초록 ▼

An angular rate sensor system is disclosed, consisting of a balanced resonant sensor. The sensor consists of a tuning fork of a piezoelectric material, preferably of quartz. The tines of the tuning fork are caused to vibrate electromechanically, for example, by impressing an alternating voltage on a

An angular rate sensor system is disclosed, consisting of a balanced resonant sensor. The sensor consists of a tuning fork of a piezoelectric material, preferably of quartz. The tines of the tuning fork are caused to vibrate electromechanically, for example, by impressing an alternating voltage on a pair of electrodes on each tine. This will cause the tines to vibrate. Any component of angular motion around the axis of the sensor causes a cyclic deflection of the tines at right angles to the normal driven vibration of the tines. If the rotational input to the handle of the sensor is applied through a torsion element, the resulting tine deflection is directed to cyclically rotate the entire sensor along the input/output axis. This deflection can be used for changing the capacitance of a capacitance bridge, or for generating an electric signal, due to the piezoelectric effect resulting from the deflection. Finally, the output signal may consist of a frequency-modulated signal or an optical pick-up may be used. The system may take various forms, including one, two, four, or eight tuning forks forming a unitary system.

대표청구항 ▼

An angular rate sensor system comprising: (a) a tuning fork formed from a single crystal of piezoelectric material, said tuning fork having two tines and a common shaft disposed in a plane, said common shaft serving as an output shaft, said tuning fork providing a balanced resonant sensor responsive

An angular rate sensor system comprising: (a) a tuning fork formed from a single crystal of piezoelectric material, said tuning fork having two tines and a common shaft disposed in a plane, said common shaft serving as an output shaft, said tuning fork providing a balanced resonant sensor responsive solely to a component of angular motion about the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, causing a torsional deflection of said output shaft (b) driving means coupled to said tines for causing them to vibrate at a drive frequency (c) electrode means, responsive to piezeoelectric signals, positioned on said tuning fork for sensing said piezoelectric signals representative of the angular rate of motion about said axis to which said system is subjected and (d) output means including a phase detector for said piezeoelectric signals and means for generating an output signal indicative of the angular rate of motion.