Vibratory angular rate sensor system
First Claim
1. A vibratory angular rate sensor system comprising:
- (a) a mounting frame of substantially rectangular configuration having a substantially rectangular opening, said frame consisting of a piezoelectric material of Z-cut crystalline quartz;
(b) a first pair and a second pair of tines disposed in said opening, said first pair forming vibrating drive tines, vibrating toward and away from each other, and said second pair of tines forming vibrating output tines, vibrating in opposite directions up and down;
(c) a stem interconnecting said first and second pair of tines, the tines of each pair being disposed parallel to each other and corresponding tines of both pairs being disposed along a common axis;
(d) means including two pairs of input electrodes in contact with the first pair of tines for exciting said tines substantially at the resonant frequency thereof, said input electrodes being in the X-Y and Y-Z planes of said wafer;
(e) means including two pairs of output electrodes disposed in contact with the second pair of tines in the Y-Z plane for deriving an output signal representative of the angular rate experienced by said system, the flexural frequency of said first pair of tines being lower than that of said second pair of tines; and
(f) a plurality of bridges integral with said frame and connected to said stem.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vibratory angular rate sensor system preferably consists of a Z-cut quartz plate forming a mounting frame with a rectangular opening. Within the opening are mounted two pairs of tines. Each pair of tines is parallel to each other, one pair forming the drive tines and the other pair the output tines. Each corresponding set of two tines is disposed along the same axis having a common stem or base. The tines are secured by four bridges integral with the frame and connected to the stem. The arrangement is such that the pair of input tines vibrates in opposition to each other, while the pair of output tines vibrates with one tine going up while the other moves downwardly. As a result, the angular rate sensors drive frequency and the structural torque frequency are unequal. Therefore large displacements of the stem are unnecessary.
74 Citations
2 Claims
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1. A vibratory angular rate sensor system comprising:
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(a) a mounting frame of substantially rectangular configuration having a substantially rectangular opening, said frame consisting of a piezoelectric material of Z-cut crystalline quartz; (b) a first pair and a second pair of tines disposed in said opening, said first pair forming vibrating drive tines, vibrating toward and away from each other, and said second pair of tines forming vibrating output tines, vibrating in opposite directions up and down; (c) a stem interconnecting said first and second pair of tines, the tines of each pair being disposed parallel to each other and corresponding tines of both pairs being disposed along a common axis; (d) means including two pairs of input electrodes in contact with the first pair of tines for exciting said tines substantially at the resonant frequency thereof, said input electrodes being in the X-Y and Y-Z planes of said wafer; (e) means including two pairs of output electrodes disposed in contact with the second pair of tines in the Y-Z plane for deriving an output signal representative of the angular rate experienced by said system, the flexural frequency of said first pair of tines being lower than that of said second pair of tines; and (f) a plurality of bridges integral with said frame and connected to said stem. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneePiezoelectric Technology Investors
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Original AssigneePiezoelectric Technology Investors
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InventorsStaudte, Juergen H.
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Primary Examiner(s)Gill, James J.
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Application NumberUS06/572,783Time in Patent Office519 DaysField of Search73/505, 310/323, 310/331US Class Current73/504.16CPC Class CodesG01C 19/5607 using vibrating tuning fork...
