Rotating-wave rotation detector and method of operating same

Claim 1

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern, said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 2

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern, said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 3

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern, said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 4

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern, said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 5

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. an annular forcer carried by said platform adjacent to said perimeter and operative to impart thereto time varying forces radial to said axis and sustaining said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 6

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried by said platform along said axis and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. an annular forcer carried by said platform adjacent to said perimeter and operative to impart thereto time varying forces radial to said axis and sustaining said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 7

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried along said axis by said platform and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern defining a plurality of nodal and anti-nodal regions spaced alternately about and rotatable on said perimeter when said platform rotates, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform about said axis to indicate said platform rotation; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter to impart thereto periodic pulses thereto sustaining said pattern, said pulses having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern and said forcer comprising circumferential sections effective to impart said pulses to a one of said anti-nodal regions for substantially all positions of said pattern about said axis; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measUre radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 8

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q member carried along said axis by said platform and defining a perimeter about said axis, said member capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern defining a plurality of nodal and anti-nodal regions spaced alternately about and rotatable on said perimeter when said platform rotates, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform about said axis to indicate said platform rotation; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter to impart thereto periodic pulses thereto sustaining said pattern, said pulses having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern and said forcer comprising circumferential sections effective to impart said pulses to a one of said anti-nodal regions for substantially all positions of said pattern about said axis; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measUre radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 9

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q bell-like member carried along said axis and having sides radially displaceable towards said axis and defining a perimeter thereabout, said sides capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 10

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q bell-like member carried along said axis and having sides radially displaceable towards said axis and defining a perimeter thereabout, said sides capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. a forcer carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 11

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q bell-like member carried along said axis and having sides radially displaceable towards said axis and defining a perimeter thereabout, said sides capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. A circular forcer carried by said platform adjacent to said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 12

A device to sense rotation of a platform about a predetermined axis, comprising in combination: a. a platform; b. a high-Q bell-like member carried along said axis and having sides radially displaceable towards said axis and defining a perimeter thereabout, said sides capable of sustaining therein a vibration pattern rotatable about said axis when said platform rotates about said axis, the rotation of said pattern varying with the rotation of said platform; c. A circular forcer carried by said platform adjacent to said perimeter and operative to impart thereto radial forces sustaining said pattern said forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of said pattern; and d. a sensor carried by said platform adjacent said perimeter and operative to measure radial vibrations thereof produced by the effects of said pattern and rotation of said platform about said axis.

Claim 14

The method of detecting the rotation of a high-Q member about a predetermined axis therethrough, said member having a perimeter about said axis capable of sustaining natural frequency vibrations radial to said axis, rotatable thereabout on said perimeter, and having a substantially null region, said method comprising the steps of: a. applying to said perimeter forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of the vibrations whereby said vibrations are maintained; b. rotating said vibrations about said axis in proportion to the rotation of said member about said axis; and c. sensing the change in position of said null region produced by said vibrations and said rotation of said member.

Claim 15

The method of detecting the rotation of a high-Q member about a predetermined axis therethrough, said member having a perimeter about said axis capable of sustaining natural frequency vibrations radial to said axis, rotatable thereabout on said perimeter, and having a substantially null region, said method comprising the steps of: a. applying to said perimeter forces having a frequency of twice the frequency of the vibrations whereby said vibrations are maintained; b. rotating said vibrations about said axis in proportion to the rotation of said member about said axis; and c. sensing the change in position of said null region produced by said vibrations and said rotation of said member.