Vibratory mass

A direction detection apparatus which detects the traveling direction of a moving object on the basis of the movement of a weight. It comprises a centrifugal force detector, a clock signal generator, and a velocity detector, and also a detection device which receives signals from the detectors and the...     

An electronic drive circuit for driving an actuator mass for a sensor apparatus is disclosed. The driver requires no compensation or bridge elements. The actuator mass is directly driven by a square wave drive signal such that all of the capacitors loading errors associated with the driven actuator means...     

A planar inertial sensor includes a sheet member having one inner planar element adapted for limited angular motion about a (Y) axis perpendicular to an input (Z) axis. In a gyroscope form, the inner planar element is also adapted for limited angular motion about an (X) axis normal to and intersecting...     

The sensor has two sheets (18, 20) of polarized polymeric piezoelectric material secured together with their main uniaxial mode aligned with axis (16). These are connected to an electric oscillator to induce mechanical oscillation of the assembly (10). A third sheet (22) of like material is secured to...     

An accelerometer transducer has a base holding a sheet normal to an input axis. The sheet is suspended from the base by a first spring arrangement for oscillatory motion in the way of limited angular excursions about a central axis lying in the sheet. A weight is spring-suspended from the sheet in a...     

A system for determining angular rate of rotation of a body about a rate axis. In one arrangement, the system comprises first (10) and second (12) accelerometers, movement apparatus and processor. The first and second accelerometers have their sensitive axes (16, 18) parallel to a sensing axis that is...     

A vibrating multisensor, each using two accelerometers which are vibrated along straight lines perpendicular to their sensing axes. The sensing axes are co-linear, the accelerometers are vibrated in phase opposition along parallel axes. The accelerometers preferably use a proof mass and flexure suspension...     

A vibrating multisensor, each using two accelerometers which are vibrated along straight lines perpendicular to their sensing axes. In one embodiment, the sensing axes are co-linear, and in another embodiment the sensing axes are perpendicular. The accelerometers preferably use a proof mass and flexure...     

An angular rate sensor is formed of a transducer and associated electronics. The transducer consists of two parallel beams with attached proof masses, which are angularly vibrated about respective proof masses center of gravity in a first plane. Rotation of the gyro about its input axis results in Coriolis...     

To increase the stability and sensitivity of a vibrational angular velocity sensor, the vibrator is airtightly housed within a glass vacuum casing whose inside surface is coated with a metallic film. Further, conductive lead pins electrically connected between vibrator signal terminals and a printed...     

A semiconductor chip gyroscopic transducer is disclosed in which a semiconductor element is supported in an outer element by a flexible linkage system which is in turn supported in a frame of semiconductor material by another flexible linkage system which permits the element to vibrate about two axes...     

The vibrator includes a columnar vibrating body consisting of a piezoelectric material. The vibrating body is formed into a polygonal or cylindrical column and, when necessary, a through hole is formed axially thereof. Furthermore, the vibrating body is polarized. On side faces of the vibrating body,...     

An oscillatory angular speed detecting apparatus is disclosed which includes a pillar-shaped oscillator body and drive and readout piezoelectric transducers attached to first, second, and third surfaces of the oscillator body, the first side surface being perpendicular to the second side surface and...     

A symmetrical micromechanical gyroscope includes an inertial mass symmetrically supported about both drive and sense axes, for detecting rotational movement about an input axis. Two pairs of flexures attached to diametrically opposed sides of the inertial mass support the mass within a gyroscope support...     

An angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity by converting deflection caused by the coriolis force into an electrical signal. The sensor includes a vibratory member having at least three main surfaces including a first main surface having a driving transducer provided thereon, and second...     

A vibration control apparatus comprises a vibration member having a surface with a resonance point. A piezoelectric element is adhered to the surface of the vibration member. A drive apparatus is connected to the piezoelectric element via an impedance element for exciting the piezoelectric element with...     

A rotation rate sensor has a multi-layer structure, with an oscillatory body (13) formed in one carrier layer (10). The body can be stimulated to oscillate in a first oscillation direction (1). On top of this body (13), a further structural element (21), which is deflectable normal to the major surface...     

The device comprises a transducer which supplies, in response to an exciting signal, a detection signal that is representative of its angular speed, and a circuit which responds to this detection signal to supply an angular speed measurement signal. For this measurement signal to be readily usable regardless...     

A sensor (10) is disclosed for measuring the specific force and angular rotation rate of a moving body and is micromachined from a silicon substrate (16). First and second accelerometers (32a and b) are micromachined from the silicon substrate (16), each having a force sensing axis (38) and producing...     

A vibration sensor is provided in which the depth of a caulked portion of the season's case is increased so as to increase the capacity of a recess defined between this caulked portion and the cover. The volume of a potting agent filling there less can thereby be increased to improve the airtightness...     

A vibration gyroscope including a central mounting post and a planar mass symmetrically affixed thereto for vibrational movement. The post and mass are formed from a single layer of semiconductor material deposited on a substrate, such as silicon. Capacitive plates positioned below and above the mass,...     

A vibratory gyroscope comprises, for example, a regular triangular columnar vibrating body, and on two side faces of the vibrating body, two driving and detecting piezoelectric elements are formed. To the piezoelectric elements, an output terminal of an oscillation circuit is connected. Further, the...     

A vibration gyroscope with a mass mounted for vibrational movement on a central post. Sensing capacitors are mounted adjacent the mass for sensing vibrational movement in two perpendicular axes. The mass includes a pair of elements mounted between the parallel arms of an H shaped frame and powered for...     

A rotor affixed to a central mounting post by helical springs for oscillatory rotary movement about the post. The post defining a Z axis and the sensing capacitors adjacent the rotor defining X and Y axes. The rotor, helical springs and post being formed of polysilicon in a single semiconductor process...     

A vibrating gyroscope is mounted on a cutting device. The vibrating gyroscope is heated by halogen lamps, and a drift due to temperature variation is measured by a drift measuring device. Resonance frequencies in plural directions of the vibrating gyroscope are measured by a frequency measuring device....     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a vibrator 12. The vibrator 12 has a regular triangular prism-shaped vibrating body 14, and piezoelectric elements 16a, 16b and 16c are formed on side faces of the vibrating body 14. Resistors 26 and 28 are connected to the piezoelectric elements 16a and 16b, and an...     

A vibrating gyroscope comprises a vibrating element which is polygonal, e.g., rectangular, in cross-section, at least two piezoelectric elements adhered to at least one side of the vibrating element, and a variable resistor. The variable resistor includes at least two fixed terminals and a variable terminal...     

A micromechanical gyroscopic sensor array for detecting rotational movement includes a plurality of vibrational microgyroscopic sensing elements fixedly oriented in a common plane relative to one another such that an in-plane direction and an out-of-plane direction orthogonal thereto are defined. A mechanism...     

The oscillation circuit 30 has the two input terminals 32a and 32b connected to the piezoelectric elements 3a and 3b of vibrator 1. These input terminals 32a and 32b are connected to the two input terminals of the adder 36 via the buffers 34a and 34b. The output terminal of the adder 36 is connected...     

A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrating body which is formed into, for example, a square loop. A section of the vibrating body is formed into, for example, a square. Driving piezoelectric elements are formed on upper and lower faces of one piece of the vibrating body. Detecting piezoelectric elements...     

A rotor affixed to a central mounting post by helical springs for oscillatory rotary movement about the post. The post defining a Z axis and the sensing capacitors adjacent the rotor defining X and Y axes. The rotor, helical springs and post being formed of polysilicon in a single emiconductor process...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a piezoelectric vibrator 12. Between a feedback piezoelectric element 16c and driving and detecting piezoelectric elements 16a and 16b of the piezoelectric vibrator 12, an amplifier circuit 24, a level changing circuit 26, a frequency dividing circuit 28, a phase correcting...     

An angular rate sensor comprises a wafer of silicon etched to form tines with teeth which are interdigitated. The tines are excited into oscillation in the plane of the wafer, by applying suitable drive signals to create electrostatic forces between the tines. Rotation of the tines out of the plane of...     

The vibrating gyroscope includes, for example, a regular triangular prism-shaped vibrating body. Piezoelectric elements are respectively formed to the three side faces of the vibrating body. An oscillation circuit is connected between two piezoelectric elements and the other piezoelectric element. Two...     

An angular velocity sensor arranged to minimize the influence of viscous resistance of gases in association with a vibratory member, and to enhance the sensitivity of angular velocity detection through reduction of noises. The angular velocity sensor includes a first vibratory member supported on a first...     

A piezoelectric vibrator 12 used for a vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a vibrating body 14 having, for example, regular triangular prism shape. Piezoelectric elements 14a, 14b and 14c are formed respectively on three side faces of the vibrating body 14. Supporting members 24a and 24b are attached to...     

A vibration-type angular-velocity sensor which can be reduced in size in the direction of the axis of the angular-velocity to be measured. A vibration body 11 comprises a pair of parallel driving plates 121 and 122 bent into a U-shape and extending in a Y direction, and a pair of detection plates 151...     

Converting a Coriolis force into an electrical signal, an electro-mechanical transducer (10) is a field effect transistor (18) having angular velocity sensing capabilities. A gate electrode (16) is suspended over a channel region (60) of a substrate (31), is biased at a desired potential, and is oscillated...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a piezoelectric vibrator 12. A piezoelectric element 16c for feedback of the piezoelectric vibrator 12 is connected to an input terminal of an amplifier 22, an output terminal of the amplifier 22 is connected to an input terminal of a phase correction circuit 24. An...     

A rate-of-rotation sensor comprises an oscillatory mass on which an acceleration sensor is disposed so that the acceleration sensor can be deflected parallel to the surface of the oscillatory mass. With this arrangement, a measurement of the Coriolis force parallel to the surface of the oscillatory mass...     

A microgyrometer for detecting a rotation about a first direction comprises a plate that is orthogonal to the first direction, suspended to a fixed frame and excited at its resonance frequency along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A rotation about the first direction causes the...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a piezoelectric vibrator 12. The piezoelectric vibrator 12 includes a vibrating body 14 having a regular triangular prism shape. Grooves 16 are formed on one side face of the vibrating body 14 along its width direction. The grooves 16 are formed at portions corresponding...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a regular quadrangular prism-shaped vibrator 12. The vibrator 12 includes, a first piezoelectric base plate 14a and a second piezoelectric base plate 14b, which are polarized reversely each other in a direction of thickness. On a main surface of the first piezoelectric...     

A driving circuit (30) includes an oscillation circuit (32). An input terminal of the oscillation circuit (32) is connected to a feedback piezoelectric element (16a) of a vibratory gyroscope (10). The oscillation circuit (32) is designed to amplify a feedback signal from the feedback piezoelectric element...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a vibrator 12 including a regular triangular prism-shaped vibrating body 14 and piezoelectric elements 16a, 16b and 16c. Bending vibration of the vibrating body 14 occurs due to the operation of an oscillation circuit 32 including an amplifying circuit 34 and a phase...     

An open top box structure is micromachined on a base, such as a crystalline silicon substrate, and drive and sensing devices are fabricated on the same substrate. Output transducers sense Coriolis force changes by processing signals representing force components at the corners of the vibrating box structure...     

An oscillation gyroscope 10 includes an oscillator 11 comprising an equilateral triangular prism-shaped vibrating body 12 and piezoelectric elements 14a to 14c. An oscillator circuit 26 including an inverse amplification circuit 28 and a phase circuit 30 is connected between the piezoelectric elements...     

A vibrating gyroscope 10 includes a vibrator 12 which has a vibrating body 14, and detecting devices 16a, 16b and a driving device 16c formed on side faces of the vibrating body 14. Output currents of the detecting devices 16a, 16b are converted to voltages by current-voltage converting circuits 24 and...     

An acceleration detection gyro apparatus is of the electrostatic supporting type. This gyro apparatus can be made inexpensive, long in life, excellent in durability and can be applied to a wide variety of fields. A gyro rotor (20) is supported relative to a gyro case (21) by an electrostatic supporting...     

A rotary speed sensor including an oscillator that can be excited to oscillate in a first direction (X direction). Upon a rotation about the Z axis, Coriolis forces in a second direction (Y direction) occur on the oscillator. The Coriolis forces are transmitted by oscillator springs to a detection element,...     

A microgyroscope includes a substrate, a vibratory structure having two stripe portions, a plurality of connection portions, and a comb, an elastic member for elastically maintaining the vibratory structure, a driver for applying the vibratory structure, a sensor for sensing the one directional action...     

A vibrating disk type micro-gyroscope and a method of manufacture thereof are disclosed. The micro-gyroscope includes a support platform for supporting a vibrating disk, the vibrating disk converting a resonance frequency into two beat frequencies, a bottom detection electrode for detecting the angular...     

An angular rate detector is disclosed having a first and a second detecting electrode 6a, 7a, which detect a second oscillation produced by Coriolis force, and disposed at locations which are symmetrical with respect to a direction of excitation D2 of a piezoelectric oscillator 2 and which corresponds...     

A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrator having a triangular prism shaped vibrating body and piezoelectric elements. An oscillation circuit is connected between two piezoelectric elements and another piezoelectric element. Output signals from two piezoelectric elements are applied to input terminals...     

A flexible substrate (110) having flexibility and a fixed substrate (120) disposed so as to oppose it are supported at their peripheral portions by a sensor casing (140). An oscillator (130) is fixed on the lower surface of the flexible substrate. Five lower electrode layers (F1 to F5: F1 and F2 are...     

An angular speed measuring device comprises a rotating tuning fork transducer. First excitation electrodes excite the transducer to cause a first vibration in a first plane parallel to the planes of the principal faces of the transducer. The first vibration induces a second vibration in a plane perpendicular...     

A vibration gyroscope 10 includes a vibrator 12. The vibrator 12 has a vibration member 14 formed in a regular triangular prism shape and piezoelectric elements 16a, 16b and 16c. Two of the piezoelectric elements 16a and 16b are polarized in the direction from the outside to the vibration member 14,...     

A vibration gyroscope having stable sensitivity characteristic against temperature change has an amplifier circuit which amplifies a detection signal derived from a piezoelectric vibrator. The amplifier circuit includes an input terminal, an operational amplifier having a non-inversion input connected...     

Fixed electrodes (A through F) are formed by means of a structural layer that has been provided on fixed bodies (7.sub.1 through 7.sub.4) of a silicon micro-machined substrate and a movable electrode (G) is formed by a movable body attached to fixed bodies (5.sub.1 through 5.sub.4) by flexible members...     

In a semiconductor acceleration sensor, a weight and thin beam parts adjacent to the weight are formed on a substrate, a moving electrode is formed on the weight, and a fixed electrode is formed at a position of the other substrate opposed to the moving electrode. Both the electrodes come in contact...     

In an angular velocity sensor for sensing angular velocities about two axes or an X-axis and a Y-axis which are perpendicular to each other, a frame-shaped oscillator 26 is disposed to the respective support portions 24 fixed on a substrate 22 through support beams 25 and a columnar electrode 33 is disposed...     

An angular velocity sensor includes a movable bi-directional electrode and a fixed bi-directional electrode wherein L-shaped electrode plates of the movable bi-directional vibration-urging electrode mesh in spaced relationship with L-shaped electrode plates of the fixed bi-directional electrode. In one...     

A vibration gyroscope which is capable of accurately detecting a rotational angular velocity regardless of environmental changes or changes in vibrator characteristics includes a vibrator formed of a vibration element, and first and second piezoelectric elements for detection and a third piezoelectric...     

Various structures for cantilever beam tunneling rate gyro devices formed on a single substrate are disclosed. A cantilever electrode having a plurality of portions extending from the substrate with one end of the cantilever is suspended above the substrate at a distance from a tunneling electrode so...     

An angular velocity sensor comprises a silicon substrate, a vibration mass formed separate from the silicon substrate on a principal surface of the silicon substrate to vibrate in directions along first and second orthogonal axes, supporting portions for supporting the vibration mass and positioned symmetrically...     

Angular rate sensor comprises a x-direction oscillator, a x-oscillation driver, a z-oscillation sensing element for detecting an angular rate and an additional z-oscillation driver for triggering a free damped oscillation of the oscillator in the z-direction. An electric sensing circuit energizes the...     

A sensor (10) is disclosed for measuring the specific force and angular rotation rate of a moving body and is micromachined from a silicon substrate (16). First and second accelerometers (32a and b) are micromachined from the silicon substrate (16), each having a force sensing axis (38) and producing...     

A micromechanical inertial sensor includes a pair of proof masses suspended between a pair of fixed structures by beams attached between the ends of the proof masses and the fixed structures, such that the proof masses extend lengthwise along a first axis direction and are able to vibrate back and forth...     

A resonance type angular velocity sensor is provided with a mass displacement supporting beam (20, 21, 22, 23) for supporting a vibration in a detecting direction due to a Coriolis force of a mass portion (1) and a mass excitation supporting beam for supporting a mass displacement supporting base portion...     

An angular rate sensor comprises an oscillator excited for oscillation in x-direction, a movable electrode disposed in opposing relationship with a stationary electrode along z-direction, and a movable electrode support for transmitting the oscillation of the oscillator in the z-direction to the movable...     

A micro-gyro device is disclosed combining an element which oscillates around the drive axis and an element which rocks around the output axis, so arranged that Coriolis force is transmitted from one element of the other without any substantial transfer of motion of either element to the other in its...     

A micromechanical rate-of-rotation sensor based on the coriolis principle includes two plate-like oscillators electrostatically driven to oscillate out-of-phase. The oscillators are arranged one above another in alignment to oscillate via plate-like support structures separated from one another by a...     

An acceleration sensor is composed of a three layer system. The acceleration sensor and conductor tracks are patterned out of the third layer. The conductor tracks are electrically isolated from other regions of the third layer by recesses and electrically insulated from a first layer by a second electrically...     

A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrator having a triangular prism shaped vibrating body and piezoelectric elements. An oscillation circuit is connected between two piezoelectric elements and another piezoelectric element. Output signals from two piezoelectric elements are applied to input terminals...     

The invention provides an angular-velocity detection apparatus, which includes a substrate (22) and a vibrating body (26) provided on the substrate (22), the vibrating body (26) being capable of displacing in a vibration axis direction and a detection axis direction which intersect at right angles to...     

An oscillation type angular velocity sensor includes an oscillator, as exciting device for exciting the oscillator, a detecting device for detecting the direction of oscillation of the oscillator which occurs by a Coriolis force acting on the oscillator when an angular velocity is applied thereto and...     

A microfabricated gyroscope to measure rotation about an axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. The driving electrodes, X-axis sensing electrodes, and Y-axis sensing electrodes may all be fabricated from a signal structural layer. The gyroscope includes movable sensing electrode fingers...     

A single or dual input-axis Coriolis gyro sensor is comprised of a single planar inertia-member (10) connected to a coplanar counter-inertia (13) by a first set of elastic beams (12). The counter-inertia is in turn supported by a second set of coplanar elastic beams (15). The counter-inertia counteracts...     

The output of a synchronous detector is made precise by reducing the offset included in the outputs of detecting piezoelectric elements. This is carried out by applying one y-axis direction exciting force to one movable piece from one pair of driving piezoelectric elements and another y-axis direction...     

A sensor (10) is disclosed for measuring the specific force and angular rotation rate of a moving body and is micromachined from a silicon substrate (16). First and second accelerometers (32a and b) are micromachined from the silicon substrate (16), each having a force sensing axis (38) and producing...     

A flexure assembly is provided for coupling and electrically interconnecting the rotors of an inertial multisensor. The rotor assembly is fixed to the base of the multisensor by means of a plurality of outer ring segments that attach to the base. An inner coupling ring is attached at its top and bottom...     

A first floating body is supported by a silicon substrate so as to be movable in the x-direction and substantially unmovable in the y-direction. A second floating body is supported by the first floating body so as to be substantially unmovable in the x-direction and movable in the y-direction. A driving...     

Described herein is a vibratory gyroscope. In the present vibratory gyroscope, two detection output portions are provided on a vibrator. The detection output portions are constructed such that an output (corresponding to a null output F0) obtained when no angular velocity is given, can be produced in...     

An acceleration sensor is composed of a three-layer system. The acceleration sensor and conductor tracks are patterned out of the third layer. The conductor tracks are electrically isolated from other regions of the third layer by recesses and electrically insulated from a first layer by a second electrically...     

A downsized angular velocity sensor is disclosed in which the detection sensitivity is improved. An oscillator oscillatably supported by support beams along two horizontal axes is formed of two rod-like members extending along the Y axis and an interconnecting portion. A hollow region is formed between...     

A shaft (270) is provided along the Z-axis on a semiconductor substrate (100), whose upper surface extends along the XY-plane, to fit a rotor (200) consisting of dielectric material. The rotor is supported by the shaft so that it can be inclined and can be rotated. The peripheral portion of the rotor...     

A symmetrical link device for linking first and second coplanar devices each movably mounted in a frame such that when one of the first and second coplanar devices is moved, a substantially equal and opposite motion is imparted to the other of the first and second coplanar devices.

A gyroscope system can detect the amount of movement of the system. The gyroscope system includes a circuit that has a number of different features and detects movement independent of any circuit parameters. The first feature uses a feedback loop to compensate for difference in Q factors between the...     

The invention relates to a vibrating microgyrometer incorporating a seismic mass (16) placed above a surface of a substrate (15) and attached to the surface by elastic supports arranged so as to enable the seismic mass (16) to move with respect to the substrate (15) in two directions x, y orthogonal...     

A micro-gyro device is disclosed combining a first element which oscillates linearly in a plane along a first direction, ad a second element which receives Coriolis force acting in the same plane along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so arranged that said Coriolis force is transmitted...     

A vibrating gyroscope includes a vibrator constructed by bonding a first piezoelectric substrate polarized in the thickness direction and a second piezoelectric substrate polarized in the same direction as the first piezoelectric substrate, through an intermediate electrode. The vibrator includes two...     

An angular velocity sensor comprises a driving element, a detecting element, and a feedback element, all of which are disposed on an element forming face of an oscillator. An electrostatic capacitance of the feedback element is set to be equal to that of the detecting element. As a result, a synchronous...     

A micromachined gyroscope has first and second coplanar bodies suspended over a substrate and movable in their plane relative to the substrate. The first body is dithered along a dither axis and is movable relative to the second body on the dither axis, but is rigidly connected for movement along an...     

A vibrating type angular velocity sensor is comprised of: a driving vibrator element 8 supported by a first beam 9 fixed by an anchor portion 3 on a substrate, and driven by a driving comb electrode 12 along an X-axial direction parallel to the substrate; a detecting vibrator element 10 supported by...     

This invention provides a dynamical quantity sensor having a novel structure, wherein first beams 3, 4, 5, 6 are extended from side walls of a recess 2 of a substrate 1, and an intermediate support member 7 is disposed on the first beams 3, 4, 5, 6. Second beams 8, 9, 10, 11 extending in a direction...     

An angular velocity sensor includes coupling beams supported afloat by highly flexible support beams so as to be movable relative to a substrate, with the support beams being flexible in the x-axis and a y-axis directions and being symmetrical with respect to the center of the sensor. A first vibrator...     

A multisensor includes direct rotor coupling. A pair of rotors is mechanically coupled by a torsion bar whose stiffness largely determines the resonant frequency of the counteroscillating rotor pair. The axis of the torsion bar is coincident with the common axis of rotation of the rotors. Piezo bimorphs...     

A single-axis angular rate sensor is comprised of a transducer and associated electronics. The transducer consists of a symmetric planar inertia member supported by symmetrically disposed coplanar elastic beams. The inertia member is angularly oscillated about its center of gravity about a first axis....     

A vibration gyroscope 10 includes a vibrator 12. The vibrator 12 has a vibration member 14 formed in a regular triangular prism shape. On side faces of the vibration member 14, piezoelectric elements 16a, 16b and 16c are formed. Two of the piezoelectric elements 16a and 16b are connected to resistors...     

A piezoelectric unit is composed of a plurality of piezoelectric elements. In one embodiment, a first driving electrode is provided over the whole surface of the lower surface of the piezoelectric element. A second driving electrode is provided over the whole surface between the piezoelectric elements....