Angular rate sensor having multiple axis sensing capability

摘要

An angular rate sensor (20) includes a single drive mass (24) and distributed sense masses (36, 38, 40, 42) located within a central opening (30) of the drive mass (24). The drive mass (24) is enabled to rotate around the Z-axis (64) under electrostatic stimulus. The sense masses (36, 38, 40, 42) are coupled to the drive mass by spring elements (44, 46, 48, 50) such that oscillatory rotary motion (90) of the drive mass imparts a linear drive motion (92, 94) on the sense masses. The distributed sense masses form two pairs of sense masses, where one pair senses X- and Z-axis angular rate and the other pair senses Y- and Z-axis angular rate. The sense masses are coupled to one another via a centrally located coupler element (34) to ensure that the sense masses of each pair are moving in anti-phase.

主权项

1. An angular rate sensor comprising:
a substrate having a surface; a drive mass flexibly coupled to said substrate, said drive mass being configured to move with an oscillatory rotary drive motion about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to said surface of said substrate, said drive mass having a central opening defined by an inner perimeter; a coupler element located in said central opening and suspended above said surface of said substrate; a first sense mass located in said central opening and interconnected between said inner perimeter of said drive mass and said coupler element via first spring elements; a second sense mass located in said central opening and interconnected between said inner perimeter of said drive mass and said coupler element via second spring elements, said first and second sense masses being positioned on opposing sides of a second axis with said coupler element located between said first and second sense masses, said second axis being oriented substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate, wherein said oscillatory rotary drive motion of said drive mass imparts a linear drive motion on said first and second sense masses via said first and second spring elements, said linear drive motion being in a first drive direction substantially parallel to said second axis.