Nuclear radiation hard high accuracy rotation sensor system
AssigneeLitton Systems, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Stewart, John T. Douglass, Stanley F. Wyse
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotation sensing system includes a rotation sensor that produces a signal in response to an input rotation about a sensing axis. A servo system is arranged to rotate the rotation sensor at an angle about the sensing axis to null the signal from the rotation sensor such that the rotation sensor is substantially inertially stable. The rotation sensing system is mounted on a resolver arranged to measure the angle through which the servo system has rotated the rotation sensor.
Claims15
A rotation sensing system, comprising:
- a rotation sensor that produces a signal in response to an input rotation about a sensing axis;
- a servo system arranged to rotate the rotation sensor at an angle about the sensing axis that nulls the signal from the rotation sensor such that the rotation sensor is substantially inertially stable;
- and
- a resolver arranged to measure the angle through which the servo system has rotated the rotation sensor.
A rotation sensing system for measuring angular displacement of a vehicle, comprising:
- a hemispheric resonator gyroscope;
- a shaft connected to the stem in lengthwise alignment with the sensing axis;
- a servo system for processing signals output from the signal pickoff to produce a feedback signal;
- and
- a servo motor connected to the shaft and arranged to receive the feedback signal and to rotate the hemispheric resonator to null signals from hemispheric resonator gyroscope such that the rotation sensor is substantially inertially stable;
- and a resolver fixed to the vehicle and connected to the shaft for measuring the angle through which the servo motor has rotated the hemispheric resonator gyroscope relative to the vehicle.
A method for sensing rotation, comprising the steps of:
- providing a rotation sensor that produces a signal in response to an input rotation about a sensing axis;
- arranging a servo system to rotate the rotation sensor at an angle about the sensing axis that nulls the signal from the rotation sensor such that the rotation sensor is substantially inertially stable;
- and
- arranging a resolver to measure the angle through which the servo system has rotated the rotation sensor.
A method for measuring rotations of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- arranging a hemispherical resonator gyroscope to produce a signal in response to an input rotation about a sensing axis, the hemispherical resonator gyroscope including a frame, a stem extending from the frame, a hemispherical resonator connected to the stem and a signal pickoff;
- connecting a shaft to the stem in lengthwise alignment with the sensing axis;
- connecting a servo system between the signal pickoff and the shaft, the servo system including circuitry for processing signals output from the signal pickoff to produce a feedback signal;
- connecting a servo motor to the shaft;
- and
- arranging the servomotor to receive the feedback signal and rotate the shaft and hemispheric resonator to null the signal output from the signal pickoff such that the rotation sensor is substantially inertially stable;
- connecting a resolver to the shaft;
- and
- arranging the resolver to measure the angle through which the servo system has rotated the rotation sensor relative to the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.