of the at least one proof mass in the primary and secondary drive modes.

MEMS gyroscope

An electronic component is provided that includes a package base and a metallic cap. The metallic cap separates the enclosure into at least a first compartment and a second compartment. An electronic chip is in the first compartment, and the metallic cap separates the enclosure into the first and second compartments with its shape which forms a separator which extends from the ceiling of the first compartment toward the mounting plane of the electronic chip.

Electronic component with internal shielding

A microelectromechanical accelerometer for measuring acceleration, comprising a first proof mass and ae second proof mass. The first proof mass is adjacent to the second proof mass. A suspension structure allows the first proof mass to undergo rotation out of the device plane about a first rotation axis and the suspension structure allows the second proof mass to undergo rotation out of the device plane about a second rotation axis. The first and second rotation axes are parallel to each other and define an x-direction which is parallel to the first and the second rotation axes and a y-direction which is perpendicular to the x-direction. The y-coordinate of the first rotation axis is greater than the y-coordinate of the second rotation axis by a nonzero distance D.

Seesaw accelerometer

An accelerometer for measuring acceleration in the direction of a z-axis which is perpendicular to an xy-plane, where a first proof mass is suspended from a first side anchor point with a first suspension structure which allows the first proof mass to undergo rotation about a first rotation axis. A second proof mass is suspended from a second side anchor point with a second suspension structure. The second suspension structure allows the second proof mass to undergo rotation about a second rotation axis. The torsion elements in the first and second suspension structure lie further away from the center of the accelerometer than the corresponding side anchor points from which the masses are suspended.

Accelerometer with two seesaws

A microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising first, second, third and fourth Coriolis masses, arranged in that order on an x-axis. In the primary oscillation mode, the Coriolis masses are configured to oscillate so that the second and third Coriolis masses move in linear translation along the x-axis away from a center point when the first and fourth Coriolis masses move in linear translation along the x-axis towards the first center point, and vice versa. When the gyroscope undergoes rotation about a y-axis which is perpendicular to the x-axis, the Coriolis masses are configured to oscillate so that the first, second, third and fourth Coriolis masses undergo vertical motion in a z-direction, wherein the first and third Coriolis masses move up when the second and fourth Coriolis masses move down, and vice versa.

Gyroscope with mass pairs

A capacitive microelectromechanical acceleration sensor where one or more rotor measurement plates and one or more stator measurement plates are configured so that the movement of a proof mass in the direction of a sense axis can be measured in a capacitive measurement conducted between them. One or more first rotor damping plates and one or more first stator damping plates form a first set of parallel plates which are orthogonal to a first damping axis, and the first damping axis is substantially orthogonal to the sense axis.

Vibration damping in MEMS acceleration sensors

The present invention relates to capacitive micromechanical accelerometers, and in particular to acceleration sensors with movable rotors which may rotate out of a substrate plane when the accelerometer undergoes movement with an acceleration component perpendicular to the substrate plane. The capacitive micromechanical accelerometer includes additional damping springs to reduce unwanted movement of the rotor in the substrate plane, thereby reducing the parasitic capacitance that results from motion of the rotor in the substrate plane. The damping springs are vertically recessed with respect to other components of the accelerometer in order to minimise the effect of the damping springs on movement of the rotor out of the substrate plane.

Capacitive micromechanical accelerometer

A gyroscope comprises four Coriolis masses arranged around a center point where a lateral axis crosses a transversal axis orthogonally in the device plane. The first and second masses are aligned on the lateral axis, and the third and fourth masses are aligned on the transversal axis. The gyroscope further comprises four pairs of elongated mass elements. The mass elements of the first pair are transversally aligned on opposite sides of the lateral axis outside of the first mass. The mass elements of the second pair are transversally aligned on opposite sides of the lateral axis outside of the second mass. The mass elements of the third pair are laterally aligned on opposite sides of the first transversal axis outside of the third mass. The mass elements of the fourth pair are laterally aligned on opposite sides of the first transversal axis outside of the fourth mass.

Gyroscope with peripheral detection

A gyroscope with a first Coriolis mass quartet and a second Coriolis mass quartet arranged around two quartet center points, and two elongated mass elements or synchronization bars aligned with each other outside of each Coriolis mass. One end of each elongated mass element and synchronization bar is attached to the corresponding Coriolis mass. Each elongated mass element is suspended from a peripheral anchor point by a mass element suspension arrangement which allows said elongated mass element to undergo rotational motion both in the device plane and out of the device plane. Each elongated synchronization bar is suspended from a peripheral anchor point by a synchronization bar suspension arrangement which allows said elongated synchronization bar to undergo rotational motion both in the device plane and out of the device plane substantially around its midpoint.

Multiaxis gyroscope with supplementary masses

The present invention provides a high-accuracy low-noise MEMS accelerometer by using at least two symmetric out-of-plane proof masses for both out-of-plane and in-plane axes. Movement of the proof masses in one or more in-plane sense axes is measured by comb capacitors with mirrored comb electrodes that minimise cross-axis error from in-plane movement of the proof mass out of the sense axis of the capacitor. The two out-of-plane proof masses rotate in opposite directions, thus maintaining their combined centre of mass at the centre of the accelerometer even as they rotate out of plane.

Low-noise multi-axis MEMS accelerometer

This disclosure describes a multiaxis gyroscope comprising a first proof mass quartet centered around a first quartet center point and a second proof mass quartet centered around a second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of each proof mass in the first proof mass quartet in relation to the first quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the corresponding proof mass in the second proof mass quartet in relation to the second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of the first and second proof masses in each proof mass quartet in relation to the corresponding quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the third and fourth proof masses in the same proof mass quartet in relation to the same quartet center point.

Vibration-robust multiaxis gyroscope

The present invention provides a high-accuracy low-noise MEMS accelerometer by using a larger, single proof mass to measure acceleration along two orthogonal axes. A novel arrangement of electrodes passively prevents cross axis error in the acceleration measurements. Novel arrangements of springs and a novel proof mass layout provide further noise reduction.

Growing community of inventors

Klaukkala, Finland

Ville-Pekka Rytkönen