Micromechanical tuning fork angular rate sensor
First Claim
1. A monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
- a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure;
said silicon structure disposed within a first plane and including at least first and second closed-ended elongate vibratable structures having, in line, a central mass and resilient attachments to said silicon structure, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally adjacent and parallel to one another;
drive means, for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to said rotation sensitive axis and within said first plane, said lateral vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting simultaneous vertical movement parallel to a second plane and normal to said first plane of at least a portion of said silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and
means for sensing said simultaneous vertical movement of said at least a portion of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to said sensed vertical movement, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope.
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Abstract
A micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope includes a suspended structure comprising at least first and second vibratable structures. Each vibratable structure is energizable to vibrate laterally, within a first plane, along an axis normal to the rotation sensitive axis. The lateral or inplane vibration of the first and second vibratable structures effects simultaneous vertical or rotational movement of at least a portion of the suspended structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of the gyroscope about the rotation sensitive axis. Vertical or rotational movement of the suspended structure is sensed, and a voltage proportional to the movement is generated, for providing an indication of angular rate of rotation detected by the gyroscope.
201 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; said silicon structure disposed within a first plane and including at least first and second closed-ended elongate vibratable structures having, in line, a central mass and resilient attachments to said silicon structure, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally adjacent and parallel to one another; drive means, for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to said rotation sensitive axis and within said first plane, said lateral vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting simultaneous vertical movement parallel to a second plane and normal to said first plane of at least a portion of said silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and means for sensing said simultaneous vertical movement of said at least a portion of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to said sensed vertical movement, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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8. A monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; said silicon structure disposed within a first plane and including at least first and second closed-ended elongate vibratable structures having, in line, a central mass and resilient attachments to said silicon structure, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally adjacent and parallel to one another; drive means, for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to said rotation sensitive axis and within said first plane, said lateral vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting simultaneous vertical movement parallel to a second plane and normal to said first plane of at least a portion of said silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; means for sensing said simultaneous vertical movement of said at least a portion of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to said sensed vertical movement, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope; first and second flexible elements coupling said silicon structure to said substrate, each of said flexible elements integral with said substrate and said silicon structure, and disposed generally co-linear and co-planar with said first rotation sensitive axis, for allowing said silicon structure to rotate about said first rotation sensitive axis; said first flexible element including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon substrate and a second end coupled to a first side of said silicon structure; said second flexible element including a first end coupled to a second region of said silicon substrate diametrically opposed from said first region of said silicon substrate and said first region of said silicon substrate and said first flexible element, and a second end coupled to a second side of said silicon structure; said silicon structure including first and second segments, said first segment structurally coupled and electrically isolated from said second segment; said first closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a first region of said first segment, and a second end coupled to a second region of said first segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; said second closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a first region of said second segment, and a second end coupled to a second region of said second segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; wherein said drive means is operative for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally, co-planar with and along an axis normal to said first rotation sensitive axis, and vibrating of said first and second vibratable structures effecting rotational movement of said silicon structure about said rotation sensitive axis upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and wherein said means for sensing senses rotation of said silicon structure, for providing a voltage output signal proportional to the rotational movement of said silicon structure, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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32. A pivoting, monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; first and second flexible elements coupling said silicon structure to said substrate, each of said flexible elements integral with said substrate and said silicon structure, and disposed generally co-linear and co-planar with said rotation sensitive axis, for allowing said silicon structure to rotate about said rotation sensitive axis; said first flexible element including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon substrate and a second end coupled to a first side of said silicon structure; said second flexible element including a first end coupled to a second region of said silicon substrate diametrically opposed from said first region of said silicon substrate, and a second end coupled to a second side of said silicon structure, diametrically opposed from said first side of said silicon structure; said silicon structure including first and second closed-ended vibratable structures, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally parallel to one another, each of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures including a central mass and, in line, resilient attachments to said silicon substrate integral with an associated vibratable structure; said first closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon structure, and a second end coupled to a second region of said silicon structure, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; said second closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a third region of said silicon structure, and a second end coupled to a fourth region of said silicon structure, said fourth region located generally diametrically opposed from said third region; drive means, operative for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate along an axis co-planar with and normal to said rotation sensitive axis, vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting rotational movement of said silicon structure about said rotation sensitive axis upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and means for sensing rotation of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to the rotational movement of said silicon structure, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope. - View Dependent Claims (33, 35)
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34. A pivoting, monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; first and second flexible elements coupling said silicon structure to said substrate, each of said flexible elements integral with said substrate and said silicon structure, and disposed generally co-linear with said rotation sensitive axis, for allowing said silicon structure to rotate about said rotation sensitive axis; said first flexible element including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon substrate and a second end coupled to a first side of said silicon structure; said second flexible element including a first end coupled to a second region of said silicon substrate diametrically opposed from said first region of said silicon substrate and said first flexible element, and a second end coupled to a second side of said silicon substrate; said silicon structure including first and second segments, said first segment structurally coupled and electrically isolated from said second segment; said silicon structure further including first and second closed-ended vibratable structures, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally parallel to one another, each of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures including a central mass and, in line, resilient attachments to said silicon substrate integral with an associated vibratable structure; said first closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a first region of said first segment, and a second end coupled to a second region of said first segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; said second closed-ended vibratable structure including a first end coupled to a first region of said second segment, and a second end coupled to a second region of said second segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; drive means, operative for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate along an axis co-planar with and normal to said rotation sensitive axis, vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting rotational movement of said silicon structure about said rotation sensitive axis upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and means for sensing rotation of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to the rotational movement of said silicon structure, for providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope.
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36. A monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; said silicon structure disposed within a first plane and including at least first and second closed-ended vibratable structures, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally adjacent and parallel to one another; first and second flexible elements coupling said silicon structure to said substrate, each of said flexible elements integral with said substrate and said silicon structure, and disposed generally co-linear and co-planar with said first rotation sensitive axis, for allowing said silicon structure to rotate about said first rotation sensitive axis; said first flexible element including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon substrate and a second end coupled to a first side of said silicon structure; said second flexible element including a first end coupled to a second region of said silicon substrate diametrically opposed from said first region of said silicon substrate and said first flexible element, and a second end coupled to a second side of said silicon structure; said silicon structure including first and second segments, said first segment structurally coupled and electrically isolated from said second segment by means of a dielectric isolation region; said first closed-ended vibratable structure including a first resilient end coupled to a first region of said first segment, and a second resilient end coupled to a second region of said first segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; said second closed-ended vibratable structure including a first resilient end coupled to a first region of said second segment, and a second resilient end coupled to a second region of said second segment, said second region located generally diametrically opposed from said first region; drive means, for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to said rotation sensitive axis and within said first plane, said lateral vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting simultaneous vertical movement parallel to a second plane and normal to said first plane of at least a portion of said silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; wherein said drive means is operative for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally, co-planar with and along an axis normal to said first rotation sensitive axis, and vibrating of said first and second vibratable structures effecting rotational movement of said silicon structure about said rotation sensitive axis upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; means for sensing said simultaneous vertical movement of said at least a portion of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to said sensed vertical movement, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope; and wherein said means for sensing senses rotation of said silicon structure, for providing a voltage output signal proportional to the rotational movement of said silicon structure, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope.
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37. A monolithic, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope, for detecting angular rotation about at least a first rotation sensitive axis, comprising:
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a silicon substrate over which is suspended a silicon structure; said silicon structure disposed within a first plane and including at least first and second closed-ended elongate vibratable structures having, in line, a central mass and resilient attachments to said silicon structure, said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures disposed generally adjacent and parallel to one another; drive means, for energizing said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to said rotation sensitive axis and within said first plane, said lateral vibration of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures effecting simultaneous vertical movement parallel to a second plane and normal to said first plane of at least a portion of said silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of said gyroscope about said first rotation sensitive axis; and means for sensing said simultaneous vertical movement of said at least a portion of said silicon structure, and for providing a voltage output signal proportional to said sensed vertical movement, said voltage output signal providing an indication of angular rotation detected by said gyroscope, wherein each of said first and second closed-ended vibratable structures includes; first and second support beams, each of said first and second support beams including a first end coupled to a first region of said silicon substrate, and a second end coupled to a first region of said mass; and third and fourth support beams, each of said third and fourth support beams including a first end coupled to a second region of said silicon substrate, and a second end coupled to a second region of said mass, said second region of said mass and said second region of said silicon substrate located generally diametrically opposed from said first region of said mass and said first region of said silicon substrate respectively, wherein each of said support beams include first and second portions, said first portion proximate said first end and coupled to said silicon substrate; and said second portion disposed proximate said second end and coupled to said mass, wherein each of said second portion of each of said support beams includes a height-to-width ratio which is greater than the height-to-width ratio of each of said first portions of each of said support beams. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification