Decoupled multi-disk gyroscope

• US 6,443,008 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Funk, Karsten, Lutz, Markus, Frey, Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Application Number:
  US09/507,583
• Time in Patent Office: 927 Days
• Field of Search: 735/040.4, 735/041.2, 735/040.3, 735/142.9, 735/143.7, 735/143.8, 735/143.2, 738/625.9, 310/308, 310/309, 310/338
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure

Abstract

A gyroscope system including multiple rotating or oscillating disks filters out disturbance acceleration inputs such as vibrations or jarring while detecting and measuring external angular velocity. The gyroscope disks are decoupled from a substrate to decrease the impact of external vibrations on the gyroscope operation. The gyroscope disks are rotated in opposite directions or oscillated out of phase to decrease the impact of disturbance vibrations and jarring while more accurately measuring external angular velocities applied to the system.

Claims

1. A gyroscope system comprising:

a first disk adapted for motion about a first axis;

a second disk adapted for motion about the first axis;

a fixed support clamp connectable to a substrate;

an arrangement to movably couple the first disk and the second disk to the fixed support clamp and to enable the first disk and the second disk to move about the first axis;

wherein;

when the first disk and the second disk are set in motion about the first axis, the motion of the first disk is out of phase with the motion of the second disk; and

the first disk and the second disk are at least one of isolated and decoupled from the substrate when the fixed support clamp is connected to the substrate.

2. The gyroscope system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor adapted to sense movement of the disks about a second axis, wherein:

the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis.

3. The gyroscope system of claim 2, wherein:

the sensor is an electrode for sensing a change in capacitance due to movement of the disks about the second axis.

4. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein the arrangement includes:

a first spring;

a second spring;

a third spring, and

a connecting structure;

wherein;

the first spring connects the first disk to the connecting structure;

the second spring connects the second disk to the connecting structure; and

the third spring connects the connecting structure to the fixed support clamp.

5. The gyroscope system of claim 4, wherein:

the connecting structure comprises a center cylinder.

6. The gyroscope system of claim 4, wherein:

the connecting structure comprises an outer tube.

7. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein:

the disks are implemented as micro-electromechanical components;

the fixed support clamp is implemented as a micro-electromechanical component; and

the substrate is adapted to support micro-electromechanical components.

8. The gyroscope system of claim 7, further comprising:

a comb drive to induce motion of the disks about the first axis.

9. The gyroscope system of claim 7, further comprising:

a motor to induce motion of the disks about the first axis.

10. The gyroscope system of claim 7, wherein:

the motion of the first disk about the first axis is an oscillation motion; and

the motion of the second disk about the first axis is an oscillation motion.

11. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein:

the motion of the first disk about the first axis is a rotation motion; and

the motion of the second disk about the first axis is a rotation motion.

12. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein:

the first disk is positioned above the fixed support clamp; and

the second disk is positioned below the fixed support clamp.

13. The gyroscope system of claim 4, wherein:

the first disk is coupled to the connecting structure with the first spring having a first spring constant;

the second disk is coupled to the connecting structure with the second spring having a second spring constant;

the connecting structure is coupled to the fixed support clamp with the third spring having a third spring constant.

14. The gyroscope system of claim 13, wherein:

the first spring constant is approximately equivalent to the second spring constant.

15. The gyroscope system of claim 2, further comprising:

means for filtering out movement of the disks about the second axis caused by a disturbance motion.

17. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein the first disk and the second disk are aligned in the first axis.

18. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein the first disk and the second disk move in opposite directions with respect to one another in response to an external angular velocity, and the first disk and the second disk move in same directions with respect to one another in response to an external movement of the gyroscope system around a secondary motion axis.

19. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein the fixed support clamp includes an electrode arrangement for sensing a capacitance of the first disk and the second disk.

20. The gyroscope system of claim 1, wherein:

the first disk and the second disk are aligned in the first axis;

the first disk and the second disk move in opposite directions with respect to one another in response to an external angular velocity, and the first disk and the second disk move in same directions with respect to one another in response to an external movement of the gyroscope system around a secondary motion axis; and

the fixed support clamp includes an electrode arrangement for sensing a capacitance of the first disk and the second disk.

16. A gyroscope system comprising:

a first disk adapted for motion about a first axis;

a second disk adapted for motion about the first axis;

a connecting structure connected to the first disk and the second disk;

a fixed support clamp connected to the connecting structure and connectable to a substrate;

a first spring for connecting the first disk to the connecting structure;

a second spring for connecting the second disk to the connecting structure; and

a third spring for connecting the connecting structure to the substrate, and

a sensor adapted to sense a movement of the disks;

wherein;

when the first disk and the second disk are set in motion about the first axis, the motion of the first disk is out of phase with the motion of the second disk; and

the first spring, the second spring, the third spring, and the connecting structure at least one of isolate and decouple the first disk and the second disk from the substrate.