Patent EP0060185A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0060185A1
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Vibrating beam rotation sensor
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1982-03-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A rotation sensor having an integral crystal silicon cantilever beam (10) and support structure (12), an oscillator circuit (20) for generating an electrical signal vibrating the cantilever beam (10) at or near its natural resonant frequency and a piezoresistive element (22) formed at the base of the vibrating beam (10). The piezoresistive element (22) is only sensitive to the stresses induced in the beam (10) due to the rotation of the beam (10) about an axis parallel to its length.
Inventors
- 👤 James Michael O'connor
- 👤 David Michael Shupe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:09
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/56; G01C19/5719
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A rotation sensor having a support structure (12) having an axis of rotation and a cantilever beam (10) supported from said support structure (12) parallel to said axis of rotation, said cantilever beam (10) having a base end attached to said support structure (12) and a free end, said rotation sensor characterized by: means (14, 18, 20) for vibrating the free end of said cantilever beam (10) in a plane relative to said support structure (12); and first sensor means (22, 42) for detecting transverse stresses at the base of said cantilever beam (10) to generate a signal having a value corresponding to the rotational velocity of said support substrate (12) about said axis of rotation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A rotation sensor having a support structure (12) having an axis of rotation and a cantilever beam (10) supported from said support structure (12) parallel to said axis of rotation, said cantilever beam (10) having a base end attached to said support structure (12) and a free end, said rotation sensor characterized by: means (14, 18, 20) for vibrating the free end of said cantilever beam (10) in a plane relative to said support structure (12); and first sensor means (22, 42) for detecting transverse stresses at the base of said cantilever beam (10) to generate a signal having a value corresponding to the rotational velocity of said support substrate (12) about said axis of rotation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 1 wherein said support structure (12) and cantilever beam (10) are an integral structure (10, 12).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 2 wherein the material of said integral structure (10, 12) is a single crystal material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 3 wherein said single crystal material is single crystal silicon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 3 wherein said single crystal silicon has a 001 crystallagraphic axis parallel to said axis of rotation and a 110 crystallographic axis normal to said 001 axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 5 wherein said cantilever beam (10) has a rectangular configuration, said 110 crystallographic axis is parallel to one surface of said cantilever beam (10).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 6 wherein said one surface is normal to the cantilever beam's plane of vibration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 6 and 7 wherein said first sensor means (22, 42) includes a p-type piezoresistive element (22) formed on said one surface of said cantilever beam (10) adjacent to said base end, said piezoresistive element having an axis parallel to said 110 crystallographic axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 7 wherein said first sensor means (22, 42) comprises: a p-type piezoresistive element (22) formed on said one surface adjacent to said base end of said cantilever beam (10), said piezoresistive element having an axis parallel to said 110 crystallographic axis, and first amplifier circuit means (42) formed on the surface of said support structure (12) and connected to said piezoresistive element (22) for generating an output signal having a value indicative of the resistance value of said piezoresistive element (22).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 1 wherein said means (14, 18, 20) for vibrating said cantilever beam comprises: a beam electrode (18) disposed on a surface of said cantilever beam (10); ' a fixed electrode (14) supported by said support structure (12) proximate said beam electrode (18); and oscillator means (20) for generating an oscillating electric potential between said beam electrode (18) and said fixed electrode (14) to produce an electrostatic force vibrating said cantilever beam (10).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 10 wherein said oscillator means (20) comprises: second sensor means (34) for detecting the vibration of said cantilever beam (10-) to produce a signal having a frequency component corresponding to the vibration frequency of the cantilever beam (10); and second amplifier means (38) for amplifying the signal generated by said second sensor (34) to generate said oscillating electric potential between said beam and fixed electrodes (18, 14).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 5 wherein said means (14, 18, 20) for vibrating said cantilever beam comprises: a beam electrode (18) disposed on a surface of said cantilever beam (10); a fixed electrode (14) rigidly supported from said support structure (12) proximate said beam electrode (18); and oscillator means (20) for generating an oscillating electric potential between said beam and fixed electrodes (18, 14) to produce an electrostatic force vibrating said cantilever beam (10).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 12 wherein said oscillator means (20) comprises: second sensor means (34) for detecting the vibration of said cantilever beam (10) to generate an output signal having a frequency corresponding to the vibrating frequency of the cantilever beam (10); and second amplifier means (38) for amplifying said output signal to generate said oscillating electric potential.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 13 wherein said second sensor means (34) is a second piezoresistive element formed on the surface of said cantilever beam (10) adjacent to its base end and said amplifier (38) is an integrated circuit formed on the surface of said support structure (12).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 14 wherein said second piezoresistive element (34) has its axis parallel to the 001 crystallographic axis of said integral structure (10, 12).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 9 wherein said means (14, 18, 20) for vibrating said cantilever beam (10) comprises: a beam electrode (18) disposed the surface of said cantilever beam (10) opposite said one surface; a fixed electrode (14) regidly supported by said support structure (12) proximate said beam electrode (18); and oscillator means (20) for generating an oscillating electric potential between said beam electrode (18) and said fixed electrode (14) to produce an electrostatic force vibrating said beam (10).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
99 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 16 wherein said oscillator means (20) comprises: a second piezoresistive element (34) formed on the surface of said cantilever beam (10) adjacent to its base end, said second piezoresistive element (34) having a resistance value oscillating in response to the vibration of said cantilever beam (10); and an integrated oscillator circuit (38) formed on the surface of said support structure (12), said integrated oscillator circuit (38) generating said oscillating electric potential between said beam electrode (18) and said fixed electrode (14) in response to the oscillating resistance value of said second piezoresistive element (34).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 2 further including phase detector means (44) for detecting the phase relationship between said vibrating cantilever beam (10) and the signal generated by said first sensor means (22, 42) to generate a signal indicating the direction of rotation of said support structure (12).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 1 and 18 further including integrator means (66) for integrating the signal generated by said first sensor means (22, 42) to generate a displacement signal indicative of the total angular displacement of said support structure (12) from a predetermined position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 1 and 18 further including differentiator means (68) for differentiating the signal generated by said first sensor menas (22, 42) to generate an acceleration signal indicative of the angular acceleration of said support structure (12).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
76 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 1 and 18 further including: integrator means (66) for integrating the signal generated by said first sensor means (22, 42) to generate a displacement signal indicative of the total angular displacement of said support structure (12) from a predetermined position; and differentiator means (68) for differentiating the signal generated by said first sensor means (22, 42) to generate an acceleration signal indicative of the angular acceleration of said support structure (12).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The rotation sensor of Claim 16 further including phase detector means (44) for detecting the phase relationship between said oscillator means (20) and the output of said first amplifier circuit means (42) to generate a signal indicating the direction of rotation of said support structure (12).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 16 and 22 further including integrator means (66) for integrating the output of said first amplifier circuit means (42) to generate a displacement signal indicative of the total angular displacement of said support structure (12) from a predetermined position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 16 and 22 further including differentiator means (68) for differentiating the output of said first amplifier means (42) to generate an acceleration signal indicative of the. angular acceleration of said support structure (12).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
73 words
The rotation sensor of Claims 16 or 22 further including: integrator means (66) for integrating the output of said first amplifier circuit means (42) to generate a displacement signal indicative of the total angular displacement of said support structure (12) from a predetermined position; and differentiator means (68) for differentiating the output of said first amplifier means (42) to generate an acceleration signal indicative of the angular acceleration of said support structure (12).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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