Vibratory Mass Patents (Class 73/504.12)
  • Publication number: 20140026657
    Abstract: An inertial force sensor includes a detecting device which detects an inertial force, the detecting device having a first orthogonal arm and a supporting portion, the first orthogonal arm having a first arm and a second arm fixed in a substantially orthogonal direction, and the supporting portion supporting the first arm. The second arm has a folding portion. In this configuration, there is provided a small inertial force sensor which realizes detection of a plurality of different inertial forces and detection of inertial forces of a plurality of detection axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Ohuchi, Hiroyuki Aizawa, Jiro Terada, Takami Ishida, Ichirou Satou, Hideo Ohkoshi, Yohei Ashimori
  • Publication number: 20140026662
    Abstract: A gyroscope comprises a substrate and a guided mass system. The guided mass system comprises proof masses and guiding arms disposed in a plane parallel to the substrate. The proof masses are coupled to the guiding arm by springs. The guiding arm is coupled to the substrate by springs. At least one of the proof-masses is directly coupled to the substrate by at least one anchor via a spring system. The gyroscope also comprises an actuator for vibrating one of the proof-masses in the first direction, which causes another proof mass to rotate in the plane. Finally, the gyroscope also includes transducers for sensing motion of the guided mass system in response to angular velocities about a single axis or multiple input axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Ozan ANAC, Joseph SEEGER
  • Publication number: 20140026659
    Abstract: A method of using a MEMS gyroscope is disclosed herein, wherein the MEMS gyroscope comprised a magnetic sensing mechanism. A magnetic field is generated by a magnetic source, and is detected by a magnetic sensor. The magnetic field varies at the location of the magnetic sensor; and the variation of the magnetic field is associated with the movement of the proof-mass of the MEMS gyroscope. By detecting the variation of the magnetic field, the movement and thus the target angular velocity can be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: BIAO ZHANG, TAO JU
  • Patent number: 8635909
    Abstract: The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in the measuring of angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micromechanical sensors of angular velocity. In a sensor of angular velocity according to the invention, a mass is supported to the frame of the sensor component by means of an asymmetrical spring structure (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24) in such a way, that the coupling from one mode of motion to another, conveyed by the spring (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24), cancels or alleviates the coupling caused by the non-ideality due to the skewness in the springs or in their support. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small vibrating micromechanical solutions for sensors of angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Electronics Oy
    Inventors: Petri Klemetti, Kaisa Nera, Antti Lipsanen, Anssi Blomqvist, Altti Torkkeli
  • Patent number: 8631700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing movement resonates a primary member in a flexure mode at a given frequency, thus causing the primary member to have top and bottom portions that resonate at substantially about zero Hertz. The method also secures the bottom portion to a first substrate, and mechanically constrains the top portion while resonating in the flexure mode to substantially eliminate vibrations in the top portion. Finally, the method generates a changing capacitance signal in response to movement of the primary member. When generating this changing capacitance signal, the primary member resonates in a bulk mode at a given frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Firas N. Sammoura, William D. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 8631701
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a first electrode disposed on active surface side of a silicon substrate, an external connecting terminal electrically connected to the first electrode, at least one stress relaxation layer disposed between the silicon substrate and the external connecting terminal, a connecting terminal disposed on the active surface side of the silicon substrate, and a vibration gyro element having weight sections as mass adjustment sections, the vibration gyro element is held by the silicon substrate due to connection between the connection electrode and the external connecting terminal, and a meltage protection layer formed in an area where the stress relaxation layer and the mass adjustment section overlap each other in a plan view is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Chiba, Shuji Kojima, Toshiyuki Enta, Akinori Shindo, Terunao Hanaoka, Yasuo Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20140013845
    Abstract: A resonator gyroscope includes a central post; a resonator coupled to the central post; and a diaphragm coupled to the resonator, wherein at least one of the diaphragm and the central post accommodates rotation of the resonator in an axis in a plane of the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Robert E. Stewart, Michael D. Bulatowicz
  • Publication number: 20140007681
    Abstract: An angular rate sensor (20) includes a drive mass (36) flexibly coupled to a substrate (22). A sense mass (42) is suspended above the substrate (22) is and flexibly connected to the drive mass (36) via flexible support elements (44). A quadrature compensation electrode (24) is associated with the drive mass (36) and a sense electrode (28) is associated with the sense mass (42). The drive mass (36) and the sense mass (42) oscillate together relative to a sense axis (50) in response to quadrature error. The quadrature error produces a signal error component (78) between the quadrature compensation electrode (24) and the drive mass (36) and a signal error component (76) between the sense electrode (28) and the sense mass (42). The compensation and sense electrodes (24, 28) are coupled in reverse polarity so that the signal error component (78) substantially cancels the signal error component (76).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yizhen Lin
  • Publication number: 20140007682
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor element; and a wiring substrate having a first joint surface electrically joined with the sensor element, a substrate body that contains an organic insulating material and in which an electronic component is embedded, and a regulation part that regulates the first joint surface from deforming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kabasawa, Shigeto Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140011051
    Abstract: Provided is an NBT-BT lead-free piezoelectric film having a high crystalline orientation and a high piezoelectric constant. The present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising a NaxM1-x layer and a (Bi, Na)TiO3—BaTiO3 layer. The (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer is formed on the NaxM1-x layer, where M represents Pt, Ir, or PtIr and x represents a value of not less than 0.002 and not more than 0.02. Both of the NaxM1-x layer and the (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer have a (001) orientation only, a (110) orientation only, or a (111) orientation only.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takakiyo HARIGAI, Yoshiaki TANAKA, Hideaki ADACHI, Eiji FUJII
  • Patent number: 8621926
    Abstract: A wiring substrate includes: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a first insulating layer stacked on the first surface; a pad electrode stacked on the first insulating layer; a through electrode connected to the pad electrode; and a second insulating layer disposed between the substrate and the through electrode and between the first insulating layer and the through electrode, wherein a diameter of the through electrode in a connection section between the pad electrode and the through electrode is smaller than a diameter of the through electrode on the second surface side, the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer and the through electrode overlap with each other in a peripheral area of the connection section, when seen from a plan view, and the thickness of the first insulating layer in the area is thinner than the thickness of the first insulating layer in other areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yoda
  • Patent number: 8624686
    Abstract: A micromechanical component and a method for providing the oscillation excitation of an oscillation element of a micromechanical component, the micromechanical component having a frame, which is connected to a carrier substrate by an outer suspension element, in which the frame being tiltable about a first axis and oscillatory about a second axis that is positioned perpendicular to the first axis, and in which the micromechanical component having an oscillation element that is connected to the frame by an inner suspension element, and is tiltable about the second axis, the outer suspension element being provided to be dimensioned in such a way that a first oscillation of the frame about the second axis and a second oscillation of the oscillation element about the second axis have a maximum coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Sattler
  • Publication number: 20140000367
    Abstract: Spring set configurations that include an advantageous combination of spring geometries are disclosed. Spring elements having curved and straight sections, orientation of spring element anchor points with respect to the common radius, orientation of spring element segments with respect to a specific axis, balance of the length of spring elements about the common radius, and mass balance about the common radius can be used to mitigate unwanted out of plane motion. The spring set provides planar motion while reducing undesired out of plane motion making MEMS devices substantially insensitive to the process-induced etch angle variations of the spring elements. The spring set can be used in a MEMS gyro device which maintains the desired resonant modes and consistently low quadrature error even with process variations in manufacturing causing undesirable etch angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE INC.
    Inventors: David Patrick Potasek, Marcus Allen Childress, John Carl Christenson
  • Publication number: 20140000365
    Abstract: An improved sensing device comprising micromechanical gyroscope and a feed-back loop with a controller for creating a damp control signal. A frequency generator generates a drive signal for drive mode vibration and a reference signal that is in quadrature-phase in relation to the drive mode vibration. The quadrature reference signal is summed with the damp control signal of the controller. The resulting transducer control signal is fed to the second mechanical resonator. Stable cancellation of the actual mechanical quadrature motion is achieved already at the sensing element level, before the detection of the Coriolis signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Lasse AALTONEN
  • Publication number: 20140000366
    Abstract: A sensing device comprising a micromechanical gyroscope, the gyroscope comprising an improved sensing device with a micromechanical gyroscope, where the resonance frequency of the first mechanical resonator and the resonance frequency of the second mechanical resonator are adjusted to essentially coincide. The device comprises a feed-back loop connected to the second mechanical resonator, the quality factor of the combination of the feed-back loop and the second mechanical resonator being less than 10. More accurate sensing is achieved without essentially adding complexity to the sensor device configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Anssi BLOMQVIST
  • Patent number: 8616057
    Abstract: An angular rate sensor having two generally planar proof masses, a sense axis in the plane of the masses, and an input axis perpendicular to the sense axis. The masses are suspended from a driving frame, which is mounted for torsional movement about the input axis in drive-mode. And the masses are constrained for anti-phase movement along the sense axis in sense-mode in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, with sensors responsive to the anti-phase movement of the masses along the sense axis for monitoring rate of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Minyao Mao
  • Patent number: 8616055
    Abstract: In an inertial sensor having a resonator and an accelerometer, acceleration signals are induced by resonating at least one shuttle of the resonator in a device plane at a shuttle resonance mode frequency and modulating the motion of the at least one resonator shuttle to induce accelerometer signals from the accelerometer. The motion may be modulated in the device plane or out of the device plane. A shuttle resonance mode and an accelerometer resonance mode may me matched based on the induced accelerometer signals, for example, by providing a feedback signal to the inertial sensor in response to such induced accelerometer signals to substantially nullify the induced accelerometer signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Geen
  • Publication number: 20130340522
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor, including a substrate and a main extension plane, for detecting a yaw rate around a first direction in parallel to the main extension plane, a first Coriolis mass, and a second Coriolis mass, and a drive device configured to drive the first and second Coriolis masses in parallel to a drive direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second Coriolis masses, for a yaw rate around the first direction, experiencing a Coriolis acceleration in parallel to a detection direction, which is perpendicular to the drive and first directions, the first and second Coriolis masses having first/second partial areas and third/fourth partial areas, respectively. The first and third partial areas are farther from the axis of symmetry in parallel to the first direction, and the second and fourth partial areas are closer to the axis of symmetry in parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard KUHLMANN, Rolf SCHEBEN, Daniel Christoph MEISEL, Benjamin SCHMIDT, Thorten BALSLINK
  • Patent number: 8613222
    Abstract: A detector that detects a detection signal corresponding to a driving vibration, which excites a vibrator in an oscillation loop, and a physical quantity to be measured, includes: an amplifying circuit that amplifies a signal corresponding to the driving vibration and the physical quantity; a synchronous detection circuit that detects the amplified signal of the amplifying circuit in synchronization with an oscillation signal in the oscillation loop; an impedance conversion circuit that converts an output impedance of the synchronous detection circuit; a first low pass filter to which an output signal of the impedance conversion circuit is supplied and which outputs a first detection signal; and a second low pass filter to which the output signal of the impedance conversion circuit is supplied and which outputs a second detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20130333470
    Abstract: A planar Coriolis gyroscope comprising at least two counter oscillating masses attached to a common rigid frame by means of a first plurality of elastic members and constituting an excitation axis, said frame is attached to a support region by means of a second plurality of elastic members which together with the masses constitute at least one Coriolis resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Yishay Netzer, Michael Girgel
  • Publication number: 20130333469
    Abstract: A method for operating and/or measuring a micromechanical device. The device has a first and second seismic mass which are movable by oscillation relative to a substrate; a first drive device for deflecting the first seismic mass and a second drive device for deflecting the second seismic mass, parallel to a drive direction in a first orientation; a third drive device for deflecting the first seismic mass, and a fourth drive device for deflecting the second seismic mass in parallel to the drive direction and according to a second orientation opposite from the first orientation; a first detection device for detecting drive motion of the first seismic mass; and a second detection device for detecting drive motion of the second seismic mass. A first and a second detection signal are generated by the first and second detection devices, the first detection signal being evaluated separately from the second detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Christoph GAUGER, Patrick WELLNER
  • Patent number: 8607632
    Abstract: A micromechanical sensor having at least one movably mounted measuring element which is opposite at least one stationary electrode, the electrode being situated in a first plane, and being contacted by at least one printed conductor track which is situated in a second plane. A third plane is located between the first plane and the second plane, the third plane including an electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer
  • Publication number: 20130328974
    Abstract: The present invention provides a non-lead piezoelectric film having high crystalline orientation, the low dielectric loss, the high polarization-disappear temperature, the high piezoelectric constant, and the high linearity between an applied electric field and an amount of displacement. The present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising: a NaxLa1-x+yNi1-yO3-x layer having only an (001) orientation and a (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer having only an (001) orientation. The (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer is formed on the NaxLa1-x+yNi1-yO3-x layer. The character of Q represents Fe, Co, Zn0.5Ti0.5, or Mg0.5Ti0.5 The character of x represents a value of not less than 0.01 and not more than 0.05. The character of y represents a value of not less than 0.05 and not more than 0.20. The character of ? represents a value of not less than 0.20 and not more than 0.50.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki TANAKA, Takakiyo HARIGAI, Hideaki ADACHI, Eiji FUJII
  • Patent number: 8601872
    Abstract: A vibrating gyroscope according to this invention includes a ring-shaped vibrating body 11 having a uniform plane, a leg portion 15 flexibly supporting the ring-shaped vibrating body and having a fixed end, a fixed potential electrode 16, and a plurality of electrodes 13a, 13b, . . . , 13h formed on the plane with a piezoelectric film sandwiched between an upper-layer metallic film and a lower-layer metallic film in a thickness direction thereof. In this case, in a representative example shown in FIG. 1, when one of driving electrodes 13a for exciting a primary vibration of the ring-shaped vibrating body 11 in a vibration mode of cos N? is set as a reference driving electrode, the plurality of remaining electrodes 13b, . . . , 13h are disposed at specific positions. Such disposition allows this vibrating gyroscope to detect a uniaxial to triaxial angular velocity by adopting a secondary vibration detector inclusive of an out-of-plane vibration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: SUMITOMO PRECISION PRODUCTS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Hiroshi Nishida, Osamu Torayashiki, Mitsuhiko Takemura, Tsuyoshi Fujimura, Ryuta Araki, Takafumi Moriguchi, Nobutaka Teshima, Yasuyuki Hirata
  • Patent number: 8601873
    Abstract: In an angular velocity sensor, a vibrator is coupled with a substrate through a beam part, and is movable in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. A driving part is configured to vibrate the vibrator in the first direction. A detecting part is configured to detect displacement of the vibrator in the second direction as a change in capacitance, the displacement being caused by Coriolis force generated in the vibrator due to vibration of the vibrator and an angular velocity around a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. A restricting part is configured to restrict displacement of the vibrator in the second direction based on the change in capacitance. The angular velocity sensor is configured to satisfy a condition where ? sin ? is equal to or less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minekazu Sakai, Tomoya Jomori, Takashi Katsumata
  • Publication number: 20130319115
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sensor. A sensor according to the present invention includes a mass body, a fixing part disposed so as to be spaced apart from the mass body, a first flexible part connecting the mass body with the fixing part in a Y-axis direction, a second flexible part connecting the mass body with the fixing part in an X-axis direction, and a membrane disposed over the second flexible part and having a width in a Y-axis direction larger than a width in a Y-axis direction of the second flexible part. Here, a width of an X-axis direction of the first flexible part is larger than a thickness in a Z-axis direction thereof and a thickness in a Z-axis direction of the second flexible part is larger than a width in a Y-axis direction thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Woon Kim, Jun Lim, Seung Mo Lim, Sang Jin Kim
  • Publication number: 20130312519
    Abstract: A vibrator element including: a base portion; vibrating arms which extend from the base portion; a first drive section and a second drive section, and a first detecting section and a second detecting sensor which are respectively provided in the vibrating arms; adjusting arms which extend from the base portion in parallel to the vibrating arms; and a first adjusting section and a second adjusting section which are respectively provided on a principal surface of the adjusting arms, wherein, in the first adjusting section and the second adjusting section, a first electrode, piezoelectric layers, and adjustment electrodes are laminated on the first principal surface to be formed, and output signals of the first adjusting section and the second adjusting section are in antiphase to charges generated by the first detecting section and the second detecting section when no angular velocity is added to the vibrating arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Fumio Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20130312520
    Abstract: A rotational rate sensor is provided having a substrate and having a seismic mass that is movable relative to the substrate, the seismic mass being capable of being excited by a drive unit to a working oscillation relative to the substrate, and a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation being capable of being detected, the rotational rate sensor having an interface for sending out a sensor signal as a function of the Coriolis deflection, the drive unit being configured for the modification of a frequency and/or of an amplitude of the working oscillation when a control signal is present at the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventor: Rex Kho
  • Patent number: 8590378
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gyroscope sensor circuit, including a first differential amplifier differentially amplifying signals outputted from first sensing nodes of a gyroscope sensor; a phase shifter shifting a signal from the first differential amplifier by a predetermined shift phase; an amplitude detector detecting the amplitude magnitude of the signal from the first differential amplifier; and a variable gain amplifier amplifying the shifted signal from the phase shifter with gain adjusted depending on the amplitude magnitude from the amplitude detector, and providing the amplified signal to driving nodes of the gyroscope sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8590376
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inertial sensor, preferably an acceleration sensor or multi-axis acceleration sensor as a microelectromechanical construction element, said sensor comprising a housing with at least one first gas-filled cavity in which a first detection unit is disposed moveably relative to the housing for detection of an acceleration to be detected, wherein the inertial sensor comprises a damping structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V., Maxim Integrated GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Reinert, Martin Heller
  • Publication number: 20130305824
    Abstract: A vibrating element includes a vibrating arm for detection. An electrode is provided on the vibrating arm for detection. A wiring line is connected to the electrode. The wiring line is arranged on a piezoelectric body of a base portion. At least a part of the wiring line is an electrode for adjustment. The electrode for adjustment generates an electrical signal with an opposite phase to an output signal of leak vibration of the vibrating arm for detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiko Epson Corporation
  • Patent number: 8584522
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for making and using gyroscopes. Some gyroscopes include a drive frame, a central anchor and a plurality of drive beams disposed on opposing sides of the central anchor. The drive beams may connect the drive frame to the central anchor. The drive beams may include a piezoelectric layer and may be configured to cause the drive frame to oscillate torsionally in a plane of the drive beams. The gyroscope may also include a proof mass and a plurality of piezoelectric sense beams. At least some components may be formed from plated metal. The drive frame may be disposed within the proof mass. The drive beams may constrain the drive frame to rotate substantially in the plane of the drive beams. Such devices may be included in a mobile device, such as a mobile display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cenk Acar, Ravindra Vaman Shenoy, Justin Phelps Black, Kurt Edward Petersen, Srinivasan Kodaganallur Ganapathi, Philip Jason Stephanou
  • Publication number: 20130298672
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor, having a substrate which has a main extension plane, for detecting a yaw rate about a first direction extending either parallel to the main extension plane or perpendicular to the main extension plane. The yaw-rate sensor has a drive device, a first Coriolis mass and a second Coriolis mass, the drive device being configured to drive at least one part of the first Coriolis mass and at least one part of the second Coriolis mass in a direction parallel to a drive direction extending perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Burkhard KUHLMANN, Rolf SCHEBEN, Daniel Christoph MEISEL, Benjamin SCHMIDT, Thorsten BALSLINK
  • Publication number: 20130298670
    Abstract: A vibration gyro having a structure for canceling a quadrature error generated by structural asymmetricity due to production tolerance and a means for correcting a bias value when an angular velocity is zero. In order to apply a counter torque to a sense mass for canceling the quadrature error, left correction comb electrodes are fixed to a substrate adjacent to a left drive mass, and comb electrodes opposed to the correction comb electrodes are arranged on an inner portion of a frame member which constitutes the left drive mass. By applying DC voltage to the correction electrodes, electrostatic force, for canceling the leakage rotational displacement of the sense mass generated when the input angular velocity is zero, is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Tsugai, Akitaka Uchimura, Syuji Nakashita
  • Publication number: 20130298673
    Abstract: A gyro sensor includes a substrate, and a first function element, a second function element and a third function element which are arranged above the substrate. With respect to function elements next to each other of the first function element, the second function element and the third function element, the direction of vibration of a vibrating body of one function element is different from the direction of displacement of a movable body of the other function element, and the direction of displacement of a movable body of the one function element is different from the direction of vibration of a vibrating body of the other function element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo TAKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20130298674
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an angular velocity sensor capable of measuring an exact angular velocity, an ink jet head capable of producing an exact amount of ink, and a piezoelectric generating element capable of generating electric power due to positive piezoelectric effect. In the present invention, a piezoelectric film comprising a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode is used. The first electrode comprises an electrode layer having a (001) orientation. The piezoelectric layer comprises a (NaxBiy)TiO0.5x+1.5y+2—BaTiO3 layer (0.30?x?0.46 and 0.51?y?0.62) having a (001) orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Takakiyo HARIGAI, Yoshiaki TANAKA, Hideaki ADACHI, Eiji FUJII
  • Publication number: 20130298671
    Abstract: An example include microelectromechanical die for sensing motion that includes a fixed portion, an anchor coupled to the fixed portion, a first nonlinear suspension member coupled to anchor on a side of the anchor, a second nonlinear suspension member coupled to the anchor on the same side of the anchor, the second nonlinear suspension member having a shape and location mirroring the first nonlinear suspension member about an anchor bisecting plane and a proof-mass that is planar, the proof mass suspended at least in part by the first nonlinear suspension member and the second nonlinear suspension member such that the proof-mass is rotable about the anchor and is slideable in a plane parallel to the fixed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Cenk Acar, John Gardner Bloomsburgh
  • Patent number: 8578774
    Abstract: A physical quantity sensor includes a sensing portion, a casing, a vibration isolating member, an electrically conductive portion, a pad and a bonding wire. The casing encases the sensing portion therein. The vibration isolating member is disposed between the sensing portion and the casing to reduce a relative vibration between the sensing portion and the casing. The bonding wire electrically connects the electrically conductive portion provided on the casing and the pad provided on a surface of the sensing portion. The bonding wire extends from the pad to the electrically conductive portion and includes a bend. The bonding wire is configured to satisfy a relation of 20×d?h, in which d is an outer diameter of the bonding wire, and h is a dimension of the bonding wire with respect to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sensing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tameharu Ohta, Takeshi Shinoda, Itaru Ishii, Keisuke Nakano
  • Patent number: 8578775
    Abstract: A microcontroller-based method and apparatus are described for generating one or more amplitude and frequency selectable low frequency pilot tone signals (PT) that are injected into an embedded MEMS sensor (110) and mixed signal ASIC (120) and then recovered at the microcontroller (140) to compute or measure various gyro parameters during operational use of the device with no down time or interference with normal operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Hayner, Dejan Mijuskovic
  • Publication number: 20130291639
    Abstract: A vibrating piece includes a driving arm at least partially formed by a piezoelectric body, the driving arm including a first surface spreading along the direction of excited vibration, a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface, a first side surface configured to connect the first surface and the second surface, and a second side surface arranged on the opposite side of the first side surface and configured to connect the first surface and the second surface. The vibrating piece includes first electrodes arranged at least on one surface side of the first surface and the second surface and second electrodes arranged on at least one surface side of the first side surface and the second side surface. The first electrodes are provided asymmetrically with respect to an equally dividing plane of the driving arm orthogonal to the direction of the excited vibration of the driving arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuta NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20130291638
    Abstract: First vibrating arms extend along a first direction from a base portion. Second vibrating arms extend along a second direction from the base portion. First suspension arms extend from a fixed portion and are connected to first connecting parts of the base portion. Second suspension arms extend from the fixed portion and are connected to second connecting parts of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiko Epson Corporation
  • Patent number: 8573055
    Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes a sensor unit, a detection unit and a connecting part electrically connecting the sensor unit and the detection unit. The detection unit drives the sensor unit and detects an angular velocity acting on the sensor unit. The detection unit supplies a carrier signal to a movable electrode of a capacitor of the sensor unit and supplies a driving signal to a fixed electrode of the capacitor via the connecting part for performing a servo control. A C/V converter circuit of the detection unit receives capacitance generated at the capacitor through a driving signal transmission line of the connecting part in a state where supply of the driving signal is stopped, and converts the capacitance into a voltage. A determination part of the detection unit determines whether the driving signal transmission line has disconnection or not based on the voltage outputted from the C/V converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshikazu Itakura
  • Patent number: 8573054
    Abstract: A device and manufacturing method for a rotation sensor device includes a holding device, an oscillating mass, and a spring, via which the oscillating mass is connected to the holding device. The spring is designed so that the oscillating mass can be set into an oscillating movement around an oscillation axis with respect to the holding device with the aid of a drive. The steps include: producing a layer sequence having a first layer made of semiconductor material and/or metal and a second layer made of semiconductor material and/or a metal, a boundary surface of the first layer, at least partially being covered by an insulating layer; structuring the spring out of the first layer; and structuring at least one oscillating mass subunit of the oscillating mass, which can be set into the oscillating movement around the oscillation axis with the aid of the drive, out of the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Publication number: 20130283908
    Abstract: In comb drive vibratory gyroscopes, drive-induced Coriolis accelerometer offset is effectively canceled by demodulating the output during equal times of in-phase and anti-phase drive of the shuttle with respect to the velocity signal used for angular rate demodulation. This reduces or eliminates the corresponding thermal and die-stress effects otherwise needing calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: John A. Geen, John F. Chang
  • Publication number: 20130283911
    Abstract: A single proof-mass, dual-axis gyroscope apparatus comprises a resonating body member and first and second electrodes each capacitively coupled to the resonating body member by a respective lateral capacitive air gap and a vertical capacitive air gap. The width of one of the lateral capacitive air gap of the first electrode is substantially smaller than the vertical capacitive air gap. The width of one of the vertical capacitive air gap of the second electrode is substantially smaller than the lateral capacitive air gap. The apparatus claimed can address the process variation such as vertical and lateral dimension variation by electrostatic tuning method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Farrokh Ayazi, Wang-kyung Sung, Mohammad Zaman
  • Publication number: 20130283910
    Abstract: A vibrating reed includes a base part. A drive vibrating arm, a detection vibrating arm, and an adjustment vibrating arm extend from the base part. A first adjustment electrode and a second adjustment electrode are connected to the adjustment vibrating arm. The first adjustment electrode generates an electrical signal in first phase. The second adjustment electrode generates an electrical signal in second phase opposite to the first phase. The electrical signals of the adjustment electrodes are superimposed on the detection signal of the detection vibrating arm, and thereby, vibration leakage components are cancelled out. The adjustment vibrating arm is partially sandwiched between a first electrode piece and a second electrode piece, and the adjustment vibrating arm is partially sandwiched between a third electrode piece and a fourth electrode piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuta NISHIZAWA, Keiji NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20130283909
    Abstract: A gyro sensor includes a vibrator, a spring part extending from a first fixing part to the vibrator in a direction along a first axis, a drive part that excites the vibrator, and a detection part provided on the vibrator, wherein the vibrator has, in a plan view, first and second vibrating parts arranged side by side in the direction along the first axis and drive-vibrate in anti-phase with each other, a connecting spring part that connects the first and second vibrating parts in the direction along the first axis, and a first elastic member extending from the connecting spring part in a direction along a second axis intersecting with the first axis and fixed to a second fixing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: Makoto FURUHATA
  • Patent number: 8567246
    Abstract: An integrated MEMS device is disclosed. The system comprises a MEMS resonator; and a MEMS device coupled to a MEMS resonator. The MEMS resonator and MEMS device are fabricated on a common substrate so that certain characteristics of the MEM resonator and MEMS device track each other as operating conditions vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Invensense, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Shaeffer, Baris Cagdaser, Chiung C. Lo, Joseph Seeger
  • Publication number: 20130276536
    Abstract: A gyro sensor includes: a base body; a vibrating body; a driving portion driving the vibrating body in a direction of a first axis; a movable electrode portion displaceable, according to angular velocity about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, in a direction of a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; a first spring portion connected to the vibrating body and a first side surface of the movable electrode portion, the first side surface intersecting the first axis or the second axis; a second spring portion connected to the vibrating body and a second side surface of the movable electrode portion, the second side surface being parallel to the first side surface. The first spring portion and the second spring portion have portions extending in the direction of the first axis and portions extending in a direction of the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kei KANEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20130276537
    Abstract: A micromechanical sensor element for detecting lateral acceleration, having at least two boundaries situated essentially orthogonally with respect to one another, and also having at least one spring element, in which the spring element is oriented at an angle relative to at least one of the boundaries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank SCHAEFER, Nicolaus Ulbrich, Harald Emmerich