TORSIONAL RATE MEASURING GYROSCOPE

摘要

A torsional gyroscope is provided that includes: a pickup tine and a drive tine of piezoelectric material, pickup electrodes disposed along the pickup tine, drive electrodes disposed along the drive tine, and a drive mass. The drive tine has a first end attached to the pickup tine and is transverse to the drive tine. The drive mass is attached to a second end of the drive tine opposite the first end of the drive tine. An electric field applied to the drive electrodes induces a rotational oscillation of the drive tine causing the drive tine to rotate about the first axis, inducing the drive mass to rotate about the first axis. Angular rotation of the drive mass along a third axis induces a torque in the pickup tine that induces an electric field in the pickup tine that induces an electrical charge to build up in the pickup electrodes.

主权项

1. A torsional gyroscope comprising:
a drive tine having a length along a first axis, the drive tine comprising a piezoelectric material; a pickup tine having a length along a second axis, the pickup tine comprising a piezoelectric material, the pickup tine being transverse to the drive tine, the drive tine having a first end attached to the pickup tine; a plurality of pickup electrodes disposed along the pickup tine; a plurality of drive electrodes disposed along the drive tine; and a drive mass attached to a second end of the drive tine opposite the first end of the drive tine; wherein the drive electrodes and the drive tine are configured such that an electric field applied to the drive electrodes will induce a rotational oscillation of the drive tine such that the drive tine will rotate about the first axis, inducing the drive mass to rotate about the first axis; and wherein angular rotation of the drive mass about a third axis will induce a torque in the pickup tine that will induce an electric field in the pickup tine that will induce an electrical charge to build up in the plurality of pickup electrodes.