Dual-axis yaw rate sensing unit having a tuning fork gyroscope arrangement
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsZhiyu Pan, Christoph Lang, Gary Yama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual-axis tuning fork gyroscope includes four open-ended tuning forks arranged coplanarly in two opposite pairs, a first pair of open-ended tuning forks being arranged opposite one another along a first axis, a second pair of open-ended tuning forks being arranged opposite one another along a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being perpendicular to one another. The four open-ended tuning forks are mechanically coupled together so that all four tuning forks vibrate in the same manner in terms of frequency and phase.
Claims17
A dual-axis yaw rate sensor, comprising:
- four open-ended tuning forks arranged coplanarly in two opposite pairs, a first pair of open-ended tuning forks being arranged opposite one another along a first axis, a second pair of open-ended tuning forks being arranged opposite one another along a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being perpendicular to one another;
- at least one pair of driving electrodes arranged to vibrate at least one of the tuning forks;
- and
- a common drive unit to drive the at least one pair of driving electrodes at a common frequency,
- wherein the four open-ended tuning forks are mechanically coupled together so that all four tuning forks vibrate in the same manner in terms of frequency and phase.
A yaw rate sensor, comprising:
- a single resonant structure for sensing simultaneously a yaw rate in at least two axial directions, the single resonant structure including at least four open-ended tuning forks mechanically coupled together at a common point so that all of the tuning forks vibrate in the same manner in terms of frequency and phase;
- and
- a single drive unit to vibrate the tuning forks at a common frequency.
A yaw rate sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of open-ended tuning forks mechanically coupled together so that all tuning forks vibrate in the same manner in terms of frequency and phase;
- and
- a single drive unit to vibrate the plurality of tuning forks at a common frequency.
A dual-axis yaw rate sensor, comprising:
- a MEMS arrangement including a first coriolis component, a second coriolis component, a first drive component to drive the first coriolis component, and a second drive component to drive the second coriolis component, the first drive component and the second drive component mechanically coupled together so that each will vibrate in the same manner in terms of frequency and phase;
- and
- a common driving arrangement to drive the first and second drive components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.