Angular rate sensor system
US4654663A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 1981 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 16, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C19/5607
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An angular rate sensor system is disclosed, consisting of a balanced resonant sensor. The sensor consists of a tuning fork of a piezoelectric material, preferably of quartz. The tines of the tuning fork are caused to vibrate electromechanically, for example, by impressing an alternating voltage on a pair of electrodes on each tine. This will cause the tines to vibrate. Any component of angular motion around the axis of the sensor causes a cyclic deflection of the tines at right angles to the normal driven vibration of the tines. If the rotational input to the handle of the sensor is applied through a torsion element, the resulting tine deflection is directed to cyclically rotate the entire sensor along the input/output axis. This deflection can be used for changing the capacitance of a capacitance bridge, or for generating an electric signal, due to the piezoelectric effect resulting from the deflection. Finally, the output signal may consist of a frequency-modulated signal or an optical pick-up may be used. The system may take various forms, including one, two, four, or eight tuning forks forming a unitary system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.