Three-dimensional accelerometer device

Claim 1

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ACCELEROMETER DEVICE FOR MEASURING ACCELERATION AT A POINT ON AN OBJECT COMPRISING A COMMON SUPPORT MEMBER, THREE THIN, SMALL ELONGATED RECTANGULAR PIEZORESISTIVE TRANSDUCER ELEMENTS EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY IN THREE DIRECTIONS ORTHOGONAL TO EACH OTHER AND SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID COMMON SUPPORT MEMBER TO FORM A UNITARY STRUCTURE WITH THE MAIN FACES OF SAID ELEMENTS PERPENDICULAR TO EACH OTHER AND WITH THREE ELONGATED AXES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ELEMENTS PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXES THEREOF AT POSITIONS LYING NO FARTHER FROM THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXES THEREOF THAN THE LONGITUDINAL EDGE SURFACES OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID ELONGATED AXES INTERSECTING EACH OTHER SUBSTANTIALLY AT A COMMON POINT ADJACENT THE FIXED ENDS OF THE ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID PIEZORESISTIVE ELEMENTS BEING ESSENTIALLY RESPONSIVE TO A COMPONENT OF AN ACCELERATION APPLIED TO THE DEVICE IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE MAIN FACE OF THE ELEMENT TO CHANGE AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE SAME IN PROPORTION TO THE MAGNITUDE OF SAID COMPONENT OF THE ACCELERATION, AND A SET OF ELECTRICAL LEADS CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID PIEZORESISTIVE ELEMENTS, SAID COMMON SUPPORT MEMBER SERVING TO MOUNT THE DEVICE TO AN OBJECT TO BE MEASURED WITH SAID COMMON POINT ADJACENT THE POINT AT WHICH ACCELERATION IS TO BE MEASURED.