Microfabricated tuning fork gyroscope and associated three-axis inertial measurement system to sense out-of-plane rotation
US6257059A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C19/5719
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope has an input axis out of the plane of the structure. In one embodiment, capacitor plates are provided in parallel strips beneath two apertured, planar proof masses suspended from a substrate by a support structure. The proof masses are paired and set in opposed vibrational motion by an electrostatic comb drive. In response to an input angular rate about the out-of-plane input axis, the proof masses translate with respect to the striped capacitors, thereby varying the capacitance between the capacitor strips and the proof masses as a function of the input rate. In another embodiment, proof mass combs of a comb drive are meshed between fixed drive combs which are electrically excited in pairs 180.degree. out of phase. As the proof masses translate in response to an angular input, the distance between the proof mass combs and the fixed combs varies, thereby varying the capacitance between the combs resulting in an unbalanced voltage on the proof masses that is detected as an indication of input rate. The out-of-plane tuning fork gyroscope can be combined with two in-plane tuning fork gyroscopes to provide a complete three-axis inertial measureme…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.