Patent ID: 8616057

Claim:
A tri-axis angular rate sensor for detecting a rate of rotation about first, second, and third mutually perpendicular axes, comprising: A) a generally planar substrate in a plane which contains the first and second axes; B) a first subsensor disposed on the substrate for measuring a rate of rotation about the first, and third axes, the first subsensor comprising: a first driving frame mounted for rotation about a first driving axis which is parallel to the third axis; a first supporting frame disposed within the first driving frame, and the first supporting frame being suspended from the first driving frame for rotation about the second axis; first and second masses disposed within the first supporting frame and spaced apart along the first axis, the masses being suspended from the first supporting frame so that they rotate together with the first supporting frame and the first driving frame about the first driving axis in a drive-mode while permitting linear movement of the masses along the first axis in a sense-mode; a first detector for sensing the rotational movement of the first and second masses about the second axis in response to the rate of rotation about the first axis; a second detector for sensing the anti-phase movement of the first and second masses along the first axis in response to the rate of rotation about the third axis; C) a second subsensor disposed on the substrate for measuring a rate of rotation about the second axis, the second subsensor comprising: a second driving frame mounted for rotation about a second drive axis which is parallel to the third axis; at least one proof mass disposed within and suspended from the second driving frame for rotation about the first axis; a third detector for sensing the rotational movement of said at least one proof mass about the first axis in response to the rate of rotation about the second axis.