Rotational rate sensor

• US 7,313,958 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Frey, Jens, Hauer, Joerg, Classen, Johannes, Lang, Christoph, Bauer, Wolfram, Willig, Rainer, Kuhlmann, Burkhard, Neul, Reinhard, Doering, Christian, Gomez, Udo-Martin, Maurer, Dieter, Bischof, Udo, Franz, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELLAMY, TAMIKO D
• Application Number:
  US10/471,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.2, 735/040.4, 735/040.3, 735/041.6, 735/143.2, 735/143.8, 735/041.4
• 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

A rotational rate sensor having a substrate and a Coriolis element is proposed, the Coriolis element being situated over a surface of a substrate; a driving arrangement being provided, by which the Coriolis element is induced to vibrations parallel to a first axis; a detection arrangement being provided, by which an excursion of the Coriolis elements is detectable on the basis of a Coriolis force in a second axis that is provided to be essentially perpendicular to the first axis; the first and second axis being parallel to the surface of the substrate; sensor elements that are designated to be at least partially movable with respect to the substrate being provided; a force-conveying arrangement being provided; the force-conveying arrangement being provided to convey a static force effect between the substrate and at least one of the sensor elements.

Claims

1. A rotational rate sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of sensor elements including a Coriolis element situated over a surface of the substrate, wherein;

the Coriolis element is capable of being induced to vibrate in parallel to a first axis,

an excursion of the Coriolis element is detectable and is based on a Coriolis force in a second axis that is essentially perpendicular to the first axis,

the first axis and the second axis are parallel to a surface of the substrate, and

the plurality of sensor elements are at least partially movable with respect to the substrate and the plurality of sensor elements include a driving mass which performs movement solely in relation to the first axis; and

a force conveying arrangement for conveying a static force effect between the substrate and at least one of the sensor elements, wherein the static force effect corresponds to a torque with respect to a third axis that is essentially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

2. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the static force effect is exerted upon the Coriolis element.

3. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the static force effect is exerted upon the driving mass.

4. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of sensor elements includes a detection element upon which the static force effect is exerted.

5. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the force-conveying arrangement includes a first substructure and a second substructure.

6. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the first substructure and the second substructure are asymmetrical.

7. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a driving arrangement by which the Coriolis element is induced to vibrations parallel to the first axis; and

an arrangement for detecting the excursion of the Coriolis element based on the Coriolis force in the second axis.

8. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the static force effect is exerted upon the Coriolis element, and the static force effect is exerted upon the driving mass.

9. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 8, wherein the force-conveying arrangement includes a first substructure and a second substructure, and the first substructure and the second substructure are asymmetrical.

10. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

a driving arrangement by which the Coriolis element is induced to vibrations parallel to the first axis; and

an arrangement for detecting the excursion of the Coriolis element based on the Coriolis force in the second axis.

11. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the static force effect is exerted upon the Coriolis element, and the plurality of sensor elements includes a detection element upon which the static force effect is exerted.

12. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 11, wherein the force-conveying arrangement includes a first substructure and a second substructure, and the first substructure and the second substructure are asymmetrical.

13. The rotational rate sensor as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a driving arrangement by which the Coriolis element is induced to vibrations parallel to the first axis; and

an arrangement for detecting the excursion of the Coriolis element based on the Coriolis force in the second axis.