Angle and angular acceleration sensors

摘要

Angle and angular acceleration sensors are fabricated as a layered sandwich structure having a central sensing plate, left and right insulating spacers positioned outside the sensing plate, left and right driver plates positioned outside the insulating spacers, and left and right molded plastic housing shells positioned outside the driver plates for sealing the sensor structure. In an angle sensor embodiment of the invention, the sensing plate includes a peripheral frame and a central plate area mechanically connected to one side of the peripheral frame by way of a pair of beams that serve as a hinge to allow the central plate area of the sensing plate to rotate toward and away from the driver plates sandwiched on either side thereof. In an angular acceleration sensor embodiment of the invention, the sensing plate includes a peripheral frame and a central plate area divided into upper and lower halves, each of which is mechanically connected to the frame by way of a pair of beams that extend inwardly from two opposite sides of the frame and that similarly serve as a hinge to allow the upper and lower halves of the central plate to rotate toward and away from the adjacent driver plates.