Triaxial angular rate and acceleration sensor
First Claim
1. A generally planar substrate adapted for use in a triaxial angular rate and acceleration sensor comprising:
- a first set of coplanar accelerometers formed in said substrate, each of said first set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said substrate, said first set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said substrate to place said sensing axes of said first set of accelerometers skewed to one another;
a second set of coplanar accelerometers formed in said substrate, each of said second set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said substrate, said second set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said substrate to place said sensing axes of said second set of accelerometers skewed to one another, each of said second set of accelerometers being paired with a corresponding accelerometer of said first set of accelerometers, corresponding accelerometer pairs having sensing axes that are parallel or anti-parallel;
connecting means formed in said substrate for connecting said first and second sets of accelerometers to one another to allow a pair of said accelerometers of said first and second sets of accelerometers to dither at the same frequency.
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Abstract
A triaxial sensor substrate is adapted for use in measuring the acceleration and angular rate of a moving body along three orthogonal axes. The triaxial sensor substrate includes three individual sensors that are arranged in the plane of the substrate at an angle of 120 degrees with respect to one another. Each sensor is formed from two accelerometers having their sensing axes canted at an angle with respect to the plane of the substrate and further being directed in opposite directions. The rate sensing axes thus lie along three orthogonal axes.
In order to reduce or eliminate angular acceleration sensitivity, a two substrate configuration may be used. Each substrate includes three accelerometers that are arranged in the plane of the substrate at an angle of 120 degrees with respect to one another. The sensing axes of the accelerometers of the first substrate are canted at an angle with respect to the plane of the first substrate toward the central portion thereof so that they lie along three skewed axes. Similarly, the sensing axes of the accelerometers of the second substrate are canted at an angle with respect to the plane of the second substrate away from the central portion thereof so that they lie along same three but oppositely directed axes. The sensing axes of the first and second substrates are aligned to prevent angular acceleration sensitivity.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A generally planar substrate adapted for use in a triaxial angular rate and acceleration sensor comprising:
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a first set of coplanar accelerometers formed in said substrate, each of said first set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said substrate, said first set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said substrate to place said sensing axes of said first set of accelerometers skewed to one another;
a second set of coplanar accelerometers formed in said substrate, each of said second set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said substrate, said second set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said substrate to place said sensing axes of said second set of accelerometers skewed to one another, each of said second set of accelerometers being paired with a corresponding accelerometer of said first set of accelerometers, corresponding accelerometer pairs having sensing axes that are parallel or anti-parallel;
connecting means formed in said substrate for connecting said first and second sets of accelerometers to one another to allow a pair of said accelerometers of said first and second sets of accelerometers to dither at the same frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A structure adapted for use in a triaxial angular rate and acceleration sensor comprising:
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a first set of coplanar accelerometers formed in a first generally planar substrate, each of said first set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said first substrates said first set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said first substrate to place said sensing axes of said first set of accelerometers skewed to one another;
a second set of coplanar accelerometers formed in a second generally planar substrate, each of said second set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said second substrate, said second set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said second substrate to place said sensing axes of said second set of accelerometers skewed to one another, each of said second set of accelerometers being paired with a corresponding accelerometer of said first set of accelerometers, corresponding accelerometer pairs having sensing axes that are parallel or anti-parallel;
connecting means for connecting said first and second sets of accelerometers to one another to allow said accelerometers of said first and second sets of accelerometers to dither at the same frequency. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An accelerometer comprising:
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a sensor frame formed in a substrate;
a proof mass having a pendulum formed in said substrate and a mass plate connected to said pendulum, said mass plate having a density different from said pendulum; and
means for elastically connecting said proof mass to said sensor frame. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25)
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14. A method for altering response characteristics of an accelerometer wherein said accelerometer includes a sensor frame formed in a substrate, a pendulum formed in said substrate, and an elastic suspension connecting said pendulum to said sensor frame, said method comprising the step of disposing a material over said pendulum, said material having a density that differs from the density of said substrate.
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15. A sensor structure adapted for use in a triaxial angular rate and acceleration sensor comprising:
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a first sensor stack including a first generally planar substrate, said first substrate having a first set of coplanar accelerometers formed therein, each accelerometer of said first set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said first substrate, said first set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said first substrate to place said sensing axes of said first set of accelerometers skewed to one another;
a second sensor stack including a second generally planar substrate, said second substrate including a second set of coplanar accelerometers formed therein, each of said second set of accelerometers having a sensing axis canted at an angle with respect to the plane of said second substrate, said second set of accelerometers being arranged in the plane of said second substrate to place said sensing axes of said second set of accelerometers skewed to one another, each of said second set of accelerometers being paired with a corresponding accelerometer of said first set of accelerometers, corresponding accelerometer pairs having sensing axes that are parallel or anti-parallel;
means for linking said first and second stacks so that said first and second sets of accelerometers dither at the same frequency.
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24. A sensor structure comprising:
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a first accelerometer formed in a first planar substrate and disposed in a first plane, said first accelerometer having a sensing axis;
a second accelerometer formed in a second planar substrate and disposed in a second plane that is generally parallel to said first plane, said second accelerometer having a sensing axis that is aligned with and anti-parallel or parallel with said sensing axis of said first accelerometer;
means for linking said first and second accelerometers so that movement of said first accelerometer in said first plane causes a corresponding movement of said second accelerometer in said second plane.
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Specification