The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 03, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 24, 1995
Yutaka Nonomura, Nagoya, JP;
Takeshi Morikawa, Seto, JP;
Masayuki Okuwa, Nagoya, JP;
Kouji Tsukada, Seto, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
A vibration-sensing device (10) with high sensitivity includes a torsion bar (16) fixed on both ends thereof to a frame, a tuning fork-shaped vibrating member (12) joined with and supported by the torsion bar (16), and first and second torsion vibrating bodies (14,15) symmetrically projected from the torsion bar (16). The torsion bar (16), the tuning fork-shaped vibrating member (12), and the torsion vibrating bodies (14,15) constitute a torsion vibrating system. The application of an angular velocity to the vibration-sensing device (10) under the condition of plane vibrations of first and second vibrating tines (12a, 12b) of the first tuning fork-shaped vibrating member (12) along an X axis generates Coriolis forces to drive torsion vibration of the first tuning fork-shaped vibrating member (12) round the torsion bar (16), thereby driving torsion vibration corresponding to the angular velocity in the torsion vibrating system. The torsion vibration is amplified by the first and second torsion vibrating bodies (14,15) and detected by torsion vibration-detecting piezoelectric elements (20a,20b) attached to the torsion vibrating bodies (14,15). An angular velocity sensor using the vibration-sensing device, and a method of adjusting the sensitivity of the device are also provided.