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Z-axis angular rate sensor

  • US 20050072231A1
  • Filed: 05/18/2004
  • Published: 04/07/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sensor, having orthogonal x-, y-, and z-axes, for detecting a rate of rotation about the z-axis comprising:

  • a substrate; and

    a gross mass, symmetrical with respect to the x-axis, suspended from the substrate by a plurality of interior and exterior anchor points, and comprising;

    at least two proof masses, symmetrical with respect to the x-axis and the y-axis;

    a driven frame surrounding each proof mass and attached to its proof mass and external anchor points by flexures;

    a set of drive banks and a first set of sense banks for each driven frame for oscillating along the x-axis;

    a second set of sense banks attached to each proof mass for detecting Coriolis motion along the y-axis;

    at least two rotating stiff beams, each centrally mounted to an interior anchor point, oriented in a y-direction at rest, and able to rotate about its anchor point in an xy-plane orthogonal to the z-axis; and

    a plurality of inner frame supports, asymmetric with respect to the y-axis, connecting the rotating stiff beams to the frames, and comprising a plurality of non-rotating stiff beams and a plurality of flexures, to allow frame motion predominantly along the x-axis in anti-phase motion only such that Coriolis-induced anti-phase motion of the proof masses along the y-axis results.

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