Gyroscope and input unit using the same

• US 20010047687A1
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Masayoshi Esashi
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Esashi, Masayoshi, Abe, Munemitsu
• Granted Patent: US 6,584,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5607 using vibrating tuning forks double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719

Abstract

A gyroscope includes a tuning fork, which includes a plurality of tines formed of a conductive material and a supporting portion; an upper glass substrate and a lower glass substrate which sandwich the tuning fork; drive electrodes which are provided on each of the upper and the lower glass substrates in such a manner that parts of the drive electrodes oppose the tines and the remaining parts protrude from the tines, the drive electrodes being capacitively coupled to the tines and driving the tines in a direction parallel to the substrates; and detection electrodes which are capacitively coupled to the tines, and which detect displacements of the tines in a direction perpendicular to the vibrating direction of the tines.

Claims

1. A gyroscope comprising:

a tuning fork having vibrating beams;

a pair of substrates which are disposed one at each side of said tuning fork, at least the surfaces thereof being insulative;

drive electrodes which are provided on each of said pair of substrates in such a manner that parts of said drive electrodes oppose said vibrating beams and the remaining parts of said drive electrodes protrude from said vibrating beams, said drive electrodes being capacitively coupled to said vibrating beams and driving said vibrating beams in a direction parallel to said pair of substrates; and

detection electrodes which are capacitively coupled to said vibrating beams, and which detect displacements of said vibrating beams in a direction perpendicular to the vibrating direction of said vibrating beams.

2. A gyroscope according to

claim 1

, wherein each of said substrates is provided with a plurality of said drive electrodes, and wherein said drive electrodes are disposed at both sides of central lines of said vibrating beams which are parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

3. A gyroscope according to

claim 1

, wherein said detection electrodes are provided on at least one of said pair of substrates.

7. An input device comprising a gyroscope according to

claim 1

.

8. An input device according to

claim 7

, wherein, in said gyroscope, each of said substrates is provided with a plurality of said drive electrodes, and wherein said drive electrodes are disposed at both sides of central lines of said vibrating beams which are parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

9. An input device according to

claim 7

, wherein, in said gyroscope, said detection electrodes are provided on at least one of said pair of substrates.

4. A gyroscope comprising:

a tuning fork having vibrating beams;

at least one substrate which is disposed at at least one side of said tuning fork, and which is insulative at at least the surface thereof;

drive electrodes which are disposed in such a manner that parts of said drive electrodes oppose the end surfaces of said vibrating beams in the longitudinal direction thereof and the remaining parts of said drive electrodes protrude from the end surfaces of said vibrating beams, said drive electrodes being capacitively coupled to said vibrating beams and driving said vibrating beams in a direction parallel to said at least one substrate; and

detection electrodes which are capacitively coupled to said vibrating beams, and which detect displacements of said vibrating beams in a direction perpendicular to the vibrating direction of said vibrating beams.

5. A gyroscope according to

claim 4

, wherein each of said substrates is provided with a plurality of said drive electrodes, and wherein said drive electrodes are disposed at both sides of central lines of said vibrating beams which are parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

6. A gyroscope according to

claim 4

, wherein said detection electrodes are provided on a surface of said at least one substrate.

10. An input device comprising a gyroscope according to

claim 4

.

11. An input device according to

claim 10

, wherein, in said gyroscope, each of said substrates is provided with a plurality of said drive electrodes, and wherein said drive electrodes are disposed at both sides of central lines of said vibrating beams which are parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

12. An input device according to

claim 10

, wherein said detection electrodes are provided on a surface of said at least one substrate.