Patent ID: 8418553

Claim:
A biaxial angular velocity sensor comprising: an oscillator made of a non-piezoelectric material and including: a central portion; a first arm portion extending from the central portion along an X axis passing through a center of the central portion; a second arm portion extending from the central portion along the X axis in an opposite direction to the first arm portion; a third arm portion extending from the central portion along a Y axis passing through the center of the central portion and orthogonal to the X axis; a fourth arm portion extending from the central portion along the Y axis in an opposite direction to the third arm portion; a fifth arm portion extending from the central portion along a first X-Y axis passing through the center of the central portion between the X and Y axes, the fifth arm portion having a distal end portion fixedly supported; a sixth arm portion extending from the central portion along the first X-Y axis in an opposite direction to the fifth arm portion, the sixth arm portion having a distal end portion fixedly supported; a seventh arm portion extending from the central portion along a second X-Y axis passing through the center of the central portion between the X and Y axes and orthogonal to the first X-Y axis, the seventh arm portion having a distal end portion fixedly supported; and an eighth arm portion extending from the central portion along the second X-Y axis in an opposite direction to the seventh arm portion, the eighth arm portion having a distal end portion fixedly supported; a plurality of electromechanical energy converting elements for driving, disposed on the first to eighth arm portions of the oscillator; a plurality of electromechanical energy converting elements for detection, disposed on the first to fourth arm portions of the oscillator; a plurality of drive electrodes disposed corresponding to the electromechanical energy converting elements for driving, disposed on the first to eighth arm portions, the drive electrodes being each configured to be applied a voltage when the oscillator is excited to be displaced in a direction of a Z axis passing through the center of the central portion and orthogonal to the X and Y axes; and a plurality of detection electrodes disposed corresponding to the electromechanical energy converting elements for detection disposed on the first to fourth arm portions, the detection electrodes being each configured to detect voltages corresponding to displacements of the first to fourth arm portions due to respective angular velocities of the first to fourth arm portions around the X and Y axes while the oscillator is being excited.