Angular rate detection apparatus, acceleration detection apparatus and movement control apparatus, of moving body

An apparatus for detecting an angular rate of an automobile, comprising:

• first and second acceleration sensors each having a detection direction;
• means for mounting said first and second acceleration sensors on a car body of said automobile so as to position on a plane substantially parallel to floor of said automobile, said detection direction being substantially the same as each other and said first acceleration sensor being separated from said second acceleration sensor to provide a distance (R) therebetween with respect to the detection direction;
• means for detecting an angular rate (e) of movement of said automobile around an axis perpendicular to said plane on the basis of a difference (.DELTA.G) between outputs from said first and second sensors and the distance (R) along the following relation:
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An apparatus detecting a physical quantity of movement of a moving body which includes parallel movement on a plane and a rotational movement around an axis perpendicular to the plane, said apparatus comprising;

• first and second acceleration sensors each having a detection direction;
• means for mounting said first and second acceleration sensors on said moving body so as to be positioned in said plane with a fixed distance (R) between said first and second acceleration sensors in the detection direction;
• and
• means for calculating physical quantity representative of one of an angular rate of said rotational movement and acceleration of said parallel movement of said moving body, on the basis of a difference between outputs from said first and second acceleration sensors and said distance (R) between said first and second acceleration sensors with respect to the detection direction.

A control apparatus for controlling movement of a moving body, comprising;

• first and second acceleration sensors each having a detection direction and outputting an output corresponding to detected acceleration;
• means for fixing said first and second acceleration sensors on said moving body so as to position in a plane of said moving body with a distance (R) between said first and second acceleration sensors in the detection direction;
• means for detecting an angular rate (.epsilon.) of said moving body around an axis perpendicular to said plane of said moving body according to an equation .epsilon.=.sqroot..DELTA.G/R, wherein .DELTA.G is a difference between the outputs from said first and second acceleration sensors;
• a comparator for comparing a target angular rate of said moving body and the detected angular rate to produce a difference;
• means for generating a control input corresponding to said difference between said target angular rate and said detected angular rate;
• and
• an actuator mounted on said moving body for actuating a control element in response to the control input so that an angular rate of said moving body approaches to the target value.