Gyroscope utilizing torsional springs and optical sensing
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsOnur Kilic, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Gordon Kino, Olav Solgaard
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Abstract
A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.
Claims19
A gyroscope comprising:
- a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis, the structure further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis;
- at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and operationally coupling the structure to a support structure;
- at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis and operationally coupling the structure to the support structure;
- and
- an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.
A method of detecting rotation, the method comprising:
- providing a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis and to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis, wherein the structure is operatively coupled to a support structure by at least one first torsional spring and at least one second torsional spring, the at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis;
- driving the structure to move about the drive axis;
- rotating the structure about the rotational axis while the structure moves about the drive axis;
- and
- optically measuring movement of the structure about the sense axis.
A method of fabricating a gyroscope, the method comprising operationally coupling a movable structure to a support structure by at least one first torsional spring and by at least one second torsional spring, wherein the movable structure is configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the movable structure about a rotational axis while the movable structure moves about a drive axis, wherein the at least one first torsional spring extends generally along the drive axis and the at least one second torsional spring extends generally along the sense axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.