Measuring and testing – Speed – velocity – or acceleration – Acceleration determination utilizing inertial element
Patent
1997-09-18
2000-05-16
Williams, Hezron E.
Measuring and testing
Speed, velocity, or acceleration
Acceleration determination utilizing inertial element
7351438, 7350403, 7350412, G01P 1508, G01P 904
Patent
active
06062082&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an acceleration sensor, particularly a Coriolis rotation-rate sensor, having a substrate (base) that has a bearing point, a swinging structure rotatably suspended at the bearing point for executing a planar swinging movement, means for generating a planar swinging movement of the swinging structure, and evaluating means for detecting an acceleration-stipulated deflection of the swinging structure, particularly for detecting a Coriolis acceleration.
RELATED ART
Acceleration sensors configured as Coriolis rotation rate sensors are known. These sensors have, for example, structures that swing in a plane and are configured as seismic masses. Suitable drive devices subject these structures to a periodic linear movement in the plane. If a Coriolis acceleration acts on this structure swinging in the plane, the structure is deflected out of the swinging plane. This means that the structure must be suspended to be soft in two degrees of freedom, first for the planar swinging and secondly for the detection of the Coriolis acceleration. Because of disturbing movements and disturbing accelerations that occur during the detection of the Coriolis acceleration, for example in a vehicle, and that are superimposed over the deflecting movement of the structure out of the plane, the detection of the Coriolis acceleration must be effected selectively. To this end, it is known to condition the signal courses measured by means of the Coriolis rotation-rate sensors through frequency-sensitive and phase-sensitive synchronous demodulation such that the signal components proportional to the Coriolis acceleration can be distinguished and filtered out, namely with the proper frequency and phase position.
According to in-house related art, it is known to mechanically suppress interfering accelerations acting on the Coriolis rotation rate sensor. For this purpose, the swinging structure is formed by two swinging masses that swing in opposite directions with respect to one another. The opposing direction of movement of the swinging masses causes a Coriolis acceleration in opposite directions, which effects a torque at the location of the fastening shaft, and thus results in a rocking movement of the entire structure if the axis of the rotation rate to be measured extends perpendicular to the direction of planar swinging of the swinging structure. For effecting the swinging of the two swinging masses in opposite directions, they are connected to one another by a costly coupling structure. The disadvantages of this are: disturbances; masses swinging in opposite directions.
These disadvantages have a negative effect on the measured signal.
SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The above problems are essentially solved by an acceleration sensor, particularly a Coriolis rotation-rate sensor according to the invention which has: a substrate (base) that has a bearing point; a swinging structure rotatably suspended at the bearing point for executing a planar swinging movement; means for generating the planar swinging movement of the swinging structure; and evaluating means for detecting an acceleration-stipulated deflection of the swinging structure, particularly for detecting a Coriolis acceleration; and wherein the swinging structure is connected to the bearing point springs extending in a radial direction from the bearing point, and the springs have a large height (h) in relation to their width (b), so interfering accelerations can already be mechanically suppressed directly at the acceleration sensor.
In contrast to the know acceleration sensors with the problems discussed above, the acceleration sensor of the invention, as described above offers the advantage that a precise detection of a Coriolis acceleration can be effected in a simple manner, and is essentially not influenced by the above-mentioned signal errors. Because a swinging structure that is rigid in and of itself is rotatably suspended, without intrinsic mobility, for executing the planar swinging movement, the tange
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Funk Karsten
Guenther Gero
Laermer Franz
Schilp Andrea
Kunitz Norman N.
Kwok Helen C.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Spencer George H.
Williams Hezron E.
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