Z-axis angular rate sensor

A sensor, having orthogonal x-, y-, and z-axes, for detecting a rate of rotation about the z-axis comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a gross mass, symmetrical with respect to the x-axis, suspended from the substrate by a plurality of interior and exterior anchor points, and comprising:
• at least two proof masses, symmetrical with respect to the x-axis and the y-axis;
• a driven frame surrounding each proof mass and attached to its proof mass and external anchor points by flexures;
• a set of drive banks and a first set of sense banks for each driven frame for oscillating along the x-axis;
• a second set of sense banks attached to each proof mass for detecting Coriolis motion along the y-axis;
• at least two rotating stiff beams, each centrally mounted to an interior anchor point, oriented in a y-direction at rest, and able to rotate about its anchor point in an xy-plane orthogonal to the z-axis;
• and
• a plurality of inner frame supports, asymmetric with respect to the y-axis, connecting the rotating stiff beams to the frames, and comprising a plurality of non-rotating stiff beams and a plurality of flexures, to allow frame motion predominantly along the x-axis in anti-phase motion only such that Coriolis-induced anti-phase motion of the proof masses along the y-axis results.