Microgyroscope with two resonant plates

• US 6,467,348 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Song, Hoon, Baek, Seog-soon, Oh, Yong-soo, Ha, Byeoung Ju, Kim, Hyun-cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US09/702,845
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 735/040.2, 735/040.4, 735/041.2, 735/041.4, 735/143.2, 735/143.8, 735/141.8, 735/142.9, 735/143.7
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/574 the devices having two sensing masses in anti-phase motion

Abstract

A microgyroscope with two resonant plates is provided. The microgyroscope includes a substrate; first and second frames provided on the substrate to have a predetermined height, the first and second frames facing each other; a plurality of anchors supporting the first and second frames with respect to the substrate; first and second resonant plates provided between the first and second frames to be separated from each other by a predetermined distance; and a matching link unit connected to the first and second resonant plates so that it links the motion of one resonant plate to the motion of the other resonant plate such that the matching link unit is moved by the motion of one resonant plate in a first direction and then moves the other resonant plate in a second direction opposite to the first direction. In the microgyroscope, the difference between the resonance frequencies of the two resonant plates is removed by a self resonant matching structure implemented by the matching link, so that the range of an allowable process error is large, and the microgyroscope can be easily manufactured. Additionally, the reliability and the linearity of a resonance structure are improved. Since the driving beam and the sensing beam are separately designed, mode coupling can be prevented, thereby increasing the sensing sensibility.

Claims

1. A microgyroscope with two resonant plates, comprising:

a substrate;

first and second frames provided on the substrate to have a predetermined height, the first and second frames facing each other;

a plurality of anchors supporting the first and second frames with respect to the substrate;

first and second resonant plates provided between the first and second frames to be separated from each other by a predetermined distance; and

a matching link structure connected to the first and second resonant plates so that the matching link structure links the motion of one resonant plate to the motion of the other resonant plate such that the matching link structure is moved by the motion of one resonant plate in a first direction and then moves the other resonant plate in a second direction opposite to the first direction wherein the matching link structure comprises an actuating rod of which a central portion is fixed, a first connecting portion extended from one end of the actuating rod and connected to the first resonant plate, and a second connecting portion extended from the other end of the actuating rod and connected to the second resonant plate, and

wherein each of the first and second frames comprises a sub frame extending toward the matching link structure, and the central portion of the actuating rod is supported by the sub frames.

2. The microgyroscope of claim 1, wherein central portions of the first and second frames are connected to the anchors through sensing beams.

3. The microgyroscope of claim 2, wherein the sensing beams are formed at the central portions of the first and second frames, respectively, and connected to the anchors provided at the central portions of the first and second frames, respectively.

4. The microgyroscope of claim 2, wherein each of the sensing beams in the first and second frames comprises a buffer portion for alleviating stress.

5. The microgyroscope of claim 4, wherein the buffer portion of the sensing beam is a loop type having a through portion at a central portion thereof.

6. The microgyroscope of claim 1, wherein the first and second resonant plates are connected to the first and second frames, respectively, by driving beams.

7. The microgyroscope of claim 6, wherein each of the driving beams has a portion extending in a direction in which a corresponding first or second resonant plate resonates and a portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the resonance direction.

8. A microgyroscope with two resonant plates, comprising:

a substrate;

first and second frames provided on the substrate to have a predetermined height, the first and second frames facing each other;

a plurality of anchors supporting central portions of the first and second frames, respectively, with respect to the substrate;

sensing beams provided between the anchors and the first and second frames;

first and second resonant plates provided between the first and second frames to be separated from each other by a predetermined distance;

driving beams for connecting the first and second frames to the first and second resonant plates, respectively; and

a matching link structure connected to the first and second resonant plates so that the matching link structure can make the motion of one resonant plate bound to the motion of the other resonant plate such that the matching link structure is moved by the motion of one resonant plate in a first direction and then moves the other resonant plate in a second direction opposite to the first direction wherein the matching link structure comprises an actuating rod of which a central portion is fixed, a first connecting portion extended from one end of the actuating rod and connected to the first resonant plate, and a second connecting portion extended from the other end of the actuating rod and connected to the second resonant plate,

wherein each of the first and second frames comprises a sub frame extending toward the matching link structure, and the central portion of the actuating rod is supported by the sub frames.

9. The microgyroscope of claim 8, wherein the sensing beams are formed at the central portions of the first and second frames, respectively, and connected to the anchors provided at the central portions of the first and second frames, respectively.

10. The microgyroscope of claim 8, wherein each of the sensing beams in the first and second frames comprises a buffer portion for alleviating stress.

11. The microgyroscope of claim 10, wherein the buffer portion of the sensing beam is a loop type having a through portion at the center thereof.

12. The microgyroscope of claim 8, wherein each of the driving beams has a portion extending in a direction in which a corresponding first or second resonant plate resonates and a portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the resonance direction.

13. The microgyroscope of claim 9, wherein each of the driving beams has a portion extending in a direction in which a corresponding first or second resonant plate resonates and extending in a direction perpendicular to the resonance direction.

14. The microgyroscope of claim 10, wherein each of the driving beams has a portion extending in a direction in which a corresponding first or second resonant plate resonates and extending in a direction perpendicular to the resonance direction.

15. The microgyroscope of claim 11, wherein each of the driving beams has a portion extending in a direction in which a corresponding first or second resonant plate resonates and a portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the resonance direction.