초록 ▼

An inertial measurement unit which provides three axis acceleration and angular turning rate detection with a cubical magnetically suspended sensor mass disposed within a cubical outer assembly. The sensor mass is free to move mechanically independent from the outer assembly. The sensor mass has a p

An inertial measurement unit which provides three axis acceleration and angular turning rate detection with a cubical magnetically suspended sensor mass disposed within a cubical outer assembly. The sensor mass is free to move mechanically independent from the outer assembly. The sensor mass has a plurality of sensing and suspension elements of particular orientation on a selected plane for each axis of detection which face a corresponding set of sensing and suspension elements respectively on interior surfaces of said outer assembly. The sensing elements are advantageously cross-coupled to minimize cross-axis sensitivity. The invention utilizes several servo-control loops of conventional design to process outputs from the pickoffs and maintain the sensor mass in proper orientation.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for use in an inertial measurement unit for sensing motion in plural independent mutually orthogonal linear axes and plural independent mutually orthogonal angular axes of operation comprising: an outer assembly having a plurality of parallel opposing interior surfaces and a sensor mass

An apparatus for use in an inertial measurement unit for sensing motion in plural independent mutually orthogonal linear axes and plural independent mutually orthogonal angular axes of operation comprising: an outer assembly having a plurality of parallel opposing interior surfaces and a sensor mass disposed within said outer assembly, said outer assembly including: a first set of suspension elements for suspending said sensor mass along each axis of operation including two face-to-face suspension elements disposed on opposing interior surfaces of said outer assembly and a first set of sensing elements for sensing motion of said outer assembly relative to said sensor mass along each axis of operation including two face-to-face pairs of sensing elements, each pair of elements being disposed on opposing interior surfaces of said outer assembly, with the corresponding suspension elements disposed between each pair of sensing elements and said sensor mass including: a second set of suspension elements cooperative with said first set of suspension elements to suspend said sensor mass relative to said outer assembly along each axis of operation including two back-to-back suspension elements on opposing exterior surfaces of said sensor mass and a second set of sensing elements cooperative with said first set of sensing elements to sense motion of said sensor mass relative to said outer assembly along each axis of operation including two back-to-back pairs of sensing elements each pair of sensing elements being disposed on opposing exterior surfaces of said sensor mass with the corresponding suspension element disposed between each pair of sensing elements whereby each suspension element and each sensing element on the sensor mass faces a corresponding suspension or sensing element respectively of said outer assembly such that the sensor mass is suspended within the outer assembly for movement in said axes of operation mechanically independent thereof.