Micromechanical coriolis rate of rotation sensor
First Claim
1. A micromechanical sensor comprising:
- a substrate having a measurement axis and a detection axis that are disposed orthogonally to each other;
a first driving mass and a second driving mass disposed in a plane containing the measurement and detection axes, each of the first and second driving masses being rotatably coupled to the substrate via a central suspension that is disposed on the detection axis;
drive electrodes that generate rotary motions in each of the first and second driving masses about a drive axis thereof, the drive axis of each of the first and second driving masses being disposed orthogonally to the measurement and detection axes, the rotary motions causing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis; and
at least one elastic connecting element having a primary axis that extends in a direction parallel to the detection axis, the at least one elastic connecting element being coupled to each of the first and second driving masses such as to synchronize the rotary motions thereof by allowing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis but deflect in a same direction in response to a shock condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micromechanical sensor that can detect shock effects in order to prevent false measurements. The sensor includes a substrate having a measurement axis and a detection axis that are disposed orthogonally to each other, and first and second driving masses disposed in a plane containing the measurement and detection axes. Each of the driving masses is rotatably coupled to the substrate via a central suspension disposed on the detection axis. The sensor includes drive electrodes that generate rotary motions in each of the driving masses about a drive axis thereof. At least one elastic connecting element allows the driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis but deflect in the same direction in response to a shock condition.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A micromechanical sensor comprising:
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a substrate having a measurement axis and a detection axis that are disposed orthogonally to each other; a first driving mass and a second driving mass disposed in a plane containing the measurement and detection axes, each of the first and second driving masses being rotatably coupled to the substrate via a central suspension that is disposed on the detection axis; drive electrodes that generate rotary motions in each of the first and second driving masses about a drive axis thereof, the drive axis of each of the first and second driving masses being disposed orthogonally to the measurement and detection axes, the rotary motions causing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis; and at least one elastic connecting element having a primary axis that extends in a direction parallel to the detection axis, the at least one elastic connecting element being coupled to each of the first and second driving masses such as to synchronize the rotary motions thereof by allowing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis but deflect in a same direction in response to a shock condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method to determine a rate of rotation, the method comprising:
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in a micromechanical sensor having a measurement axis, a detection axis, and a drive axis that are disposed orthogonally to each other, driving a first driving mass and a second driving mass to generate rotary motions in each of the first and second driving masses about a drive axis thereof; and in response to a rotation about the measurement axis, detecting a motion about the detection axis; and synchronizing the rotary motions by coupling to each of the first and second driving masses an elastic connecting element that has a primary axis that extends in a direction parallel to the detection axis, the elastic connecting element allowing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis but deflect in a same direction in response to a shock condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification