Abstract: An angular rate sensor system is disclosed, consisting of a balanced resonant sensor. The sensor consists of a tuning fork of a piezoelectric material, preferably of quartz. The tines of the tuning fork are caused to vibrate electromechanically, for example, by impressing an alternating voltage on a pair of electrodes on each tine. This will cause the tines to vibrate. Any component of angular motion around the axis of the sensor causes a cyclic deflection of the tines at right angles to the normal driven vibration of the tines. If the rotational input to the handle of the sensor is applied through a torsion element, the resulting tine deflection is directed to cyclically rotate the entire sensor along the input/output axis. This deflection can be used for changing the capacitance of a capacitance bridge, or for generating an electric signal, due to the piezoelectric effect resulting from the deflection. Finally, the output signal may consist of a frequency-modulated signal or an optical pick-up may be used.

Abstract: A vibratory angular rate sensing system may have one pair of tines forming an angle of about 60 degrees, resulting from the crystalline orientation of the Z-cut quartz wafer of the system. In one configuration each of the tines is provided with a mass offset from the axis of the associated tine, a pivot extends through the plane of symmetry of the tines and may be connected to a dummy reaction mass. The resonant system is suspended from a mounting frame by a pair of suspension bridges. A second embodiment of the invention features two groups of tines, each group including two pairs of tines arranged in the form of a cross. Again, an offset mass is associated with the free end of each tine and each group of tines is secured to its frame by a suspension bridge.

Abstract: .[.A vibratory angular rate sensing system may have one pair of tines forming an angle of about 60 degrees, resulting from the crystalline orientation of the Z-cut quartz wafer of the system. In one configuration each of the tines is provided with a mass offset from the axis of the associated tine, a pivot extends through the plane of symmery of the tines and may be connected to a dummy reaction mass. The resonant system is suspended from a mounting frame by a pair of suspension bridges. A second embodiment of the invention features two groups of tines, each group including two pairs of tines arranged in the form of a cross. Again, an offset mass is associated with the free end of each tine and each group of tines is secured to its frame by a suspension bridge..]..Iadd.Vibratory angular rate sensing system having a support structure and a driven fork lying in a plane and having an axis of symmetry. The fork has first and second spaced apart tines.