Gyroscope

• US 6,845,668 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellimicrons Co., Ltd., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation (Seoul National University)
• Original Assignee: Intellimicrons Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong-Kweon, Kim, Seong-Hyok
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US10/257,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20030159509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.4, 735/041.2, 735/040.2, 735/040.4, 735/041.6
• US Class Current: 73/504.14
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0242 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0136 Comb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/04 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0062 Devices moving in two or more dimensions, i.e. having special features which allow movement in more than one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0078 Constitution or structural means for improving mechanical properties not provided for in B81B3/007 - B81B3/0075
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5755 the devices having a single sensing mass

Abstract

A gyroscope which comprises: a driving fixed electrode (26) being fixed; a driving displacement electrode (24) being opposite to the driving fixed electrode, and being able to be displaced in a first direction; an inertial mass (23) being connected to the driving displacement electrode (24), being displaced in the first direction according to the first directional displacement of the driving displacement electrode (24), and being displaced in a second direction when an angular rate is applied; a sensing displacement electrode (22) being connected to the inertial mass (23), and being able to be displaced in the second direction according to the second directional displacement of the inertial mass (23); and a sensing fixed electrode (25) being opposite to the sensing displacement electrode and being fixed. The driving displacement electrode (24) is supported by a folded spring (31) movable in the first direction, and the sensing displacement electrode is supported by a folded spring (32) movable in the second direction.

Claims

1. A gyroscope comprising:

a driving fixed electrode being fixed;

a driving displacement electrode being opposite to the driving fixed electrode, and being able to be displaced in a first direction;

an inertial mass being connected to the driving displacement electrode, being displaced in the first direction according to the first directional displacement of the driving displacement electrode, and being displaced in a second direction when an angular rate is applied;

a sensing displacement electrode being connected to the inertial mass, and being able to be displaced in the second direction according to the second directional displacement of the inertial mass; and

a sensing fixed electrode being opposite to the sensing displacement electrode and being fixed;

wherein the driving displacement electrode and the inertial mass can be movable in the second direction and are connected by a folded spring having no fixture shaft, and the sensing displacement electrode and the inertia mass can be movable in the first direction and are connected by a folded spring having no fixture shaft.

2. The gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the driving displacement electrode is supported by a folding spring movable in the first direction, and the sensing displacement electrode is supported by a folded spring movable in the second direction.

3. The gyroscope in claim 1, wherein two sensing displacement electrodes are provided, one on each two sides of the inertia mass, and the gyroscope further comprises an edge gimbal for connecting the two sensing displacement electrodes.

4. The gyroscope of claim 1, wherein a cavity is provided in the center of the inertia mass, and the gyroscope further comprises a displacement limit shaft provided to the center of the cavity and being fixed.

5. The gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the gyroscope further comprises tuning electrodes, symmetrically formed on both sides of the sensing displacement electrode, functioning as electrical springs to vary the resonance frequency of the sensing displacement electrode and control sensing sensitivity.

6. The gyroscope of claim 5, wherein spaced tooth shapes are respectively formed on the sensing displacement electrode'"'"'s surface and on the tuning electrode'"'"'s surface facing the sensing displacement electrode, and tooth portions of the sensing displacement electrode are facing those of the tuning electrode, and spaces between the tooth portions of the sensing displacement electrode are facing those of the tuning electrode.

7. The gyroscope of claim 1, wherein spaced tooth shapes are provided to the facing sides of the driving fixed electrode and the driving displacement electrode, and to those of the sensing fixed electrode and the sensing displacement electrode, to be interspersed with each other.