Micromachined gyros
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A micromachined device comprising:
- a substrate;
a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and
a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate with the second body having a perimeter that surrounds the first body;
the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the first body having a perimeter portion defining and surrounding an aperture;
the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis;
fingers extending inwardly from the first body into the aperture and movable with the first body; and
fixed fingers, fixed relative to the substrate and interdigitating with the inwardly extending fingers.
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Abstract
A micromachined gyroscope has first and second coplanar bodies suspended over a substrate and movable in their plane relative to the substrate. The first body is dithered along a dither axis and is movable relative to the second body on the dither axis, but is rigidly connected for movement along an axis transverse to the dither axis. The second body is anchored so that it is substantially inhibited from moving along the dither axis, but can move with the first body along the transverse axis. The gyro has stop members and an anti-levitation system for preventing failure.
219 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate with the second body having a perimeter that surrounds the first body; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the first body having a perimeter portion defining and surrounding an aperture; the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; fingers extending inwardly from the first body into the aperture and movable with the first body; and fixed fingers, fixed relative to the substrate and interdigitating with the inwardly extending fingers.
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2. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis; the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis, wherein the first body has a perimeter portion defining and surrounding an aperture further comprising fingers extending inwardly from the first body into the aperture and movable with the first body, the gyro further including fixed fingers, fixed relative to the substrate and interdigitating with the inwardly extending fingers, wherein the first body has at least one cross-piece extending from one part of the perimeter portion to another part of the perimeter portion to define a plurality of apertures. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; a fixed elongated body fixed relative to the substrate and coplanar with the first plane; first and second flexures connected from opposite ends in the lengthwise direction of the fixed body to the second body; and anchors for anchoring the fixed elongated body, the anchors being centrally located with respect to the lengthwise dimension of the fixed elongated body. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis, and a connection structure between the first body and the second body, the connection structure including a first pivoting beam, a second pivoting beam, flexures extending from the first body to the first and second pivoting beams, a beam connecting the first and second pivoting beams, and first and second structures connecting the first and second pivoting beams to the second body, such that the first and second pivoting beams pivot where connected to the respective connection structures in response to dithering movement by the first body.
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15. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis, wherein the first body has a perimeter portion and at least one cross-piece to define a plurality of apertures within the first body, wherein a first aperture has fingers for driving the first body along the dither axis and no fingers for sensing the dithering motion, and a second aperture has fingers for sensing the dithering motion, and no fingers for driving the first body along the dither axis.
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16. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; and a coupling structure for anchoring the second body and including a first plate anchored to the substrate, a second plate connected to the second body and perpendicular flexures extending between the first plate and the second plate to define a pivot point.
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17. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis, the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; and a coupling structure connecting the first and second bodies, the coupling structure including first and second elongated arms that extend co-linearly along a substantial portion of the length of the first body along a direction perpendicular to the dither axis, the first and second co-linear arms being connected together through a coupling beam that is shorter than each of the two arms. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate with the second body having a perimeter that surrounds the first body; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis; the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; a first plurality of fingers extending in parallel inwardly from the first body; a second plurality of fingers fixed relative to the substrate and extending parallel to and interdigitating with the first plurality of fingers; and a first conductive member formed on the substrate and under a first group of the first and second plurality of fingers, the first conductive member being electrically coupled to the second plurality of fingers to prevent the first body from levitating relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate; a first body suspended over the substrate and movable relative to the substrate such that the first body can be dithered along a dither axis; and a second body suspended over the substrate, the first and second bodies being coplanar in a first plane parallel to the substrate with the second body having a perimeter that surrounds the first body; the first body being coupled to the second body to allow movement by the first body along the dither axis relative to the second body, to substantially inhibit movement of the first body relative to the second body along an axis orthogonal to the first axis, and to allow the first and second bodies to move together along the orthogonal axis; the second body being formed such that the second body is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the substrate along the dither axis; a first set of fingers inwardly extending from the first body, a second set of fingers inwardly extending from the first body, a third set of fingers fixed relative to the substrate and interdigitating with the first set of fingers, and a fourth set of fingers fixed relative to the substrate and interdigitating with the second set of fingers, wherein the first and third sets of fingers are driven to provide a dithering motion, and the second and fourths sets of fingers provide a dither motion sensing function. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification