Milli Sensor Systems+actuators

Other

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Milli Sensory Systems and Actuators, Inc.

Milli Sensor and Actuator Systems, Inc.

Michele S Sapuppo

Donato Cardarelli

Marc Steven Weinberg

Raymond Carroll

Charles R Dauwalter

Byong-Ho Ahn

Kenneth Fertig

Howard L Watson

Paul Steranka

Thomas E Reed

Centrifugal gyroscopic devices are described herein. A representative device can include a shaft, an arm coupled to the shaft, a rotor coupled to the arm, and a control system operably coupled to the shaft, the arm, and/or the rotor. The shaft is rotatable about a first axis and the arm is configured to rotate with the shaft. The arm is pivotable about a second axis and the rotor is configured to pivot with the arm about the second axis. The rotor is further pivotable about a third axis. The control system is configured to bring the shaft, the arm, and the rotor into a resonant mode in which the shaft rotates at a rotational rate, the arm oscillates about the second axis at a first frequency substantially equal to the rotational rate, and the rotor oscillates about the third axis at a second frequency substantially equal to the first frequency.

Centrifugal gyroscopic devices, and associated systems and methods

Gyroscopes and pendulous gyroscopic accelerometers with adjustable scale factor are accomplished through control of the net angular momentum of a gyroscopic element such as a rotating or oscillating wheel or other mass. The sensitivity of a gravity gradiometer can be enhanced through use of such instruments, allowing the development of man-portable gravity gradiometers.

Gyroscope and pendulous gyroscopic accelerometer with adjustable scale factor, and gravity gradiometer using such

An oscillatory gyroscope is described based on a three gimbal structure whose output is the rotary deflection of the middle gimbal. Closed loop operation is achieved by the oscillatory interaction between the outer and inner gimbals. The gyro is referred to as CLOG (Closed Loop Oscillating Gyro). Two variations on the manner of achieving the closed loop are also described. The gyro can be implemented in a three dimensional configuration or in three planar configurations which can be fabricated using modern photolithographic, batch process fabrication technology similar to MEMS.

Oscillating gyroscope

A flat pack gyroscope fabricated of a number of discrete flat layers, which, when assembled together, accomplish a version of a single degree of freedom, spinning wheel gyroscope.

Flat-pack gyroscope

A pendulous oscillating gyroscope and accelerometer multisensor having an accelerometer input axis and a gyroscopic input axis, comprising: a fixed case; a servo driven member mounted to the case for sinusoidal oscillation about an accelerometer servo axis which is the same as the gyroscopic input axis; a torque summing member mounted to the servo driven member to allow rotational motion about an output axis transverse to the servo axis; a rotor driven member mounted to the torque summing member for sinusoidal oscillation about a reference axis transverse to both the output axis and the servo axis; and a pendulosity carried by at least one of the torque summing member and the rotor driven member to create a mass imbalance about an output axis, in which pendulosity torque due to acceleration along the accelerometer input axis causes a DC rotation of the torque summing member about the output axis. The rotor driven member is sinusoidally oscillated about the reference axis, and the servo driven member is sinusoidally oscillated about the servo axis. The two sinusoidal oscillations create a first gyroscopic torque, which causes DC rotation of the torque summing member about the output axis, and in which DC rotation of the fixed case about the gyroscopic input axis creates a second gyroscopic torque, which causes an AC oscillation of the torque summing member about the output axis. A measurement device determines the rotational motion of the torque summing member about the output axis. A controller responsive to the measurement device alters the oscillation of at least one of the oscillating members to create change in the first gyroscopic torque to counterbalance pendulosity torque. Acceleration along the input axis, and rotation about the servo axis, are both determined.

Pendulous oscillating gyroscopic and accelerometer multisensor and

A pendulous oscillating gyroscopic accelerometer, comprising: a fixed case; a servo driven member mounted to the case for oscillation about a servo axis; a torque summing member mounted to the servo driven member for rotation about an output axis transverse to the servo axis; a rotor driven member mounted to the torque summing member for oscillation about a reference axis transverse to both the output axis and the servo axis; a pendulosity carried by at least one of the torque summing member and the rotor driven member to create a mass imbalance about an output axis; a first oscillation device for oscillating the rotor driven member about the reference axis, the oscillation having a first amplitude, a first frequency and a first phase; a second oscillation device for oscillating the servo driven member about the servo axis, the oscillation having a second amplitude, a second frequency and a second phase; a measurement device for determining the rotation of the torque summing member about the output axis resulting from pendulosity torque caused by acceleration of the pendulosity; a controller, responsive to the measurement device, for altering the oscillation caused by at least one of the oscillation devices to create torque to counterbalance pendulosity torque; and a determinator, responsive to the controller, for determining acceleration along the input axis.

Pendulous oscillating gyroscopic accelerometer

A pendulous oscillating gyroscopic accelerometer comprising an unbalanced pendulous mass, pivotable on an output axis, that is oscillated about a reference axis transverse to the output axis. The pendulous mass is also oscillated about an input axis transverse to the reference axis, and the acceleration force along the input axis is determined from at least one of those oscillations.

A single vibration sensor having the capability of sensing vibration along three rotational axes as well as three translational axes and exhibiting consistent dynamics over a wide frequency range. The sensor includes an elongated mass formed of a generally rigid material suspended in a fluid within a housing. The exterior surface of the mass is spaced from the interior surface of the housing to permit limited freedom of motion of the mass within the housing. The mass is provided with multiaxial radial and axial electromagnetic suspensions, and is typically supported by a fluid within the housing. Rotational positioning is provided by a signal generator, torque generator combination. Vibration is sensed by additive or differential measurements of current changes in the coils of different axes of the suspensions or electromagnetic signal and torque generator combinations. The sensor is conveniently implemented as a single degree of freedom inertial gyroscope without the gyroscope wheel and adapted to permit sensing of current changes in coils provided to achieve suspension or suspension and signal and torque generation functions.

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Andover, MA, United States of America

Michele S Sapuppo