Two axis rate gyro

• US 4,095,477 A
• Filed: 06/06/1977
• Issued: 06/20/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New SD, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Systron Donner Corporation
• Inventors: Morris, Harold D., Asmar, Romeal F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US05/803,797
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 74/5.6 D, 340/196, 73/505
• US Class Current: 74/5.60D
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/28 Pick-offs, i.e. devices for taking-off an indication of the displacement of the rotor axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/42 for indicating rate of turn; for integrating rate of turn
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1275 Electrical

Abstract

A two axis rate gyro for sensing angular velocity about two input axes includes a rotating disc which is bearing mounted in a framework. A motor is provided for driving the disc rotationally in the bearing mounts. Pickoffs are mounted in the framework which are spaced from the faces of the rotor and oriented along axes which are orthogonal to the two angular velocity input axes. Circuitry is provided for receiving the outputs from each of the orthogonally oriented pickoffs, including circuit means for removing noise in the outputs due to variation caused therein by spacing variation between the rotor faces and the pickoffs resulting from departure of the rotor faces from a flat condition.

Claims

1. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor for sensing angular velocity about two intersecting axes, comprising a framework, a motor mounted on said framework, an output shaft on said motor for providing rotational motion, a rotor having a spin axis aligned with and coupled to said motor output shaft, said rotor having a continuous periphery and opposite rotor faces, means integral with said rotor deflecting in a bending mode for permitting restrained rotation of said rotor about any rotor diametral axis, so that when angular velocity inputs are applied about the two intersecting axes said continuous rotor periphery moves in restrained rotation about first and second diametral axes which are each substantially orthogonal to one of the two intersecting axes, said means for permitting restrained rotation having an angular spring rate for urging said continuous rotor periphery toward a neutral spin plane in the presence of torques about said first and second axes, and a plurality of pickoff means spaced from said rotor faces for producing an output signal related to the spacing therefrom.

2. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 1 wherein said means for permitting restrained rotation comprises a flexible diaphragm, and means for attaching said flexible diaphragm to said output shaft, said flexible diaphragm extending between said continuous rotor periphery and said output shaft.

3. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 1 wherein said rotor comprises a flexible diaphragm attached to said output shaft.

4. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 1 together with first and second planar surfaces in spaced proximate relation to each of said opposite rotor faces, whereby gas films are formed between said first and second planar surfaces and ones of said opposite rotor faces when said rotor is spinning, thereby providing gas damping of oscillatory motion of said continuous rotor periphery in an axial direction.

5. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of pickoff means includes pickoffs spaced from each of said opposite rotor faces positioned on opposite ends of a diameter of said rotor, said pickoffs being interconnected so that rotor periphery deflection in the same direction at opposite ends of the diameter of said rotor due to linear acceleration in a direction parallel to the axis of spin of said rotor produces substantially cancelling components in said output signal.

6. A two axis angular velocity sensor for sensing angular velocity about first and second intersecting axes, comprising a framework, a rotor mounted for rotational movement about a rotor spin axis relative to said framework, a continuous periphery on said rotor having opposing planar faces, a motor mounted on said framework driving said rotor rotationally about said rotor spin axis, means for coupling said rotor to said motor, said last named means including means for permitting restrained rotation about any diameters of said rotor, said means for permitting restrained rotation operating to urge said rotor toward a neutral plane of rotation in the presence of torques about any of said rotor diameters, and first and second pickoff means mounted in said framework disposed in spaced relation with said planar faces on said rotor and aligned with the first and second intersecting axes for providing respective first and second output related to the spacing of said rotor planar faces from said pickoffs, whereby angular velocity inputs about the first and second intersecting axes induce precession torque in said rotor about axes substantially orthogonal to said first and second axes respectively, thereby providing first and second outputs respectively.

7. A two axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 6 wherein said rotor comprises a flexible disc.

8. A two axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 6 wherein each of said first and second pickoff means comprises opposing pickoffs mounted on said framework and located on opposite sides of said rotor, together with circuit means for receiving the output from each of said pickoffs and providing said first and second outputs.

9. A two axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 6 wherein said first and second output signals contain a noise signal at a frequency related to the rotational speed of said rotor, together with circuit means for cancelling said noise signal said last named means being coupled to receive said first and second output signals.

10. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor for sensing angular velocity about non-parallel axes, comprising a framework, a motor mounted on said framework, an output shaft on said motor for providing rotational motion, a rotor having a spin axis aligned with and coupled to said motor output shaft, said rotor having a continuous periphery and opposite rotor faces, means integral with said rotor permitting said rotor to deflect in a bending mode in restrained rotation about any rotor diametral axis, so that when angular velocity inputs are applied about the non-parallel axes said continuous rotor periphery moves in restrained rotation about diametral axes which are substantially orthogonal to one of the non-parallel axes, said means integral with said rotor having an angular spring rate operating to urge said continuous rotor periphery toward a neutral spin plane in the presence of torques about said diametral axes, and pickoff means spaced from said rotor faces for producing an output signal related to the position of said rotor face relative to said pickoff means.

11. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 10 wherein said rotor comprises a flexible diaphragm attached to said output shaft.

12. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 10 together with first and second planar surfaces in spaced proximate relation to each of said opposite rotor faces, whereby gas films are formed between said first and second planar surfaces and ones of said opposite rotor faces when said rotor is spinning, thereby providing gas damping of motion of said continuous rotor periphery in an axial direction.

13. A multi-axis angular velocity sensor as in claim 10 wherein said plurality of pickoff means includes pickoffs spaced from each of said opposite rotor faces positioned on opposite ends of a diameter of said rotor, said pickoffs being interconnected so that rotor periphery deflection in the same direction at opposite ends of the diameter of said rotor due to linear acceleration in a direction parallel to the axis of spin of said rotor produces substantially cancelling components in said output signal.

14. A two axis angular velocity sensor for sensing angular velocity about first and second intersecting axes, comprising a framework, a rotor mounted for rotational movement about a rotor spin axis relative to said framework, a continuous periphery on said rotor having a planar face, a motor mounted on said framework driving said rotor rotationally about said rotor spin axis, said rotor permitting restrained rotation about any diameter thereof and operating to urge said planar face toward a neutral plane of rotation in the presence of torques about any of said rotor diameters, and first and second pickoff means mounted in said framework disposed in spaced relation with said planar faces on said rotor and aligned with the first and second intersecting axes for providing respective first and second output related to the position of said rotor planar faces related to said pickoffs, whereby angular velocity inputs about the first and second intersecting axes induce precession torque in said rotor about axes substantially orthogonal to said first and second axes respectively, thereby providing first and second outputs respectively.

15. An angular velocity sensor providing indication of angular velocity about at least one axis, comprising

a framework,

a rotor member mounted for rotational movement about a rotor spin axis relative to said framework, said rotor having a rotor face and being configured to deflect in bending mode about any diametral axis.

a motor mounted on said framework coupled to drive said rotor member rotationally about said rotor spin axis,

and pickoff means mounted in said framework substantially in alignment with the one axis in spaced relation with said rotor face and providing angular velocity output related to the position of said rotor face relative thereto,

whereby angular velocity about the one axis induces precession torque in said rotor member about an axis substantially orthogonal to the one axis changing the position of said rotor face relative to said pickoff means and providing said angular velocity output.

16. An angular velocity sensor providing indication of angular velocity about at least one axis, comprising

a framework,

a shaft mounted for rotation and defining a rotor spin axis,

a rotor member mounted on said shaft for rotational movement about said rotor spin axis relative to said framework, said rotor having a continuous outer periphery which deflects about at least one diametral axis without deforming said shaft,

a motor mounted on said framework and coupled to said shaft for driving said rotor member rotationally about said rotor spin axis,

and pickoff means for providing an output related to the position of said rotor face relative thereto.

17. An angular velocity sensor providing indication of angular velocity about at least one axis, comprising

a framework,

a rotor member mounted for rotational movement about a rotor spin axis relative to said framework, said rotor having a rotor face and being configured to deflect about at least one diametral axis,

a motor mounted on said framework coupled to drive said rotor member rotationally about said rotor spin axis,

and pickoff means fixedly mounted in said framework in direct confronting relation with but spaced from said rotor face for providing an angular velocity output in direct response to the position of said rotor face relative thereto.

18. An angular velocity sensor as in claim 17 wherein said pickoff means includes two pickoff members located on opposite sides of said rotor member and aligned with one another in a direction parallel to said spin axis.

19. An angular velocity sensor as in claim 18 wherein said pickoff means includes third and fourth pickoff members located on opposite sides of said rotor member and aligned with one another in a direction parallel with said spin axis, said third and fourth pickoff members being located diametrically opposite said two pickoff members relative to said spin axis.