Electrostatic rate gyroscope
First Claim
1. A gyroscope having a spin axis and at least one input axis comprisinga rotor housing having a toroidal cavity therein concentrically disposed about said spin axis;
- mounting means for mounting said rotor housing to permit rotation thereof about at least one precession axis;
a rotor having a cylindrical body portion with projecting flange means thereon concentrically disposed within said cavity about said spin axis;
electrostatic suspension means for suspending said rotor within said cavity to permit rotor rotation about said spin axis and to prevent relative angular rotation between said housing and said rotor about said one precession axis, so that said housing rotates with said rotor about said precession axis in response to an input rate applied to said input axis; and
force transducer means coupled to said housing for exerting a force on said housing to prevent rotation thereof about said precession axis and for producing an output signal in response to said force, whereby said output signal is responsive to said applied input rate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A two-axis rate gyroscope of the captured type is provided having a cylindrical rotor with one or more inwardly projecting flanges. The rotor is disposed within a sealed toroidal cavity in a rotor housing and the interior of the cavity is evacuated to a "hard" vacuum. An electrostatic suspension system restrains the rotor from translatory movement along the gyroscope spin axis and two axes perpendicular thereto so that a virtually frictionless spin bearing is provided for the rotor. The suspension system functions to prevent relative angular rotation between the rotor and the rotor housing about two precession axes. The rotor housing is mounted on a flexure joint which prevents translatory movement of the housing along three orthogonal axes but permits rotational movement of the housing about the two precession axes. Vibrating beam force transducer means exert a reaction force on the housing which prevents rotation of the housing about the two precession axes in response to input rates applied to the gyroscope, so that the electrical output signals of the transducer means are a function of the input rates applied to the gyroscope. The rotor housing, flexure joint, rotor and vibrating beam force transducers are disposed within a sealed casing which may be evacuated separately from the toroidal cavity within the rotor housing, so that the toroidal cavity may be easily evacuated to the higher degree of vacuum required for a frictionless rotor spin bearing. The cylindrical rotor structure permits the use of a simplified electrostatic suspension system in which the suspension electrodes also function as rotor displacement sensing electrodes.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A gyroscope having a spin axis and at least one input axis comprising
a rotor housing having a toroidal cavity therein concentrically disposed about said spin axis; -
mounting means for mounting said rotor housing to permit rotation thereof about at least one precession axis; a rotor having a cylindrical body portion with projecting flange means thereon concentrically disposed within said cavity about said spin axis; electrostatic suspension means for suspending said rotor within said cavity to permit rotor rotation about said spin axis and to prevent relative angular rotation between said housing and said rotor about said one precession axis, so that said housing rotates with said rotor about said precession axis in response to an input rate applied to said input axis; and force transducer means coupled to said housing for exerting a force on said housing to prevent rotation thereof about said precession axis and for producing an output signal in response to said force, whereby said output signal is responsive to said applied input rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A gyroscope having a spin axis and two input axes comprising
a rotor housing having a sealed evacuable toroidal cavity therein; -
means for mounting the rotor housing with said cavity concentrically disposed about the spin axis and oriented in the plane defined by said input axes, said mounting means having two degrees of freedom to permit rotation of said housing about both of the gyroscope precession axes; a rotor having a cylindrical body portion concentrically disposed within said cavity about the spin axis and annular flange means projecting from said body portion, said flange means being substantially perpendicular to said body portion; electrostatic suspension means comprising a plurality of suspension electrodes disposed on the walls of said cavity adjacent said rotor body portion and flange means for suspending said rotor within said cavity to permit rotor rotation about said spin axis and prevent relative angular rotation between said housing and said rotor about said precession axes, so that the housing rotates with the rotor about said precession axes in response to input rates applied to said input axes; and vibrating beam force transducer means connected to said housing for exerting a restraining force thereon to prevent housing rotation about said precession axes, said transducer means being of the type having at least one resonator beam which produces an electrical output signal having a frequency which is a function of the mechanical stress produced in the beam by the reaction force exerted by the transducer means. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification