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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 09, 1998
Richard S Anderson, Sandy, UT (US);
Jed C Ludlow, North Salt Lake, UT (US);
Litton Systems, Inc., Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention utilizes a sensing body having a non-zero product of inertia to sense acceleration when oscillated about the y'-axis of an x'-y'-z' Cartesian coordinate system. The product of inertia is computed with respect to an x-y-z coordinate system fixed in the sensing body, the z-axis being in the x'-z' plane, the y and y' axes being aligned in the absence of acceleration. The sensing body is pivotally attached to a platform and pivots about an axis parallel to the z-axis. A torquing device applies a torque about the z-axis to the sensing body sufficient to cause the angle between the y-axis and the y'-axis to be zero in the absence of acceleration when the sensing body is being oscillated at a predetermined rate. The accelerometer also includes an orientation sensor which provides a measure of the average angle between the y-axis and the y'-axis. A drive assembly oscillates the platform about the y'-axis. A control circuit receives the output of the orientation sensor and causes the drive assembly to drive the platform at an oscillation rate or at an oscillation amplitude which causes the average orientation angle to be near zero. The invention can also use an assembly of N individually-pivoting sensing bodies to sense acceleration.