Inertial Sensor Lid Mounting for Resonance-Stable Mechanics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inertial sensors, such as MEMS sensors, are adversely affected by resonant mechanical modes, stress, and misalignment due to supporting structures that shift over temperature and aging, exacerbated by circuit boards made of composite materials that introduce additional error sources.
Innovation Solution
A sensor lid is mechanically coupled to a support structure, eliminating the need for a printed circuit board and creating a stiffer assembly that pushes mechanical modes to higher frequencies, thereby reducing sensor errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a sensor is soldered to a circuit board and then screwed/bolted to a supporting structure, then the sensor can be mounted and connected, but multiple mechanical interfaces and resonant modes are created that negatively interact with the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor lid with the support structure by directly attaching the sensor lid to the support structure, eliminating the intermediate circuit board and multiple mechanical interfaces. This integration reduces the number of components and interfaces that can create resonant modes, thereby improving sensor reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the circuit board from the sensor mounting assembly. By taking out the circuit board intermediate layer, the design eliminates the multiple mechanical interfaces (soldering + screwing/bolting) that were creating harmful resonant modes, directly connecting the sensor lid to the support structure instead.
2Ease of manufacture
If a circuit board made of composite materials is used to mount the sensor, then the sensor can be connected electrically and mechanically, but the composite materials are not mechanically stable and introduce extra error sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the unstable composite circuit board from the mounting structure. By eliminating this intermediate component, the design achieves direct mechanical connection between the sensor lid and the stable support structure, removing the source of mechanical instability and measurement errors while simplifying the connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent promotes homogeneity by using a uniform, mechanically stable support structure material throughout the mounting assembly, replacing the heterogeneous composite circuit board. This homogeneous construction ensures consistent mechanical properties and eliminates the instability issues associated with composite materials.
3Ease of operation
If traditional mounting methods with multiple interfaces are used, then the sensor can be installed, but resonant mechanical modes are created that negatively interact with the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor lid directly with the support structure through direct attachment, eliminating the multiple separate mounting interfaces (soldering + mechanical fastening). This consolidation reduces the number of potential resonant modes while maintaining ease of installation through a simplified single-step attachment process.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor assembly comprises a case structure, a support structure having a plurality of surfaces and located within the case structure, and at least one sensor package having a sensor lid. The sensor lid is mechanically coupled to one of the surfaces of the support structure. At least one sensor board is connected to the at least one sensor package. At least one isolator structure is coupled between at least one of the surfaces of the support structure and the case structure.