Micromachined tuning fork gyroscopes with ultra-high sensitivity and shock rejection
First Claim
1. A vibratory rate z-axis gyroscope characterized by drive-mode and sense-mode quality factors and rate sensitivity comprising:
- at least two decoupled vibratory tines;
a levered drive-mode mechanism coupled between the tines to structurally force anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines at a predetermined drive frequency, to eliminate spurious frequency modes of the anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines lower than the predetermined drive frequency and to provide synchronization of drive- and sense-mode motion of the tines; and
a sense-mode mechanism coupled between the tines arranged and configured to provide a linearly coupled, dynamically balanced anti-phase sense-mode motion of the tines to minimize substrate energy dissipation and to enhance the sense-mode quality factor and rate sensitivity.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vibratory rate z-axis gyroscope is characterized by drive-mode and sense-mode quality factors and rate sensitivity and is fabricated with at least two decoupled vibratory tines, a levered drive-mode mechanism coupled between the tines to structurally force anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines at a predetermined drive frequency, to eliminate spurious frequency modes of the anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines lower than the predetermined drive frequency and to provide synchronization of drive- and sense-mode motion of the tines, and a sense-mode mechanism coupled between the tines arranged and configured to provide a linearly coupled, dynamically balanced anti-phase sense-mode motion of the tines to minimize substrate energy dissipation and to enhance the sense-mode quality factor and rate sensitivity.
92 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A vibratory rate z-axis gyroscope characterized by drive-mode and sense-mode quality factors and rate sensitivity comprising:
-
at least two decoupled vibratory tines; a levered drive-mode mechanism coupled between the tines to structurally force anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines at a predetermined drive frequency, to eliminate spurious frequency modes of the anti-phase drive-mode motion of the tines lower than the predetermined drive frequency and to provide synchronization of drive- and sense-mode motion of the tines; and a sense-mode mechanism coupled between the tines arranged and configured to provide a linearly coupled, dynamically balanced anti-phase sense-mode motion of the tines to minimize substrate energy dissipation and to enhance the sense-mode quality factor and rate sensitivity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of operating a vibratory rate z-axis gyroscope characterized by drive-mode and sense-mode quality factors and rate sensitivity comprising:
-
driving at least two decoupled vibratory tines in anti-phase motion at a predetermined drive frequency; structurally forcing the at least two decoupled vibratory tines in anti-phase motion by a levered drive-mode mechanism coupled between the tines to eliminate spurious frequency modes and to provide synchronization of drive- and sense-mode motion of the tines; and sensing dynamically balanced linearly coupled anti-phase sense-mode motion of the tines to minimize substrate energy dissipation and to enhance the sense-mode quality factor and rate sensitivity. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification