GIMBALLED VIBRATING WHEEL GYROSCOPE HAVING STRAIN RELIEF FEATURES

摘要

A gimballed vibrating wheel gyroscope (10) for detecting rotational rates in inertial space. The gyroscope (10) includes a support (20) oriented in a fir st plane and a wheel assembly (12) disposed over the support (20) parallel to t he first plane. The wheel assembly (12) is adapted for vibrating rotationally a t a predetermined frequency in the first plane and is responsive to rotational rates about a coplanar input axis (32) for providing an output torque about a coplanar output axis (34). The gyroscope (10) also includes a post assembly (18a, 18b) extending between the support (20) and the wheel assembly (12) fo r supporting the wheel assembly (12). The wheel assembly (12) has an inner hub (24), an outer wheel (26), and spoke flexures (28a-28d) extending between th e inner hub (24) and the outer wheel (26) and being stiff along both the input and output axes (32, 34). A flexure (22a, 22b) is incorporated in the post assembly (18a, 18b) between the support (20) and the wheel assembly inner hu b (24) and is relatively flexible along the output axis (34) and relatively stiff along the input axis (32).