MICROELECTROMECHANICAL STRUCTURE WITH ENHANCED REJECTION OF ACCELERATION NOISE
First Claim
1. An angular velocity sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
four substantially planar masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to and above the substrate, the four substantially planar masses move in phase opposition;
wherein in phase opposition the four substantially planar masses move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards a point; and
a X-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Y-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Z-axis capacitive sensor including a moveable electrode attached to the at least one of the four substantially planar masses and a fixed electrode substantially parallel to the moveable electrode and in the plane;
wherein the X-axis capacitive sensor, Y-axis capacitive sensor, and Z-axis capacitive sensor sense angular velocity of the angular velocity sensor about three different input axes of the angular velocity sensor.
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Abstract
An integrated MEMS structure includes a driving assembly anchored to a substrate and actuated with a driving movement. A pair of sensing masses suspended above the substrate and coupled to the driving assembly via elastic elements is fixed in the driving movement and performs a movement along a first direction of detection, in response to an external stress. A coupling assembly couples the pair of sensing masses mechanically to couple the vibration modes. The coupling assembly is formed by a rigid element, which connects the sensing masses and has a point of constraint in an intermediate position between the sensing masses, and elastic coupling elements for coupling the rigid element to the sensing masses to present a first stiffness to a movement in phase-opposition and a second stiffness, greater than the first, to a movement in phase, of the sensing masses along the direction of detection.
25 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An angular velocity sensor comprising:
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a substrate; four substantially planar masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to and above the substrate, the four substantially planar masses move in phase opposition;
wherein in phase opposition the four substantially planar masses move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards a point; anda X-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Y-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Z-axis capacitive sensor including a moveable electrode attached to the at least one of the four substantially planar masses and a fixed electrode substantially parallel to the moveable electrode and in the plane;
wherein the X-axis capacitive sensor, Y-axis capacitive sensor, and Z-axis capacitive sensor sense angular velocity of the angular velocity sensor about three different input axes of the angular velocity sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An angular velocity sensor comprising:
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a substrate; four substantially planar masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to and above the substrate, the four substantially planar masses move in phase opposition;
wherein in phase opposition the four substantially planar masses move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards a center of mass of the four substantially planar masses;
wherein the center of mass of the four substantially planar masses does not substantially move when the four substantially planar masses are moving in phase opposition;a X-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Y-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses;
a Z-axis capacitive sensor including a moveable electrode attached to the at least one of the four substantially planar masses and a fixed electrode substantially parallel to the moveable electrode and in the plane;a driving assembly that drives the four substantially planar masses in phase opposition; four coupling elements which couple the four masses such that each mass is flexibly coupled to two of the other masses via two of the four coupling elements;
wherein the four coupling elements cause the four masses to move in phase opposition; anda frame parallel to the plane and flexibly coupled to the four substantially planar masses, the four substantially planar masses surrounding an outside of the frame within the plane;
wherein at least one of the four substantially planar masses is flexibly coupled to the substrate through an associated anchorage;
wherein the associated anchorage further comprises a driving mass suspended to the substrate via an elastic anchorage element; and
an elastic coupling element flexibly coupling the at least one of the four substantially planar masses to the driving mass;
wherein the driving assembly includes an electrode coupled to the driving mass and an electrode fixed to the substrate;
wherein the elastic anchorage element is substantially compliant to motion in phase opposition;
wherein the elastic coupling element is substantially stiff to translation in phase opposition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for utilizing an angular velocity sensor comprising:
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moving four substantially planar masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to in phase opposition to each other;
wherein in phase opposition the four substantially planar masses move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards a point;providing a X-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses; providing a Y-axis capacitive sensor including an electrode formed on the substrate and a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses; and providing a Z-axis capacitive sensor including a moveable electrode attached to the at least one of the four substantially planar masses and a fixed electrode substantially parallel to the moveable electrode and in the plane;
wherein the X-axis capacitive sensor, Y-axis capacitive sensor, and Z-axis capacitive sensor sense angular velocity of the angular velocity sensor about three different input axes of the angular velocity sensor.
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22. An angular velocity sensor comprising:
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(a) a substrate; (b) four substantially planar masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to and above the substrate, the four substantially planar masses being suspended so as to move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards a point; (c) an X-axis capacitive sensor including; (1) an electrode formed on the substrate and (2) a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses; (d) a Y-axis capacitive sensor including; (1) an electrode formed on the substrate and (2) a portion of at least one of the four substantially planar masses; (e) a Z-axis capacitive sensor including; (1) a moveable electrode attached to the at least one of the four substantially planar masses and (2) a fixed electrode substantially parallel to the moveable electrode and in the plane; (f) wherein the X-axis capacitive sensor, the Y-axis capacitive sensor, and the Z-axis capacitive sensor sense angular velocity of the angular velocity sensor about three different input axes of the angular velocity sensor.
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Specification