Sub g threshold acceleration sensor incorporating latched bistable beam

We present a concept and a theoretical feasibility study of a sub g threshold inertial micro sensor, which incorporates a curved bistable beam as a suspension element. For certain range of geometric parameters such a beam can exhibit lathing, namely remain in its switched configuration at zero actuating force. Since the device can be released from its latched state by an external acceleration force, it can therefore serve as a threshold inertial switch. While the snap-through force, associated with the switching from the initial to the buckled state, cannot be reduced without decreasing the frequency of the device, the release value of the acceleration can be tailored to be arbitrarily low. This allows design of a devices with sufficiently high stiffness in the initial and latched configurations, but with a very low release threshold. Our model show that for appropriately chosen parameters, it is possible to design a sub g threshold acceleration micro switch of realistic dimensions.