Micro-mechanical sensor of angular velocity

• US 8,997,565 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Electronics OY (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Blomqvist, Anssi
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Charles J
• Application Number:
  US12/715,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20100222998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 7350402-50404, 735/041.2, 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 micro-mechanical resonator is provided. The micro-mechanical resonator comprises two masses coupled in the direction of a common axis by a spring structure. The spring structure comprises a spring that couples at least a first bar connected to the masses and a second bar extending in the motion axis direction, said spring being arranged to bend in a direction perpendicular to the motion direction of the motion axis. A micro-mechanical resonator matrix, a sensor and a navigation device are also provided.

Claims

1. A micro-mechanical resonator, comprising:

a first mass and a second mass coupled to move on a common axis of motion by a spring structure that comprises a first bar, a second bar and a spring, wherein

the spring is suspended to extend parallel to the common axis of motion,

a first end of the first bar is coupled to the first mass and a second end of the first bar is coupled to the spring such that the first bar is turned by displacement of the first mass in the direction of the common axis of motion,

a first end of the second bar is coupled to the second mass and a second end of the second bar is coupled to the spring such that the second bar is turned by displacement of the second mass in the direction of the common axis of motion, and

the second end of the first bar and the second end of the second bar are directly coupled to the spring such that the spring is bent between them perpendicularly to the direction of the common axis of motion in response to turning of the first bar by displacement of the first mass on the common axis of motion and of the second bar by displacement of the second mass on the common axis of motion.

2. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 1, wherein the spring is configured to bend into s-shape by a displacement of the masses in the same direction on the common axis of motion.

3. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 1, wherein the spring structure is configured to be stiffer to displacements of said masses in same phase than to displacements in opposite phase.

4. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said two masses has a comb-like structure.

5. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 4, wherein said comb-like structure is provided in order to achieve a certain surface area.

6. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 4, wherein said comb-like structure is provided in order to achieve a certain capacitance between a certain part of the comb-like structure and some part other than the comb-like structure.

7. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 1, wherein the micro-mechanical resonator is comprised in a micro-mechanical resonator matrix.

8. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 1, wherein the micro-mechanical resonator is comprised in a sensor.

9. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is comprised in a vehicle, said vehicle being at least one of the following:

a toy, a piece of footwear, a bicycle, a moped, a motorcycle, a car, a train, a ship and an airplane.

10. The micro-mechanical resonator according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is comprised in a navigation device.

11. A system of micromechanical resonators, comprising:

at least one micromechanical resonator that comprises a first mass and a second mass that are coupled to move on a common axis of motion with a spring structure that comprises a first bar, a second bar and a spring, wherein the spring is suspended to extends parallel to the common axis of motion,

a first end of the first bar is coupled to the first mass and a second end of the first bar is coupled to the spring such that the first bar is turned by displacement of the first mass in the direction of the common axis of motion,

a first end of the second bar is coupled to the second mass and a second end of the second bar is coupled to the spring such that the second bar is turned by displacement of the second mass in the direction of the common axis of motion, and

the second end of the first bar and the second end of the second bar are directly coupled to the spring such that the spring is bent between them perpendicularly to the direction of the common axis of motion in response to turning of the first bar by displacement of the first mass on the common axis of motion and of the second bar by displacement of the second mass on the common axis of motion.