Angular rate sensor featuring mechanically decoupled oscillation modes
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Abstract
The invention relates to an angular rate sensor for detecting a rotation. Said sensor comprises the following components: a substrate, at least one oscillating element that can be excited so as to oscillate rotationally or radially, an anchor structure, one or several detecting elements, one or several joining elements that connect the detecting element/s to the oscillating element, a mechanism for exciting the oscillating element, and a device for detecting a radial or rotational oscillation of the detecting element/s. Each of the detecting elements can oscillate radially on the same plane on which rotational oscillation of the oscillating element occurs, or vice versa, while the centrifugal force Fz caused by the rotational oscillation can trigger substantially no radial movement of the detecting element/s or the oscillating element/s. Also disclosed are different methods for operating said sensor.
33 Citations
44 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. An angular rate sensor for detecting a rotation of the sensor, the sensor comprising:
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a substrate;
at least one oscillating element;
an anchor structure connecting the at least one oscillating element with the substrate;
at least one detection element capable of performing a radial oscillation in a plane;
at least one connecting element connecting the at least one detection element with the at least one oscillating element;
a detection device for detecting the radial oscillation of the at least one detection element; and
an excitation device for exciting the oscillating element to perform a rotation oscillation in the plane, said rotation oscillation producing a centrifugal force imparting the at least one detection element, wherein the centrifugal force is insufficient to initiate a radial movement of the at least one detection element. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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21. An angular rate sensor for detecting a rotation of the sensor, the sensor comprising:
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a substrate;
at least one oscillating element performing a radial oscillation;
at least one detection element capable of performing a rotation oscillation in a plane, said rotation oscillation producing a centrifugal force acting on the at least one oscillating element;
an anchor structure connecting the at least one detection element with the substrate;
at least one connecting element which connects the at least one oscillating element with the at least one detection element;
an excitation device for exciting the at least one oscillating element to perform a radial oscillation in the plane; and
a detection device for detecting the rotation oscillation of the at least one detection element, wherein the centrifugal force is insufficient to initiate a radial movement of the at least one detection element and does not interfere with the excitation of the at least one oscillating element. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for detecting a rotational motion about a rotation axis with an angular rate sensor which comprises:
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a substrate;
at least one oscillating element capable of performing a rotation oscillation in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis;
an anchor structure connecting the at least one oscillating element with the substrate;
at least one detection element;
at least one connecting element connecting the at least one detection element with the at least one oscillating element;
a detection device for detecting a radial oscillation of the at least one detection element; and
an excitation device for exciting the oscillating element to perform a rotation oscillation in the plane, said rotation oscillation producing a centrifugal force imparting the at least one detection element, wherein the centrifugal force is insufficient to produce a radial motion of the at least one detection element, wherein the at least one oscillating element is excited to perform a rotation oscillation in the plane, and wherein the radial oscillation of the at least one detection element produced by the Coriolis force due to the rotation of the sensor about the rotation axis is detected. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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37. A method for detecting a rotation motion about a rotation axis with an angular rate sensor which comprises:
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a substrate;
at least one oscillating element performing capable of performing a radial oscillation in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis;
at least one detection element capable of performing a rotation oscillation in a plane, said rotation oscillation producing a centrifugal force imparting the at least one oscillating element;
an anchor structure connecting the at least one detection element with the substrate;
at least one connecting element which connects the at least one oscillating element with the at least one detection element;
an excitation device for exciting the at least one oscillating element; and
a detection device for detecting the rotation oscillation of the at least one detection element, wherein the centrifugal force is insufficient to initiate a radial movement of the at least one oscillating element, wherein the at least one oscillating element is excited to perform the radial oscillation in the plane, and wherein the rotation oscillation of the at least one detection element caused by the Coriolis force due to the rotation of the sensor about the rotation axis is detected. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification