초록 ▼

A low-cost two-axis rate and acceleration sensor utilizing piezoelectric generator elements affixed to the rotating housing of an inside-out synchronous motor. Signals generated by the piezoelectric bender elements are amplifier, compensated, balanced, and converted to FM signals for transmission of

A low-cost two-axis rate and acceleration sensor utilizing piezoelectric generator elements affixed to the rotating housing of an inside-out synchronous motor. Signals generated by the piezoelectric bender elements are amplifier, compensated, balanced, and converted to FM signals for transmission off the rotating assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

A sensor assembly, comprising: a hysteresis motor having a central shaft fixed with respect to a major axis of reference of a vehicle, a stator affixed to the shaft, and a rotating element including a cylindrical housing, means for journaling the cylindrical housing to the shaft, the cylindrical hou

A sensor assembly, comprising: a hysteresis motor having a central shaft fixed with respect to a major axis of reference of a vehicle, a stator affixed to the shaft, and a rotating element including a cylindrical housing, means for journaling the cylindrical housing to the shaft, the cylindrical housing having a spin axis coaxial with the shaft, and means mounted centrally disposed inside the cylindrical housing for driving the cylindrical housing, the driving means being responsive to alternating current applied to the stator, the driving means surrounding the stator and juxtaposed therewith, the cylindrical housing being driven at a substantially constant spin frequency; a first cantilevered piezoelectric bender element mounted exteriorly on the cylindrical housing for rotation therewith, said first bender element having a bending axis essentially normal to the spin axis of the cylindrical housing and an axis of sensitivity essentially parallel with the spin axis of the cylindrical housing; a second cantilevered piezoelectric bender element mounted exteriorly on the cylindrical housing for rotation therewith, said second bender element having a bending axis essentially parallel with the spin axis of the cylindrical housing and an axis of sensitivity essentially normal to the spin axis of the cylindrical housing; means mounted exteriorly on the cylindrical housing for bearing circuit means; first circuit means on said circuit-bearing means responsive to electrical signals generated by said first cantilevered piezoelectric bender element for generating a first output signal at the spin frequency representative of angular displacement with respect to inertial space of said major axis of reference of said vehicle; second circuit means on said circuit-bearing means responsive to electrical signals generated by said second cantilevered piezoelectric bender element for generating a second output signal at the spin frequency representative of linear acceleration of said vehicle in a plane perpendicular to said major axis of reference of said vehicle; means for supplying power to said first and said second circuit means, said power supply means including a power transformer having primary winding affixed around the shaft and an annular secondary winding coaxial with the primary winding, the secondary winding of the power transformer being affixed to the cylindrical housing for rotation therewith; and means for coupling the first and second output signals off the rotating element of said hysteresis motor, said coupling means including a signal transformer having a secondary winding affixed to the shaft, and an annular primary winding coaxial with the secondary winding, the annular primary winding being affixed to the cylindrical housing for rotation therewith and coupled to at least one of said first and said second circuit means, the secondary winding of the signal transformer serving to couple the output signals of the at least one of said first and said second circuit means to an external user device.