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Vibrating inertial rate sensor utilizing skewed drive or sense elements

  • US 7,526,957 B2
  • Filed: 12/18/2006
  • Issued: 05/05/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An inertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:

  • a vibratory resonator comprising an axisymmetric body having a central axis;

    means for generating an oscillation pattern on said vibratory resonator, said oscillation pattern having a plurality of diametrically opposed nodes and diametrically opposed antinodes that define a plurality of reference axes;

    a plurality of operational element pairs operatively coupled to said axisymmetric body, each of said operational element pairs being centered in diametric opposition to define a plurality of operational element axes, each corresponding to a respective one of said operational element pairs such that a first of said plurality of operational element axes is characterized by a first rotational offset relative to a first of said plurality of reference axes, said first of said operational element axes not being in rotational alignment about said central axis with any of said plurality of reference axes, and such that a second of said plurality operational element axes is characterized by a second rotational offset relative to a second of said plurality of reference axes, said second of said plurality of operational element axes not being in rotational alignment about said central axis with any of said plurality of reference axes, said second rotational offset being of substantially equal magnitude with and in a rotational direction opposite from said first rotational offset.

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