Micromechanical memory sensor

• Main Authors: VIJAYAKUMAR R DHULER, KENNETH G GOLDMAN, MEHRAN MEHREGANY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.01.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC SWITCHES; ELECTRICITY; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; MEASURING; MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICALDEVICES; MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RELAYS; SELECTORS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSPORTING

A micromechanical memory sensor. The sensor comprises a latch member mechanically latching upon detection of a threshold value of a variable condition and circuitry for detecting such latching. A sensor further includes a resetting mechanism for electrically unlatching the latch member whereby the sensor latched purely mechanically is electrically reset for repeat use.