Microaccelerometer package with integral support braces

Abstract

A microaccelerometer package is provided for housing a microaccelerometer and its associated signal conditioning circuitry. The microaccelerometer package is constructed to be suitably rugged for use in on-board automotive safety control and navigational systems, so as to be capable of isolating the microaccelerometer from extraneous vibrations and package-induced stresses, yet also be small, lightweight, and amenable to mass production techniques. To achieve the above, the microaccelerometer package employs a leadframe which is initially a one-piece strip frame that is integrally molded with a plastic housing to form the primary structure of the package. The leadframe enhances the rigidity of the package so as to result in a high natural frequency of the package, thereby enabling the microaccelerometer to properly respond to the frequency range of interest, while also minimizing the influence of extraneous road and vehicle vibrations on the microaccelerometer. Use of the leadframe also results in a compact microaccelerometer package that imposes minimal package-induced stresses on the microaccelerometer. As a result, a more reliable signal output is provided by the microaccelerometer for indicating an automobile's acceleration or deceleration.