Vibrator and vibrating gyroscope

• US 9,851,373 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Katsumi, Yoneda, Toshimaro, Hada, Takuo, Horiuchi, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhong, Xin
• Application Number:
  US14/100,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 7350412, 7350413
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5684 the devices involving a micromechanical structure

Abstract

A vibrator in a vibrating gyroscope includes a circular annular portion, a rectangular annular portion, and joining portions. The rectangular annular portion is disposed adjacent to an outer side of the circular annular portion. The joining portions join the circular annular portion and the rectangular annular portion. The rectangular annular portion includes linear beam portions. The joining portions join the circular annular portion and the center portions of the beam portions to each other.

Claims

1. A vibrator comprising:

a circular annular portion;

a rectangular annular portion located adjacent to an outer side of the circular annular portion;

joining portions arranged to join the circular annular portion and the rectangular annular portion to each other;

cantilever beam portions that extend from joining positions at which the joining portions are connected to the circular annular portion towards an inner side of the circular annular portion in a radial direction; and

weight portions having planar sector shapes that are zoned by aperture portions;

wherein

the rectangular annular portion includes beam portions joined to each other;

the joining portions join the circular annular portion and a center portion of the beam portions to each other;

the aperture portions include portions that divide the weight portions, are defined by parallel or substantially parallel adjacent surfaces of the weight portions that face each other, and are parallel or substantially parallel to diagonal lines that connect corners of the rectangular annular portion; and

the weight portions are connected to end portions of the cantilever beam portions.

2. The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein slits are provided in a joining portion between the cantilever beam portions and the weight portions along the cantilever beam portions.

3. The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein the beam portions of the rectangular annular portion are linear beam portions.

4. A vibrating gyroscope comprising:

the vibrator according to claim 1;

a driving portion arranged to drive the vibrator so that the vibrator vibrates in a first in-plane vibration mode; and

a detecting portion configured to detect a vibration of the vibrator in a second in-plane vibration mode, which occurs due to a Coriolis force applied to the vibrator by an angular velocity around a rotation axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a main surface of the circular annular portion, the vibrator vibrating in the first in-plane vibration mode.

5. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, wherein

the rectangular annular portion includes a plurality of corner portions;

and

supporting portions supporting the vibrator in the corner portions are included.

6. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, wherein

the vibrator includes a silicon substrate;

and

the driving portion and the detecting portion include a piezoelectric body film, a ground electrode, and a driving electrode or a detection electrode.

7. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 6, wherein the piezoelectric body film, the ground electrode, the driving electrode, and the detection electrode are provided on only one surface of the vibrator.

8. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 7, wherein

the driving portion and the detecting portion include a floating electrode;

and

the driving electrode or the detection electrode is arranged to face the floating electrode across the piezoelectric body film.

9. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 7, wherein the driving electrode includes a first driving electrode arranged to face the ground electrode across the piezoelectric body film, and a second driving electrode that faces the ground electrode across the piezoelectric body film and is adjacent to the first driving electrode.

10. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 7, further comprising an upper frame portion that is integral with the vibrator, an SiO₂ film provided in a bottom surface of the upper frame portion, and a lower frame portion including a silicon substrate having a rectangular frame shape and provided in a bottom surface of the SiO₂ film.

11. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of ground electrodes, a plurality of driving electrodes, and a plurality of detection electrodes.

12. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of support struts arranged to support corner portions of the vibrator.

13. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 12, wherein the support struts include upper strut portions that are integral with the vibrator, SiO₂ films provided in a bottom surface of the upper strut portions, and lower strut portions including a silicon substrate and provided in a bottom surface of the SiO₂ film.

14. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of ground electrodes, a plurality of driving electrodes, and a plurality of detection electrodes.

15. The vibrating gyroscope according to claim 4, wherein the at least one of the driving portion and the detecting portion is an electromechanical conversion element or an electrostatic capacity element.