Silicon bulk micromachined, symmetric, degenerate vibratorygyroscope, accelerometer and sensor and method for using the same
US5894090A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 31, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P2015/0842
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
When embodied in a microgyroscope, the invention is comprised of a silicon, four-leaf clover structure with a post attached to the center. The whole structure is suspended by four silicon cantilevers or springs. The device is electrostatically actuated and capacitively detects Coriolis induced motions of the leaves of the leaf clover structure. In the case where the post is not symmetric with the plane of the clover leaves, the device can is usable as an accelerometer. If the post is provided in the shape of a dumb bell or an asymmetric post, the center of gravity is moved out of the plane of clover leaf structure and a hybrid device is provided. When the clover leaf structure is used without a center mass, it performs as a high Q resonator usable as a sensor of any physical phenomena which can be coupled to the resonant performance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.