Patent ID: 6151965
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
An angular rate sensor for measuring an angular rate of angular motion applied around a z-axis of a three-dimensional cartesian coordinate system defined by x, y, and z axes comprising:a first tuning fork including a first and a second tine which extend in a z-axis direction substantially parallel to the z axis and which connect at ends thereof with each other through a first interconnecting member, said first tuning fork serving as one of a drive oscillator and a measuring oscillator;a second tuning fork including a third and a fourth tine which extend in the z-axis direction partially surrounding said first and second tines, and which connect at ends thereof with each other through a second interconnecting member, said second tuning fork serving as the other of the drive oscillator and the measuring oscillator;a torsion beam connecting at one end with the first interconnecting member and at the other end with the second interconnecting member, said torsion beam having an end portion connected to the first interconnecting member, the end portion having a width smaller than an overall width of said first tuning fork in a y-axis direction substantially parallel to the y axis;drive means for driving said first tuning fork to oscillate the first and second tines in phase opposition in the y-axis direction; andangular rate detecting means for detecting oscillations of the third and fourth tines of said second tuning fork in phase opposition in an x-axis direction substantially parallel to the x axis, resulting from the angular motion applied to the angular rate sensor during oscillation of the first and second tines in the y-axis direction, to detect the angular rate of said angular motion.