A resonant sensor includes a proof body that can be subjected to a torque of forces produced by an external mechanical structure, the body comprising at least: a first interface and a second interface that can each come into contact with the structure; at least two sensitive elements each arranged between these two interfaces; a sensitive element comprising a plate embedded in a frame secured mechanically to the interfaces, the frame being fixed to the interfaces by two opposite corners, the other two corners being free, a local increase in weight being produced in each corner; each plate being able to resonate under the effect of local mechanical excitations produced at particular points by excitation transducers bearing the plate at several resonant frequencies, sensors picking up the resonant signals produced at the particular points, measurement means measuring the resonant frequency shifts of signals which are linear combinations of the resonant signals picked up, the shifts being a function of mechanical stresses induced by the forces and transmitted to the plate by the frame, the components of the torque of forces being determined from the resonant frequency shifts measured on the plates of the sensitive elements.

The disclosure provides a piezoelectric sensor including a connector and a charge output element. The connector includes a connector housing and a conductive terminal interposed inside the connector housing. The connector housing and the conductive terminal are connected by a first insulating layer. The charge output element includes a base including opposite axially top and bottom ends. A first recess is provided at the top end of the base. A connecting member is disposed inside the first recess along an axial direction of the first recess. A piezoelectric element, a mass block and a fastener are sequentially sleeved on the connecting member. The base includes a second recess formed by recessing an outer peripheral surface of the base toward an interior of the base. The connector is connected to an inner wall of the second recess. A recessed direction of the second recess intersects the axial direction of the base.

The present disclosure relates to a measuring device (42, 43) for measuring forces and/or torques between a motorized vehicle (1) and a trailer or attachment which is towed or pushed thereby, wherein the measuring device (42, 43) has at least three sensor elements (22, 34) which are arranged on a carrier (20, 31), transversely with respect to a virtual longitudinal axis of the motorized vehicle (1) and spaced apart from one another, wherein the measuring device (42, 43) is arranged in a coupling region between the motorized vehicle (1) and the pulled or pushed trailer or attachment, and wherein, in order to transmit their measured values, the sensor elements (22, 34) are connected to an evaluation device (40), which is configured to convert these measured values into signals for force displays and/or torque displays according to magnitude and direction.

A measuring device (60) is configured for measuring forces or torques between a motorized vehicle (1) and a trailer or attachment which is towed or pushed thereby. The measuring device (60) has at least three sensor elements (79, 80) arranged on a carrier (71), transversely with respect to a virtual longitudinal axis of the motorized vehicle (1) and spaced apart from one another. The measuring device (60) is arranged in a coupling region between the motorized vehicle (1) and the pulled or pushed trailer or attachment. In order to transmit their measured values, the sensor elements (79, 80) are connected to an evaluation device (40), which is configured to convert these measured values into signals for force displays and/or torque displays according to magnitude and direction.

A vibrating beam accelerometer (VBA) with an in-plane translational proof mass that may include at least two or more resonators and be built with planar geometry, discrete lever arms, four-fold symmetry and a single primary mechanical anchor between the support base and the VBA. In some examples, the VBA of this disclosure may be built according to a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication process. Use of a single primary mechanical anchor may minimize bias errors that can be caused by external mechanical forces applied to the circuit board, package, and/or substrate that contains the accelerometer mechanism.

A method for determining sensor parameters of an actively-driven sensor system may include obtaining as few as three samples of a measured physical quantity versus frequency for the actively-driven sensor system, performing a refinement operation to provide a refined version of the sensor parameters based on the as few as three samples and based on a linear model of an asymmetry between slopes of the measured physical quantity versus frequency between pairs of the as few as three samples, iteratively repeating the refinement operation until the difference between successive refined versions of the sensor parameters is below a defined threshold, and outputting the refined sensor parameters as updated sensor parameters for the actively-driven sensor system.

A physical quantity detecting device includes a vibrating element and a charge amplifier. The vibrating element includes a first detection electrode, a second detection electrode, a third detection electrode, and a fourth detection electrode. The first and fourth detection electrodes have the same electrical polarity, the second and third detection electrodes have the same electrical polarity, and the first and second detection electrodes have opposite electrical polarities. The first and fourth detection electrodes are connected to the charge amplifier, and the second and third detection electrodes are connected to the charge amplifier.

A measurement transducer for simultaneously measuring a force that can be both dynamic and static includes at least one piezoelectric transducer element having element surfaces on which the force generates electrical polarization charges proportional to a magnitude of the force. The measurement transducer includes a resonator element which can be excited to at least one resonance frequency and undergoes a transverse expansion from the action of the force in a transverse direction to the force. The magnitude of the transverse expansion is proportional to the magnitude of the force and causes in the resonance frequency a change that is a function of the force.

Provided are a resonator, a method of manufacturing the resonator, and a strain sensor and a sensor array including the resonator. The resonator is provided to extend in a lengthwise direction from a support. The resonator includes a single crystal material and is provided to extend in a crystal orientation that satisfies at least one from among a Young's modulus and a Poisson's ratio, from among crystal orientations of the single crystal material.

A piezoelectric sensor assembly for measuring a force quantity on a structure includes at least one piezoelectric sensor, each including an element and two electrodes each projecting outward from the element. An electronic processor of the assembly is configured to receive data from the sensor, wherein the data includes a voltage with a magnitude that is indicative of a dynamic load (i.e., amplitude modulation mode) placed upon the structure. The processor may be configured to interrogate the piezoelectric sensor for its resonant frequency change which is indicative of the load applied to the structure at low operation frequency and to which the piezoelectric sensor would not otherwise respond well. The dual mode operation of the piezoelectric sensor extends the frequency range of the strain measurement from the dynamic range to static or quasi-static range.