MICRO RATE OF ROTATION SENSOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MICRO RATE OF ROTATION SENSOR

• US 20160033275A1
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanking Electronics Hongkong Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coronato, Luca, Cazzaniga, Gabriele
• Granted Patent: US 9,784,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/42 for indicating rate of turn; for integrating rate of turn
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5642 using vibrating bars or beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5747 each sensing mass being connected to a driving mass, e.g. driving frames

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for operating a rotation sensor for detecting a plurality of rates of rotation about orthogonal axes (x,y,z). The rotation sensor comprises a substrate, driving masses, X-Y sensor masses, and Z sensor masses. The driving masses are driven by drive elements to oscillate in the X-direction. The X-Y sensor masses are coupled to the driving masses, and driven to oscillate in the X-Y direction radially to a center. When a rate of rotation of the substrate occurs about the X-axis or the Y-axis, the X-Y sensor masses are jointly deflected about the Y-axis or X-axis. When a rate of rotation of the substrate occurs about the Z-axis, the X-Y sensor masses are rotated about the Z-axis, and the Z sensor masses are deflected substantially in the X-direction.

Claims

1. A rotation sensor for detecting a plurality of rates of rotation about orthogonal axes (x,y,z), comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of masses that are displaceable relative to the substrate and disposed in an X-Y plane parallel to the substrate;

a plurality of anchors for coupling the masses to the substrate;

springs for coupling at least some of the plurality of masses to at least one adjacent mass or to at least one anchor;

drive elements for oscillating more than one of the plurality of masses in the X-direction, in order to generate Coriolis forces when the substrate is deflected;

sensor elements in order to detect deflections of the more than one of the plurality of masses due to the Coriolis forces generated; and

wherein the plurality of masses include driving masses, X-Y sensor masses and Z sensor masses, the X-Y sensor masses being coupled to the driving masses and the Z sensor masses by means of springs, the X-Y sensor masses and the driving masses being coupled in such a manner that when the driving masses are driven to oscillate in the X-direction, the X-Y sensor masses are driven to oscillate in an X-Y direction by means of the driving masses.