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MEMS GYRO

  • US 20170268879A1
  • Filed: 12/17/2015
  • Published: 09/21/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sensor for detecting a rotational motion about a resulting sensitivity axis, said sensor comprising:

  • at least two dual mass gyroscope units, each of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units being adapted to detect a rotational motion about a sensitivity axis of the respective gyroscope unit of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units, said sensitivity axes being parallel to each other and to said resulting sensitivity axis, each of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units comprising;

    a total inertial mass comprising a first inertial mass and a second inertial mass physically attached to each other, each of said first inertial mass and second inertial mass being arranged spaced apart from and facing a respective first and a respective second electrode, wherein a rotation of said first inertial mass about a detection axis of said respective gyroscope unit, said detection axis being perpendicular to said sensitivity axis and said rotation being caused by a coriolis force when said respective gyroscope unit is subjected to a rotation about said sensitivity axis, results in a positive change of the capacitance between said total inertial mass and one of said first electrode and said second electrode and a negative change of the capacitance between said total inertial mass and the other one of said first electrode and said second electrode;

    first excitation means for causing the first mass to oscillate in a rotational motion about a first excitation axis substantially perpendicular to said sensitivity axis of said respective gyroscope unit; and

    second excitation means for exciting the second mass to oscillate in a rotational motion about a second excitation axis substantially perpendicular to said sensitivity axis of said respective gyroscope unit and parallel with said first excitation axis, said oscillation of said second mass being in anti-phase with said oscillation of said first mass;

    wherein the first mass of a first gyroscope unit of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units is connected by a connecting element to the first mass of a second gyroscope unit of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units such that a rotation of said first mass of said first gyroscope unit in a first direction about said excitation axis causes said first mass of said second gyroscope unit to rotate about its respective excitation axis in an opposite direction compared to said first direction; and

    wherein each of said first and second mass of each respective gyroscope unit of said at least two dual mass gyroscope units comprises a first half portion and a second half portion, said first and said second half portion being defined by opposite sides of an axis parallel to said sensitivity axis and intersecting the excitation axis of the respective mass, andwherein said connecting element is connected to said first half portion of said first mass of said first gyroscope unit and to said second half portion of said first mass of said second gyroscope unit.

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