Rotational speed sensor

• US 6,691,571 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lutz, Markus, Kuhlmann, Burkhard, Thomae, Andreas, Hauer, Joerg, Funk, Karsten, Bauer, Wolfram, Willig, Rainer, Neul, Reinhard, Doering, Christian, Gomez, Udo-Martin, Wucher, Gerhard, Bischof, Udo, Franz, Jochen, Goetz, Siegbert, Fehrenbach, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/258,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20030183007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 264 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.2, 735/041.3, 735/041.4, 735/142.9, 735/143.2, 735/143.8
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5747 each sensing mass being connected to a driving mass, e.g. driving frames

Abstract

An rate-of-rotation sensor having a Coriolis element, which is arranged over a surface of a substrate, is described. The Coriolis element is induced to oscillate in parallel to a first axis. In response to a Coriolis force, the Coriolis element is deflected in a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis. A proof element is provided to prove the deflection.

Claims

1. An rate-of-rotation sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a Coriolis element arranged over a surface of the substrate;

an excitation arrangement to induce the Coriolis element to oscillate in parallel to a first axis;

a detection arrangement to prove an excursion of the Coriolis element based on a Coriolis force in a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the first and second axis being parallel to the surface of the substrate;

a drive element and a proof element both arranged above the surface of the substrate; and

a first spring to connect the drive element to the Coriolis element, the first spring being rigid along the first axis and flexible along the second axis; and

a second spring to connect the proof element to the Coriolis element, the second spring being rigid in a first direction and flexible along a second direction.

2. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a third spring to connect the drive element to the substrate, the third spring being flexible along the first axis X and rigid along the second axis Y,

wherein the excitation arrangement is connected to the drive element.

3. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 1, wherein the excitation arrangement includes an electrostatic comb drive.

4. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 1, wherein the proof element is provided for the detection arrangement, and the second spring is flexible along the first axis and rigid along the second axis.

5. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of stationary electrodes connected to the substrate,

wherein the proof element includes a plurality of movable electrodes that are disposed across from the stationary electrodes.

6. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 4, further comprising:

an additional proof element; and

a fourth spring to connect the additional proof element to the substrate, the fourth being rigid in the first direction and flexible in the second direction.

7. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 1, wherein a mass of the Coriolis element, the proof element, the drive element, and spring constants of the springs are selected in the first direction and in the second direction so that frequencies of natural oscillations of the rate-of-rotation sensor are essentially the same in the first and second directions.

8. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 6, wherein at least one of the frequencies of natural oscillations is selected to be slightly higher in the second direction, and the frequencies of the natural oscillations are synchronized in the first and second directions by introducing additional forces in the second direction.

9. The rate-of-rotation sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

an additional Coriolis element; and

a coupling spring to connect the Coriolis element to the additional Coriolis element.