Rate sensor
AssigneeThorn EMI Electronics Limited
InventorRoger Voles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An angular rate sensor comprises a pair of driven tines and a pair of output tines connected to the driven tines by a stem portion. A detection circuit including a set of output electrodes, associated with each output tines, generates a detection signal related to angular rate. A feedback circuit, including a further set of electrodes associated with each driven tine; utilizes a phase quadrature component of the detection signal so as to drive the driven tines towards a condition of torsional balance.
Claims12
An angular rate sensor comprises:
- a pair of driven tines and excitation means, responsive to an applied drive signal, for exciting a vibration of the driven tines, a pair of output tines coupled mechanically to the driven tines;
- and detection means responsive to a vibration of the output tines for generating a detection signal related to angular rate;
- means for generating a feedback signal related to torsional imbalance of the driven tines, and feedback means, responsive to the feedback signal, for driving the driven tines towards a condition of torsional balance.
An angular rate sensor comprises a single pair of tines, excitation means responsive to an applied drive signal for exciting a vibration of said tines;
- detection means responsive to a vibration of the tines for generating a detection signal related to angular rate;
- means for generating a feedback signal related to torsional imbalance of the tines;
- and feedback means, responsive to the feedback signal, for driving the tines towards a condition of torsional balance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.