Angular velocity sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9846036-B2
Application number	US-201514940651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

There is provided an angular velocity sensor including first and second mass bodies provided within a first frame, a first flexible connector system connecting the first and second mass bodies and the first frame and that includes at least one sensor to detect displacements of the first and second mass bodies, a second flexible connector system connecting the first frame to a second frame provided separate from the first frame and that includes a driver to drive movement of the first frame relative to the second frame, so angular velocities can be measured based on the first and second mass bodies being enabled to rotate in a first axis direction and translated in a second axis direction, and based on the first frame being flexibly connected to the second frame so that a rotation displacement of the first frame is made in a third axis direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An angular velocity sensor, comprising:
a first mass body and a second mass body;
a first frame;
a first flexible connector system connecting the first mass body and the second mass body to the first frame and including a sensor configured to detect displacement of one or more of the first mass body and the second mass body;
a second frame provided separate from the first frame; and
a second flexible connector system connecting the first frame and the second frame and including a driver configured to drive movement of the first frame with respect to the second frame,
wherein the first mass body and the second mass body are flexibly connected to the first frame by the first flexible connector system to enable the first mass body and the second mass body to rotate in a first axis direction and translate in a second axis direction different from the first axis direction, and
the first frame is flexibly connected to the second frame by the second flexible connector system to enable rotation displacement of the first frame, relative to the second frame, in a third axis direction different from the first and second axis directions.

2. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible connector system limits rotation displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body in the second and third axis directions and limits translation displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body in the first and third axis directions, with respect to the first frame.

3. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second flexible connector system limits rotation displacements of the first frame in the first and second axis directions and limits translation displacements of the first frame in the first and third axis directions, with respect to the second frame.

4. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible connector system includes:
first flexible connectors flexibly connecting the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively, to the first frame and configured as beams so as to enable respective bending displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body, with respect to the first frame; and
second flexible connectors flexibly connecting the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively, to the first frame and having link structures so as to enable respective twisting displacements and rotation displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body, with respect to the first frame.

5. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4 , wherein the second flexible connectors having link structures include:
first hinges connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively, so that rotation displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body are made;
arms connected to respective first hinge portions of the first hinges and extending in directions different from a direction in which the first hinges are connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, second hinge portions of the first hinges being connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively;
second hinges connected to respective first side portions of the arms so that respective rotation displacements of the arms are made, second side portions of the arms being connected to the first hinge portions of the first hinges, respectively; and
fixed arms connecting respective first hinge portions of the second hinges and the first frame, second hinge portions of the second hinges being connected to the first side portions of the arms, respectively.

6. The angular velocity sensor of claim 4 , wherein the second flexible connectors having link structures include:
first hinges connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively, so that rotation displacements of the first mass body and the second mass body are made;
arms connected to respective first hinge portions of the first hinges and extending in directions different from a direction in which the first hinges are connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, second hinge portions of the first hinges being connected to the first mass body and the second mass body, respectively; and
second hinges connected to respective first side portions of the arms so that respective rotation displacements of the arms are made and so to respectively link the second hinges to the first frame, second side portions of the arms being connected to the first hinge portions of the first hinges, respectively.

7. The angular velocity sensor of claim 6 , wherein the second flexible connectors further include a coupling hinge connecting the first mass body and the second mass body.

8. The angular velocity sensor of claim 6 , wherein the second hinge portions of the first hinges respectively connect to center portions of the first mass body and the second mass body.

9. The angular velocity sensor of claim 6 , wherein the first hinges and the second hinges are disposed in parallel and the arms are disposed to be orthogonal to the first hinges and the second hinges.

10. The angular velocity sensor of claim 6 , wherein a connection direction in which the first hinges respectively connect to the first mass body and the second mass body is orthogonal to a direction in which a flexible connector of the second flexible connector system connects the first frame and the second frame.

11. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second flexible connector system includes a first flexible connector connecting the first frame and the second frame and is configured as a beam so as to enable a bending displacement of the first frame, with respect to the second frame, and includes a second flexible connector connecting the first frame and the second frame and is configured as a hinge so as to enable a twisting displacement of the first frame, relative to the second frame.

12. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first mass body and the second mass body are symmetrically arranged within the first frame and disposed relative to the second flexible connector system so that the first mass body and the second mass body translate in different directions along the second axis when the first frame rotates based on the third axis.

13. The angular velocity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first axis direction is an X-axis direction, the second axis direction is a Z-axis, and the third axis direction is a Y-axis direction.

14. The angular velocity sensor of claim 13 , wherein the first flexible connector system includes:
first flexible connectors configured as beams respectively connected to the first mass body and the second mass body in the Y-axis direction; and
second flexible connectors respectively connected to the first mass body and the second mass body in the X-axis direction,
wherein one of the second flexible connectors has a link structure that includes:
a first hinge including a first hinge portion connected to one of the first mass body and the second mass body in the X-axis direction;
an arm including a first side portion connected to a second hinge portion of the first hinge and extending in the Y-axis direction; and
a second hinge including a first hinge portion connected to a second side portion of the arm in the X-axis direction, and a second hinge portion arranged so as to link the second hinge to the first frame.

15. The angular velocity sensor of claim 13 , wherein the first flexible connector system includes:
first flexible connectors configured as beams respectively connected to the first mass body and the second ma

Assignees

• Samsung Electro Mech

Inventors

• Kim Jong Woon
• Han Won
• Song Jong Hyeong

Classifications

• G01C19/5733 Primary

  Structural details or topology · CPC title

• G01P2015/084

  the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass · CPC title

• G01P15/097

  by vibratory elements · CPC title

• G01P2015/0822

  for defining out-of-plane movement of the mass · CPC title

• B81B3/0062

  Devices moving in two or more dimensions, i.e. having special features which allow movement in more than one dimension · CPC title