Angular rate detecting device
First Claim
1. An angular rate detecting device comprising:
- at least two angular rate sensors, each said rate sensor having a central axis therethrough and comprising;
a first vibratory unit including a first piezoelectric drive element, a first piezoelectric detection element drivable by said first piezoelectric drive element, and joint means by which said first piezoelectric drive and detection elements are joined so that they are disposed in orthogonal planes, respectively, anda second vibratory unit including a second piezoelectric drive element, a second piezoelectric detection element drivable by said second piezoelectric drive element, and joint means by which said second piezoelectric drive and detection elements are joined so that they are disposed in orthogonal planes, respectively, said first and second vibratory units extending parallel to a detection axis, said first and second piezoelectric drive elements having ends interconnected in a tuning-fork structure;
a case for housing said angular rate sensors therein, wherein each said angular rate sensor is disposed within said case such that each corresponding central axis of each said angular rate sensor is perpendicular to each other; and
means for vibrating said first vibrating units of the angular rate sensors at different frequencies.
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Abstract
An angular rate sensor detects an angular rate which is produced when a mobile body such as a motor vehicle moves. The angular rate detecting device comprises at least two angular rate sensors housed in a case perpendicularly to each other. The angular rate sensor comprising a pair of vibratory units which are interconnected by a connector in a tuning-fork configuration. The vibratory units of the angular rate sensors are vibrated at different frequencies. The angular rate sensors may be accommodated in a damper block, which may be housed in the case. Since the angular rate sensors are housed in the single case, the angular rate detecting device is compact in structure and small in size. With the angular rate sensors accommodated in the damper block, they are protected from resonance, crosstalk interferences, and noise, and hence can produce reliable detected output signals.
69 Citations
2 Claims
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1. An angular rate detecting device comprising:
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at least two angular rate sensors, each said rate sensor having a central axis therethrough and comprising; a first vibratory unit including a first piezoelectric drive element, a first piezoelectric detection element drivable by said first piezoelectric drive element, and joint means by which said first piezoelectric drive and detection elements are joined so that they are disposed in orthogonal planes, respectively, and a second vibratory unit including a second piezoelectric drive element, a second piezoelectric detection element drivable by said second piezoelectric drive element, and joint means by which said second piezoelectric drive and detection elements are joined so that they are disposed in orthogonal planes, respectively, said first and second vibratory units extending parallel to a detection axis, said first and second piezoelectric drive elements having ends interconnected in a tuning-fork structure; a case for housing said angular rate sensors therein, wherein each said angular rate sensor is disposed within said case such that each corresponding central axis of each said angular rate sensor is perpendicular to each other; and means for vibrating said first vibrating units of the angular rate sensors at different frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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Specification