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US 6,189,381 B1Granted
Angular rate sensor made from a structural wafer of single crystal silicon
AssigneeSiTek, Inc.
InventorsYongli Huang, Martin Lim, Tariq M. Haniff, Weijie Yun
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Abstract
An angular rate sensor made from a structural wafer of single crystal silicon has a pair of proof masses lying in an X-Y plane and supported by a circular frame. The masses are driven into oscillation in the X-direction using an interdigitated comb drive. Rotation of the sensor about the Z-axis induces Coriolis forces which cause the frame to rotate, the rotation of the frame being indicative of the angular rate of the sensor. A parallel plate sensor located outside of the circular frame senses rotation of the frame.
Claims4
An angular rate sensor comprising:
- a structural wafer composed of single crystal silicon and having a pair of proof masses which are part of a rotating reference frame, said masses lying substantially in an X-Y plane orthogonal to a Z input axis of rotation;
- interdigitated means included in said structural wafer for driving said masses into oscillation in an X or Y direction;
- frame means included in said structural wafer in said X-Y plane for supporting said masses and allowing opposing Coriolis induced forces to rotate said frame, the rotation of said frame being indicative of said angular rate of said sensor;
- parallel plate sensing means located outside of said frame also in said X-Y plane for sensing said rotation of said frame.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.