Solid state vibrating gyro
First Claim
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1. An angular rate sensor comprising:
- (a) an elastic element having high axial, radial and torsional stiffness including;
(i) two elastic beams; and
(ii) a common support joining the two elastic beams;
(b) two inertia members balanced such that their respective centers of gravity would remain static when the inertia members are angularly vibrated;
(c) means for angularly vibrating the inertia members in a first plane such that the inertia members have respective angular vibrational nodal points coinciding with their corresponding centers of gravity;
wherein each of the inertia members is respectively tightly coupled to a free end of corresponding one of the elastic beams such that the inertia members are not supported at their respective vibrational nodal points so that when at least one of the inertia members is angularly vibrated about its center of gravity, no substantial vibrational energy is lost since the inertial members are not supported at their respective vibrational nodal points and a high Q-value is thereby generated.
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Abstract
An angular rate sensor is formed of a transducer and associated electronics. The transducer consists of two parallel beams with attached proof masses, which are angularly vibrated about respective proof masses center of gravity in a first plane. Rotation of the gyro about its input axis results in Coriolis moments causing vibration in a plane normal to the first plane. A torque is applied to restrain the vibration of the proof masses to the first plane. A voltage proportional to this torque is demodulated and filtered and output as a voltage proportional to the angular input rate.
92 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An angular rate sensor comprising:
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(a) an elastic element having high axial, radial and torsional stiffness including; (i) two elastic beams; and (ii) a common support joining the two elastic beams; (b) two inertia members balanced such that their respective centers of gravity would remain static when the inertia members are angularly vibrated; (c) means for angularly vibrating the inertia members in a first plane such that the inertia members have respective angular vibrational nodal points coinciding with their corresponding centers of gravity; wherein each of the inertia members is respectively tightly coupled to a free end of corresponding one of the elastic beams such that the inertia members are not supported at their respective vibrational nodal points so that when at least one of the inertia members is angularly vibrated about its center of gravity, no substantial vibrational energy is lost since the inertial members are not supported at their respective vibrational nodal points and a high Q-value is thereby generated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An angular rate sensor comprising:
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two inertia members each having an elastic element and two arms connected to a free end of the elastic element and integrally extending in parallel from a body, the inertia members having corresponding centers of gravity; means for angularly vibrating the inertial members in a first plane such that the inertial members have respective angular vibrational nodal points coinciding with their respective centers of gravity; a support tightly coupling the respective elastic elements of the inertia members so that the inertia members are not supported at their respective vibrational nodal points and that vibrations received by one of the inertia members is transmitted to the other inertia member; wherein, when at least one of the inertia members is angularly stressed, no substantially vibrational energy is lost and a high Q-value is thereby generated. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification