Electrostatically controlled micromechanical gyroscope
AssigneeSatCon Technology Corporation
InventorsTimothy Hawkey, Richard Torti, Bruce Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated electrostatically-controlled micromechanical gyroscope with a rotor encompassed within a rotor cavity and electrostatically spun within the cavity. The gyroscope includes a plurality of axial electrostatic rotor actuators above and below the rotor for controlling the axial and tilt position of the rotor within the cavity, and a plurality of radial electrostatic actuators spaced circumferentially around the rotor for controlling the radial and tilt position of the rotor within the cavity. The position of the rotor within the cavity is then resolved to determine the external forces acting on the rotor.
Claims19
An electrostatically-controlled micromechanical gyroscope, comprising:
- a disc-shaped rotor;
- a rotor cavity encompassing said rotor;
- means for electrostatically spinning said rotor within said rotor cavity;
- a plurality of axial electrostatic rotor actuators above and below said rotor for providing exclusive control of the axial and tilt position of said rotor within said rotor cavity;
- a plurality of radial electrostatic actuators spaced circumferentially around said rotor for providing exclusive control of the radial and tilt position of said rotor within said rotor cavity;
- and
- means for resolving the position of said rotor within said cavity to determine the external forces acting on said rotor.
An integrated, electrostatically-controlled micromechanical gyroscope, comprising:
- an integrated mechanical gyroscope system including:
- a disc-shaped rotor;
- a rotor cavity encompassing said rotor;
- means for electrostatically spinning said rotor within said rotor cavity;
- a plurality of electrostatic rotor-positioning actuators spaced around the inside of said cavity for providing exclusive control of the position of said rotor within said cavity;
- and
- means for resolving the position of said rotor within said cavity to determine the external forces acting on said rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.