Patent ID: 8020441
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. An angular rate sensor comprising a substrate; a drive subsystem partially supported by the substrate with at least one spring, at least one anchor; and at least one mass; wherein the at least one mass of the drive subsystem is oscillated by at least one actuator along a first axis; and Coriolis force acting on the drive subsystem along a second axis in response to angular velocity of the substrate around a third axis; a sense subsystem partially supported by the substrate with at least one spring, at least one anchor; and at least one mass; wherein the sense subsystem moves along or around a fourth axis; and motion of the sense subsystem can be sensed by a transducer and is proportional to the angular velocity of the substrate about the third axis; and at least one flexible coupling between the drive subsystem and the sense subsystem, wherein the flexible coupling couples a drive subsystem motion in the second axis to the sense subsystem motion about the fourth axis, wherein the flexible coupling causes two resonant modes allowing both in-phase and anti-phase motion between the sensor subsystem and the drive subsystem.