Micro Scale Mechanical Rate Sensors

• US 20110048130A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramot at Tel Aviv University Limited (Tel Aviv University)
• Original Assignee: Ramot at Tel Aviv University Limited (Tel Aviv University)
• Inventors: KRYLOV, Viacheslav, SCHREIBER, David, SHACHAM-DIAMAND, Yosi
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An angular rate sensor device is presented. The sensor device comprises a disk-shaped structure having a proof mass region and a flexible portion. The disk-like structure is coupled to a substrate in a manner enabling a wave type precession motion such that during the wave type precession motion each material point of the proof mass performs elliptic motion.

Claims

1. An angular rate sensor comprising a disk-shaped structure having a proof mass region and a flexible portion, the disk-like structure being coupled to a substrate in a manner enabling a wave type precession motion such that during said wave type precession motion each material point of the proof mass performs elliptic motion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said disk-shaped structure comprises a first region thereof configured for coupling to an axis of device rotation which is substantially parallel to the disk plane, a second annular region comprising said relatively flexible region, and a third region being relatively rigid and presenting said proof mass region, excitation for precession of the rotating disk-shaped structure causing a detectable change of a precession phase indicative of the rate of the structure rotation.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said relatively flexible annular region is configured to be deformable along a circumference thereof and for flexing along axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible annular region is configured as a region of an appropriate thickness allowing the deformation and having a certain moment of inertia with respect to an axis of symmetry of the disk-shaped structure.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said third proof mass region is much thicker than the annular region.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said first region for coupling to the axis of rotation is the central region of the disk-shaped structure, said third proof mass region being the peripheral ring region surrounding said annular region.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said first region for coupling to the axis of rotation is the peripheral ring region surrounding said annular region, said third proof mass region being the central region of the disk-shaped structure.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein said first region for coupling to the axis of rotation is the central region of the disk-shaped structure surrounded by said second annular region, said third proof mass region being the peripheral ring region surrounding said annular region.

9. The device of claim 1 attached to the substrate by a flexible stand having a bending and torsion compliances.

10. The device of claim 1, fabricated by micro-machining.

11. The device of claim 9, fabricated in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer.

12. A method of manufacturing an angular rate sensor device, the method comprising patterning a disk-like structure to define a first region configured for coupling the structure to an axis of rotation, a second relatively thin annular region, and a third relatively thick, proof mass region, thereby enabling excitation for precession of the disk-shaped structure, while rotating along said axis parallel to the disk plane, to cause deformation of said relatively thin annular region along a circumference thereof and flexing of said relatively thin annular region along axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation, resulting in a detectable change of a precession phase indicative of the rate of the structure rotation.