Microelectromechanical gyroscope
First Claim
1. A gyroscope comprising:
- a.) an engine formed upon a substrate and including a drive source adapted to provide a predetermined rotational torque; and
b.) a rotatable rotor/suspension assembly formed upon the substrate, the assembly mechanically coupled to the engine to receive the torque.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gyroscope powered by an engine, all fabricated on a common substrate in the form of an integrated circuit. Preferably, both the gyroscope and the engine are fabricated in the micrometer domain, although in some embodiments of the present invention, the gyroscope can be fabricated in the millimeter domain. The engine disclosed herein provides torque to the gyroscope rotor for continuous rotation at varying speeds and direction. The present invention is preferably fabricated of polysilicon or other suitable materials on a single wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or millimachining techniques that are well known in the art. Fabrication of the present invention is preferably accomplished without the need for assembly of multiple wafers which require alignment and bonding, and without piece-part assembly.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A gyroscope comprising:
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a.) an engine formed upon a substrate and including a drive source adapted to provide a predetermined rotational torque; and b.) a rotatable rotor/suspension assembly formed upon the substrate, the assembly mechanically coupled to the engine to receive the torque. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A micromachined gyroscope comprising:
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a.) a rotatable rotor/suspension assembly formed upon a silicon substrate; b.) a microengine formed upon the silicon substrate in the microdomain adjacent to the rotor/suspension assembly, the microengine including a pair of actuators operating substantially 90 degrees apart in phase;
a first drive linkage; and
a second drive linkage, the first and second drive linkages being attached to each actuator at a first end of each linkage, and a second end of each drive linkage being connected together, with the first drive linkage further being rotatably coupled to the rotor/suspension assembly; andc.) means for electronic control in electrical communication with the microengine and the rotor/suspension assembly and operation and control thereof. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gyroscope fabricated, operated and controlled at sizes equal to or less than the millimeter domain, comprising a rotatable rotor/suspension assembly;
- an engine; and
means for electronic control, all located upon a common substrate, the engine being mechanically coupled to the rotor/suspension assembly to provide a predetermined rotational torque to the rotor/suspension assembly, the engine and the rotor/suspension assembly further being in electronic communication with the electronic control means acting to control operation of the engine, to measure the rotational speed of the rotor/suspension assembly, to determine an angular orientation of the rotor/suspension assembly with respect to the substrate, and to control an electrostatic force applied to the rotor/suspension assembly to restore the rotor/suspension assembly to its original orientation with respect to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
- an engine; and
Specification