Torsional rate sensor with momentum balance and mode decoupling
First Claim
1. A rate sensor comprising a plurality of generally planar masses, means for driving the masses to oscillate about a drive axis in the planes of the masses, an input axis perpendicular to the drive axis, sense axes perpendicular to the drive axis and the input axis, means mounting the masses for torsional movement about the sense axes in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, and means responsive to the torsional movement about the sense axis for monitoring rate of rotation about the input axis.
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Abstract
Rate sensor having a plurality of generally planar masses, means for driving the masses to oscillate about a drive axis in the planes of the masses, an input axis perpendicular to the drive axis, sense axes perpendicular to the drive axis and the input axis, means mounting the masses for torsional movement about the sense axes in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, and means responsive to the torsional movement about the sense axis for monitoring rate of rotation about the input axis.
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Citations
26 Claims
- 1. A rate sensor comprising a plurality of generally planar masses, means for driving the masses to oscillate about a drive axis in the planes of the masses, an input axis perpendicular to the drive axis, sense axes perpendicular to the drive axis and the input axis, means mounting the masses for torsional movement about the sense axes in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, and means responsive to the torsional movement about the sense axis for monitoring rate of rotation about the input axis.
- 23. A rate sensor comprising first and second generally planar masses mounted one within the other for rotational movement about a common drive axis in the planes of the two masses, an input axis perpendicular to the drive axis, a sense axis perpendicular to the drive axis and the input axis, means mounting the masses for torsional movement about the sense axis in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, mechanical links constraining the two masses for anti-phase movement about both the drive axis and the sense axis, at least one sensing frame coupled to the masses for movement in response to the torsional movement of the masses about the sense axis, and a capacitor having plates which move relative to other plates in response to the movement of the sensing frame.
- 25. A rate sensor comprising three generally planar proof masses mounted side-by-side for rotation about three parallel drive axes in the plane of the masses, means constraining adjacent ones of the masses to oscillate in phase opposition about the drive axes with the momentum of the two outer masses balancing the momentum of the inner mass, an input axis perpendicular to the drive axes, a sense axes perpendicular to the drive axes and the input axis, means mounting the masses for torsional movement about the sense axes in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, with adjacent ones of the masses rotating in opposite directions so that the angular momentum of the two outer masses balances the angular momentum of the inner mass, sensing frames coupled to the two outer masses for rotation in response to the torsional movement of the two outer masses about the sense axes, and means responsive to rotation of the sensing frames for monitoring rate of rotation about the input axis.
Specification