US3854341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple rotation gyroscope with a single moving element
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1974-12-17
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Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A multiple rotation gyroscope including a single moving spherical inertial element is suspended in a low viscosity high density fluid in a state of neutral buoyancy within a cavity of identical shape but of slightly larger diameter having spiral grooves profiled on the internal surface thereof in the region of the axis of high rotation. The cavity is formed within a nongimballed case and the inertial element is rotated at a high speed by a synchronous two pole motor mounted in the fixed case around the equatorial perimeter of the cavity. Secondary slow speed rotation of the element is induced by cruciform eddy current sector motors mounted in the fixed case proximate the polar regions of the case. The motors are excited by voltages from a two phase supply and one of the voltages is carrier suppressed modulated at the high speed spin frequency of the element. The modulation of the excitation voltages applied to the two orthogonal portions of the sector motors from the two phase supply are 90* out of phase to produce a constant magnitude rotating direction drive torque that provides the slow speed rotation of the inertial element.
Inventors
- 👤 T Quermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/04; G01C19/16; G01C19/20; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1282
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A multiple rotation gyroscopic apparatus comprising first power source means, second power source means, an inertial element having first and second mutually perpendicular axes of inertial symmetry, said inertial element having a moment of inertia about said first axis which is greater than its moment of inertia about said second axis, gimbal less housing means including an internal cavity enclosing said inertial element, fluid means contained within said cavity for suspending said inertial element in neutral buoyancy, first motor drive means coupled to said first power source means and disposed in said housing means external to said cavity around the equatorial perimeter of said cavity for rotating said inertial element about said first axis at a high rate of speed, second motor means coupled to said second power source means and disposed in said housing means external to said cavity and substantially aligned along said first axes of said inertial element for rotating said inertial element about said second axis at a lower rate of speed than about said first axis, and pickoff-torquer means cooperative with said inertial element, disposed in said housing means external to said cavity and substantially aligned along said second axis for sensing angular displacements of said inertial element with respect to predetermined axes and producing coercive torques which are applied to said inertial element with respect to said predetermined axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A multiple rotation gyroscopic apparatus comprising first power source means, second power source means, an inertial element having first and second mutually perpendicular axes of inertial symmetry, said inertial element having a moment of inertia about said first axis which is greater than its moment of inertia about said second axis, gimbal less housing means including an internal cavity enclosing said inertial element, fluid means contained within said cavity for suspending said inertial element in neutral buoyancy, first motor drive means coupled to said first power source means and disposed in said housing means external to said cavity around the equatorial perimeter of said cavity for rotating said inertial element about said first axis at a high rate of speed, second motor means coupled to said second power source means and disposed in said housing means external to said cavity and substantially aligned along said first axes of said inertial element for rotating said inertial element about said second axis at a lower rate of speed than about said first axis, and pickoff-torquer means cooperative with said inertial element, disposed in said housing means external to said cavity and substantially aligned along said second axis for sensing angular displacements of said inertial element with respect to predetermined axes and producing coercive torques which are applied to said inertial element with respect to said predetermined axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said first power source means includes a source of electrical power having a variable carrier frequency for rotating said inertial element at different rates of speed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said first power source means further includes control means for varying the frequency of said power supply whereby said inertial element is rotated at an initial slow speed and its speed is gradually increased until it attains said high rate of speed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said control means includes means for gradually increasing said carrier frequency from an initial value of 0 Hz to said high rate of speed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said first power source means includes a source of two phase electrical power.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 5 in which said first power source means includes a two phase supply in which said second phase is displaced 90 electrical degrees from said first phase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 6 in which said first power source means includes a motor having a rotating shaft with a substantially semicircular-shaped shutter mounted on one end thereof, said shutter being disposed between a pair of light sources positioned 90* with respect to each other and a pair of photo detectors aligned with respect to said light sources.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 7 in which said first power source means further includes a series combination of amplifier means and shaping circuit means coupled to said photo detectors for providing a two phase output power signal in which said second phase is 90 electrical degrees displaced with respect to aid first phase.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A gyroscopic apparatuS as recited in claim 7 in which said first power source means further includes a flywheel mounted on the end of said shaft opposite said shutter for opposing and moderating any change in speed of said rotating shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said first motor drive means includes a two pole spin motor having coils wound around a plurality of laminations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said pickoff-torquer means includes a drum wound coil mounted in a recess in said plurality of laminations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 11 in which said pickoff-torquer means includes means for decoupling signals in accordance with said sensed angular displacements from signals which produce said coercive torques.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 12 in which said pickoff-torquing means further includes a bridge circuit for decoupling said sensed displacement signals from said signals for producing coercive torques.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 13 in which said bridge circuit includes a parallel circuit comprised of a resistive branch including a pair of resistors connected in series and an inductive branch including said drum wound coil connected in series to a dummy coil and sensed displacement signals are produced between the junctions of said resistors and said coils.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said second power source means includes a two phase power supply in which the second phase is displaced 90 electrical degrees from the first phase.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said second motor drive means includes a pair of sector motors oppositely disposed along said first axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 16 in which each of said sector motors includes a cruciform ferrite core having a coil wound on each of five projecting poles located at each extremity of said core, a first pair of coils comprising coils disposed at each horizontal extremity, a second pair of coils comprising coils disposed at each vertical extremity and a fifth coil located at the center of said cruciform core.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
102 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 17 in which said second motor drive means further includes first modulator means having first and second inputs coupled to said first and second power sources respectively for producing a suppressed carrier modulated signal which is applied to said first pair of coils disposed at each horizontal extremity of said cruciform core, and second modulator means having first and second inputs coupled to said first and second power source means respectively for producing suppressed carrier modulated signals which are applied to said second pair of coils disposed at each vertical extremity of said cruciform core.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
138 words
A gyroscopic apparatus as recited in claim 18 in which said center coil on said cruciform core is responsive to a first fixed amplitude alternating drive voltage at zero degrees electrical phase shift, said first pair of coils are responsive to a second alternating drive voltage of like frequency phase shifted 90 electrical degrees from said first drive voltage and suppressed carrier modulated in synchronism with said high speed rotation of said inertial element, and said second pair of coils are responsive to a third alternating drive voltage of like frequency phase shifted 90 electrical degrees from said first drive voltage and suppressed carrier modulated in synchronism with said high speed rotation of said inertial element and said modulation of said third drive voltage is phase shifted 90 electrical degrees from said modulation of said second drive voltage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-16 | 1978-06-17 | 1978-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-16 | 1982-06-17 | 1982-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-16 | 1986-06-17 | 1986-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |