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:
Sep. 11, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2005
Michael S. Kranz, Madison, AL (US);
Sherrie Burgett Holt, Grant, AL (US);
Michael S. Kranz, Madison, AL (US);
Sherrie Burgett Holt, Grant, AL (US);
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A SOI-MEMS gyroscope has a three fold symmetrical construction such that is symmetrical in the x direction, the y direction and diagonally. The gyroscope is suspended above a silicon substrate by lateral flexures that are located at the corners of the proof mass and by central flexures that are positioned at the center regions of the proof mass. The proof mass, lateral flexures, and central flexures are formed of a silicon composition with the flexures supporting the proof mass such that the proof mass will not touch the underlying base silicon substrate even when subjected to extreme G forces. Comb finger actuators apply an electrostatic force to the proof mass in the x direction; and, when experiencing an external rotational rate around the z-axis, the Coriolis force acts along the y direction and the resulting deflection is sensed by a pair of comb-finger capacitors connected as a differential capacitive voltage divider.