Rotary gyroscope

• US 20040231418A1
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeong, Hee-moon, Kang, Seok-jin, Song, In-seob
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.08
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/02 Rotary gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5642 using vibrating bars or beams

Abstract

A rotary gyroscope includes a base plate, an intermediate structure, including a driven element floating over the base plate as supported by a driving supporter radially extending therefrom, the driven element performing an oscillating motion with respect to a first axis, which is vertical to a center plane thereof, a driving electrode driving the driven element, and a sensing element disposed in the driven element and connected to the driven element by a sensing connector to oscillate together with the driven element and concurrently to perform a sensing motion with respect to a third axis, which is vertical to the first axis and any second axis, which is parallel to a center plane, due to a Coriolis force when an angular velocity is inputted from the second axis, and a cover covering the intermediate structure and having a sensing electrode to detect the sensing motion of the sensing element.

Claims

1. A rotary gyroscope, comprising:

a base plate;

an intermediate structure, including;

a driven element supported in a spaced-apart relation from the base plate and floating over the base plate as supported by a driving supporter radially extending therefrom, the driven element performing an oscillating motion with respect to a first axis, which is vertical to a center plane thereof;

a driving electrode driving the driven element to perform the oscillating motion with respect to the first axis; and

a sensing element disposed in the driven element and connected to the driven element by a sensing connector to oscillate together with the driven element and concurrently to perform a sensing motion with respect to a third axis, which is vertical to the first axis and any second axis, which is parallel to a center plane, due to a Coriolis force when an angular velocity is inputted from the second axis; and

a cover covering the intermediate structure and having a sensing electrode arranged in a position corresponding to the sensing element in a spaced-apart relation therewith to detect the sensing motion of the sensing element.

2. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driven element comprises:

a circular rim frame disposed in a spaced-apart relation with the base plate to float over the base plate; and

a plurality of driven arm parts extending radially from around the circular rim frame.

3. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of driven arm parts comprises:

a plurality of driven arms; and

a plurality of movable driven comb portions, each having a plurality of movable driven combs formed alternately in two different directions at a circumference in a unit of the driven arm part at one of either side surface of the driven arms of the corresponding driven arm part.

4. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 3, wherein the driving electrode comprises:

a driving electrode pad part disposed around the driven element; and

a plurality of fixed driving comb portions formed in a circumferential direction at the driving electrode pad part to be arranged opposite to the corresponding movable driven comb portions in a spaced-apart relation therewith.

5. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 4, wherein the driving electrode pad part comprises:

four driving electrode pads arranged in intervals of a predetermined angle from one another to divide a circumference of the driven element, and

wherein the plurality of fixed driving comb portions includes;

four fixed driving comb portions, each having a plurality of fixed driving combs formed alternately in two different directions at a circumference in a unit of driving electrode pad at the respective driving electrode pads to be arranged opposite to the movable driven combs of the corresponding movable driven comb portion in a spaced-apart relation therewith.

6. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate structure further comprises a drive sensing part controlling the oscillating motion of the driven element.

7. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 6, wherein the drive sensing part comprises:

a drive sensing electrode pad part arranged around the driven element;

a plurality of movable drive sensing comb portions formed on supporting arms of the driving supporter and at least one sensing arm arranged with respect to the drive sensing electrode pad part around the driven element; and

a plurality of fixed drive sensing comb portions formed on the drive sensing electrode pad part to be arranged opposite to respective movable drive sensing comb portions in a spaced-apart relation therewith.

8. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive sensing electrode pad part comprises:

two drive sensing electrode pads arranged in intervals of a predetermined angle from each other to divide a circumference of the driven element and arranged between the four driving electrode pads arranged in intervals of a predetermined angle from one another to divide the circumference of the driven element, and

wherein the plurality of fixed drive sensing comb portions includes two fixed driving comb portions, each having a plurality of fixed driving combs formed in a same direction at a circumference on the corresponding drive sensing electrode pad.

9. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate structure further comprises a periphery supporting member combined with the cover and enclosing the driven element, the driving electrode, and the driving supporter.

10. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 9, wherein the periphery supporting member, the base plate, the intermediate structure, and the cover each have a rectangular-shaped configuration.

11. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 9, wherein the driving supporter comprises:

a plurality of supporting arms extended radially from around the driven element; and

a plurality of driving springs interconnecting between the plurality of supporting arms and one of the periphery supporting member and fixed supporting ends supported at the base plate to allow the driven element to perform the oscillating motion with respect to the first axis.

12. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 11, wherein the driving supporter comprises four driving supporters disposed in a vicinity of a diagonal corner of the periphery supporting member.

13. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises a circular disk having a circular hole formed at a center thereof.

14. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 13, wherein the intermediate structure further comprises a fixing portion disposed in the circular hole in a spaced-apart relation therewith to interconnect the base plate and the cover.

15. The rotary gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the sensing connector comprises two sensing springs connecting the sensing element and the driven element.

16. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the sensing springs comprises one configuration selected from the group consisting of a beam having a predetermined length and a rectangular cross section, and a beam structure in which more than two beams, each having a predetermined length and a rectangular cross section, are connected by at least one connecting member.

17. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensing electrode comprises two fixed sensing electrode parts formed respectively in a semi-circular shape at a portion of the cover opposite to the sensing element to be divided among the two with respect to an axis on which the sensing springs are disposed.

18. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of the fixed sensing electrode parts comprises an electrode wire having a predetermined width, disposed along an inner surface of the cover to be connected with a corresponding fixed sensing electrode pad disposed at the intermediate structure.

19. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of holes penetrating the cover formed at positions of the cover corresponding to driving electrode pads, drive sensing electrode pads, and fixed sensing electrode pads to allow wires to be connected thereto from outside, the driving electrode pads constituting the driving electrode, the drive sensing electrode pads being disposed at the intermediate structure to constitute the drive sensing part, and the fixed sensing electrode pads being disposed at the intermediate structure to be connected with the sensing electrode.

20. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an insulator disposed between the base plate and the intermediate structure, to float the sensing element and the driven element over the base plate in a spaced-apart relation therewith and at the same time to support and insulate fixed supporting ends for supporting at least the driving electrode, the periphery supporting member and the driving supporter on and from the base plate.

21. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 20, wherein the base plate, the insulator, and the intermediate structure are each formed of a SOI wafer, and the cover is formed of a glass wafer.

22. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driven element, the driven arm part, the driving supporter, and the sensing element each include a plurality of holes formed in a predetermined pattern to reduce weight thereof, thereby facilitating the motion thereof and an etching of an insulator.

23. The rotary gyroscope as claimed in claim 20, wherein the base plate and the insulator are formed of a glass wafer, the intermediate structure is formed of a silicon wafer, and the cover is a glass wafer.