Gyroscopic devices
US5490420A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 1994 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T10/7072
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A gyroscopic device comprising a supporting structure (2; 104) and at least one mass (1; 50, 51; 100-103), the masses being attached to the structure by beams (3-6; 25-28; 52-63; 98-99). Masses, supporting structure and beams lie within a common plane when the device is at rest. A voltage source (V) to generates electromotive forces between such masses and structures to excite the masses into a vibratory primary motion. By simple flexure the beams can permit the masses to make limited motion relative to the structure in response to a rate of turn applied to the device, a measure of that rate being obtained from sensing that relative motion. By appropriate arrangement of the flexural connections (85-88) between the mass and the supporting structure, the device can measure rates of turn about two orthogonal axes. By connecting the supporting structure (104) to further structure (112) with additional flexural members (113) the device may be made capable of measuring rates of turn about three orthogonal axes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.