Micro-mechanical rate-of-rotation sensor with coupled structure

US6119517A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• LITEF GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Breng · Gundelfingen, DE
• Bruno Ryrko · Denzlingen, DE
• Steffen Zimmermann · Teningen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 13, 1999
• Grant date: Sep 19, 2000
• Expiry date: Jul 13, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01C19/574
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Strictly out-of-phase stimulation of the two oscillators of a micro-mechanical rate-of-rotation sensor based on the Coriolis principle, having two-plate like oscillators arranged in layers one above another in two parallel planes and capable of being stimulated to oscillate perpendicular to the planes by means of an electrostatic drive, is achieved by the oscillators each being connected via at least one spring to a couple element formed, in each case, in the same wafer layer. The couple elements are mirror-symmetrically configured with respect to a mid-plane between the oscillators and connected to each other by a coupling web arranged therebetween to form a couple structure for the oscillators.