Vibrational gyroscope
AssigneeThe Marconi Company Limited
InventorPeter D. Church
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibrational gyroscope is provided with a vibrating member in the form of a flexible annular shell extending from a flat flexible plate. In use, the flat plate is vibrated and excites radial vibrations in the lip of the annular shell. When the gyroscope is rotated about the shell axis, the nodes of these radial vibrations shift around the circumference of the lip, due to the action of Coriolis forces. The radial nodes of the vibrations in the plate shift similarly and their movement is detected by sensing means on the plate, giving an indication of the rotation rate.
Claims20
A vibrational gyroscope comprising a flat flexible plate, a flexible annular shell extending from said plate, driving means for causing said plate to vibrate in such a way as to excite radial vibration in said annular shell and sensing means for sensing changes in the vibration of said plate in response to changes in said radial vibrations induced by rotation about the shell axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.