Angular velocity sensor

• US 6,598,476 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takeshi, Terada, Jiro, Matsubara, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/100,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.6, 735/041.2, 310/321, 310/367, 310/370, 310/366
• US Class Current: 73/504.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5642 using vibrating bars or beams

Abstract

Here disclosed is an angular velocity sensor with much accuracy, not allowing other vibration components to mix into the Coriolis force component. The angular velocity sensor contains a first through a fifth beams: the first, the second, and the third beams have a length of substantially the same and disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement on a substantially the same plane—with the first beam placed between the second and the third; the fourth connects each one end of the first through the third, while the fifth connects each other end of them. The first beam is supportively fixed at its mid-portion. The first beam serves as a detector; the second serves as a driver; and the third serves as a monitor.

Claims

1. An angular velocity sensor comprising:

(a) a first beam;

(b) a second beam, having a length substantially equal to that of the first beam, disposed substantially in parallel to the first beam;

(c) a third beam, having the length substantially equal to that of the first beam, disposed substantially in parallel to the first beam on an opposite side to the second beam and in the substantially identical plane with the first and the second beams;

(d) a fourth beam connecting each end of the first, the second, and the third beams; and

(e) a fifth beam connecting each other end of the first, the second, and the third beam,

wherein the first beam is supportively fixed at a mid-portion thereof.

2. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1, wherein an additional mass portion is disposed each at a middle of the second and the third beams so that a resonance frequency of the second and the third beams get closer to that of the first beam.

3. The angular velocity sensor of claim 2, wherein the first through the fifth beams, the additional mass portion, and a beam supporter holding the beams and the additional mass portion are made of an identical material and arranged in the substantially identical plane.

4. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein the additional mass portions disposed on the second and the third beams are substantially T-shaped.

5. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein each of the fourth and the fifth beams has a notch at each outer mid-portion.

6. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein the first beam, which vibrates in a S-shaped vibration mode, is used for detecting, while the second and the third beams, which vibrate in a primary vibration mode, are used for driving.

7. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein lengthwise both ends of the fourth and the fifth beams extend beyond intersections formed with the second and the third beams.

8. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, a constriction is disposed at a part of the first beam in a portion connected with the fourth and the fifth beams.

9. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein a constriction is disposed each at a part of the second and the third beams in portions connected with the fourth and the fifth beams.

10. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein two beams extend outwardly from the mid-portion of the first beam to face toward a mid-portion of the second and the third beams, respectively, and the two beams are supportively fixed at a substantial tip of each beam.

11. The angular velocity sensor of claim 10, wherein each end of the two beams, which is formed at the mid-portion of the first beam, has a holder, at least a part of which is supportively fixed.

12. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein the identical material forms a piezoelectric substrate.

13. The angular velocity sensor of claim 3, wherein one piezoelectric substrate serving as a driver is disposed on at least one of the second and the third beams, while another piezoelectric substrate serving as a detector disposed on the first beam.

14. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1, wherein the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth beams are made of piezoelectric ceramics and are attached on a surface of a permanent elastic metal-made vibrator.