The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 25, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2009
Douglas Ray Sparks, Whitmore Lake, MI (US);
Michael W. Putty, Grosse Point Woods, MI (US);
Richard Thayre Smith, Saline, MI (US);
Nader Najafi, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Douglas Ray Sparks, Whitmore Lake, MI (US);
Michael W. Putty, Grosse Point Woods, MI (US);
Richard Thayre Smith, Saline, MI (US);
Nader Najafi, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Integrated Sensing Systems Inc., Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Abstract
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device and a method for operating the device to determine at least one property of a fluid. The device includes a base on a substrate and a tube structure extending from the base and spaced apart from a surface of the substrate. The tube structure includes at least one tube portion and more preferably at least a pair of parallel tube portions substantially lying in a plane, at least one continuous internal passage defined at least in part within the parallel tube portions, and an inlet and outlet of the internal passage fluidically connected to the base. A drive element is operable to induce vibrational movement in the tube structure in a plane of the tube structure and induce resonant vibrational movements in the tube portions. A sensing element senses the deflections of the tube portions when the tube structure is vibrated with the drive element.