# US 2013/0239685 A1 · Gyro sensor and electronic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0239685 A1 - Document ID: US20130239685A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/786,872 - Filed: 2013-03-06 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-13 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Masahiro ISHII - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130239685A1 ## CPC - G01C 19/5642: using vibrating bars or beams - G01C 19/5607: using vibrating tuning forks (double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719) - G01C 19/5719: using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract A gyro sensor includes a base, a first connection arm and a second connection arm that extend from the base in opposite directions along an X axis, a first drive oscillation arm that extends from the first connection arm along a Y axis, a second drive oscillation arm that extends from the second connection arm along the Y axis, and a first detection oscillation arm and a second detection oscillation arm that extend from the base in opposite directions along the Y axis, and each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has an oscillation component along the X axis and an oscillation component along a Z axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gyro sensor comprising, on the condition that three axes intersecting are designated as a first axis, a second axis and a third axis, respectively: a base; a first connection arm and a second connection arm that extend from the base in opposite directions along the first axis; a first drive oscillation arm that extends from the first connection arm along the second axis; a second drive oscillation arm that extends from the second connection arm along the second axis; and a first detection oscillation arm and a second detection oscillation arm that extend from the base in opposite directions along the second axis, wherein each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has an oscillation component along the first axis and an oscillation component along the third axis. ### Claim 2 A gyro sensor comprising, on the condition that three axes intersecting each other are designated as a first axis, a second axis and a third axis, respectively: a base; a first connection arm and a second connection arm that extend from the base in opposite directions along the first axis; a first drive oscillation arm that extends from the first connection arm along the second axis; a second drive oscillation arm that extends from the second connection arm along the second axis; a first detection oscillation arm and a second detection oscillation arm that extend from one end of the base not only in directions that intersect the first axis and the second axis but also in opposite directions along the first axis; and a third detection oscillation arm and a fourth detection oscillation arm that extend from the other end of the base not only in directions that intersect the first axis and the second axis but also in opposite directions along the first axis, wherein the first and second detection oscillation arms and the third and fourth detection oscillation arms extend in opposite directions along the second axis, and each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has an oscillation component along the first axis and an oscillation component along the third axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gyro sensor according to claim 2, further comprising: a fifth detection oscillation arm that is located between the first detection oscillation arm and the second detection oscillation arm and extends from the one end of the base along the second axis; and a sixth detection oscillation arm that is located between the third detection oscillation arm and the fourth detection oscillation arm and extends from the other end of the base along the second axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The gyro sensor according to claim 2, wherein the first and second detection oscillation arms and the third and fourth detection oscillation arms are disposed in a symmetrical manner with respect to a plane defined by the first axis and the third axis, and the first and third detection oscillation arms and the second and fourth detection oscillation arms are disposed in a symmetrical manner with respect to a plane defined by the second axis and the third axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein when the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm are so driven that the drive oscillation arms oscillate, the oscillation components thereof along the third axis are oriented in the same direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein when the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm are so driven that the drive oscillation arms oscillate, the oscillation components thereof along the first axis are oriented in opposite directions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has a portion whose cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the second axis is asymmetrical with respect to a central line cross-sectional shape along the first axis and a central line cross-sectional shape along the third axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gyro sensor according to claim 7, wherein each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has a first surface and a second surface that face away from each other as a front surface and a rear surface, a first groove provided in the first surface, and a second groove provided in the second surface, and the first groove and the second groove are disposed along the first axis in a plan view viewed along a normal to the first surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The gyro sensor according to claim 7, wherein each of the first drive oscillation arm and the second drive oscillation arm has a first surface and a second surface that face away from each other as a front surface and a rear surface, and a first side surface and a second side surface that connect the first surface and the second surface to each other, and at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface has a stepped portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, further comprising: a third drive oscillation arm that extends in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first drive oscillation arm extends; and a fourth drive oscillation arm that extends in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second drive oscillation arm extends. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein the gyro sensor detects at least one of an angular velocity around the second axis and an angular velocity around the third axis based on an output signal from each of the detection oscillation arms. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The gyro sensor according to claim 11, wherein the gyro sensor detects at least one of the angular velocity around the second axis and the angular velocity around the third axis based on addition or subtraction of the output signals from the detection oscillation arms. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connection arm and the second connection arm has a distortion detection unit provided therein. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The gyro sensor according to claim 2, wherein the gyro sensor detects at least one of an angular velocity around the first axis, an angular velocity around the second axis, and an angular velocity around the third axis based on an output signal from each of the detection oscillation arms. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The gyro sensor according to claim 2, wherein the gyro sensor detects at least one of an angular velocity around the first axis, an angular velocity around the second axis, and an angular velocity around the third axis based on addition or subtraction of output signals from the detection oscillation arms. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the detection oscillation arms is made of a piezoelectric material, each of the detection oscillation arms has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, and an electrode is provided on each surface of each of the detection oscillation arms. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the detection oscillation arms is made of a piezoelectric material, each of the detection oscillation arms has a pair of principal surfaces that face away from each other as a front surface and a rear surface and a pair of side surfaces that connect the principal surfaces to each other, a groove is provided in at least one of the pair of principal surfaces, and electrodes are provided on an inner wall of the groove and the side surface that faces away from the inner wall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the detection oscillation arms has a piezoelectric device provided on each of the principal surfaces, and the piezoelectric device is formed of a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric film disposed therebetween. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An electronic apparatus comprising the gyro sensor according to claim 1.