Micromechanical coriolis rate of rotation sensor

A micromechanical sensor comprising:

• a substrate having a measurement axis and a detection axis that are disposed orthogonally to each other;
• a first driving mass and a second driving mass disposed in a plane containing the measurement and detection axes, each of the first and second driving masses being rotatably coupled to the substrate via a central suspension that is disposed on the detection axis;
• drive electrodes that generate rotary motions in each of the first and second driving masses about a drive axis thereof, the drive axis of each of the first and second driving masses being disposed orthogonally to the measurement and detection axes, the rotary motions causing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis;
• and
• at least one elastic connecting element having a primary axis that extends in a direction parallel to the detection axis, the at least one elastic connecting element being coupled to each of the first and second driving masses such as to synchronize the rotary motions thereof by allowing the first and second driving masses to deflect in opposite directions in response to a rate of rotation about the measurement axis but deflect in a same direction in response to a shock condition.