Vibrating gyroscope

• US 6,477,897 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Mori, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/704,647
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.2, 735/041.4, 310/329, 310/330, 310/331, 310/332, 310/357, 310/358, 310/366
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5656 the devices involving a micromechanical structure

Abstract

A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrator having a plurality of piezoelectric members stacked and polarized in directions opposing each other; at least one drive electrode formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to input a signal for exciting the vibrator; at least two detection electrodes formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to output a signal in accordance with vibration of the vibrator; and at least one reference electrode formed on one of the mutually opposing main surfaces of the vibrator to be connected to a reference potential. The reference electrode is formed in a position opposing the drive electrodes and the detection electrodes.

Claims

1. A vibrating gyroscope comprising:

a vibrator including a plurality of piezoelectric members stacked and polarized in directions opposing each other and defining two mutually opposing main surfaces;

at least one drive electrode formed on one of the main surfaces of the vibrator to input a signal for exciting the vibrator;

at least two detection electrodes formed on one of the main surfaces of the vibrator to output a signal in accordance with vibration of the vibrator; and

at least one reference electrode formed on at least one of the main surfaces of the vibrator in a position opposing at least one of the at least one drive electrode and the detection electrodes.

2. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 1, wherein the one drive electrode and the detection electrodes are formed on the same main surface of the vibrator in different portions thereof.

3. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 2, wherein the one driving electrode is connected to a driving circuit having a reference potential and the reference electrode is connected to the same reference potential.

4. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 1, wherein one of the main surfaces includes the drive electrode and the one reference electrode, and the other main surface includes the detection electrodes opposite the one reference electrode and another reference electrode opposite the drive electrode.

5. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, includes another drive electrode formed on the same main surface as the one drive electrode and in a position opposite the one drive electrode and wherein the one driving electrode and the another driving electrode are connected to a driving circuit having a reference potential and the reference electrode is connected to the same reference potential.

6. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 2 including another drive electrode formed on the same main surface as the one drive electrode and in a position opposite to the one drive electrode.

7. A vibrating gyroscope according to claim 6, wherein the one driving electrode and the another drive electrode are connected to a driving circuit having a reference potential and the reference electrode is connected to the same reference potential.

8. A vibrating gyroscope according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the detection electrodes are connected to a charging amplifier for converting a generated charge into a voltage to detect a rotation angular velocity input from a differential signal of the output of the charging amplifier.