NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Cloverleaf microgyroscope with electrostatic alignment and tuningA micro-gyroscope (10) having closed loop output operation by a control voltage (V.sub.ty), that is demodulated by a drive axis (x-axis) signal V.sub.thx of the sense electrodes (S1, S2), providing Coriolis torque rebalance to prevent displacement of the micro-gyroscope (10) on the output axis (y-axis) V.sub.thy.about.0. Closed loop drive axis torque, V.sub.tx maintains a constant drive axis amplitude signal, V.sub.thx. The present invention provides independent alignment and tuning of the micro-gyroscope by using separate electrodes and electrostatic bias voltages to adjust alignment and tuning. A quadrature amplitude signal, or cross-axis transfer function peak amplitude is used to detect misalignment that is corrected to zero by an electrostatic bias voltage adjustment. The cross-axis transfer function is either V.sub.thy/V.sub.ty or V.sub.tnx/V.sub.tx. A quadrature signal noise level, or difference in natural frequencies estimated from measurements of the transfer functions is used to detect residual mistuning, that is corrected to zero by a second electrostatic bias voltage adjustment.
Document ID
20080009508
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Other - Patent
Authors
Challoner, A. Dorian
Gutierrez, Roman C.
Tang, Tony K.
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 9, 2007
Subject Category
Mechanical Engineering
Report/Patent Number
Patent Application Number: US-Patent-Appl-SN-10/843,139
Patent Number: US-Patent-7,159,441
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
US-Patent-7,159,441
Patent Application
US-Patent-Appl-SN-10/843,139
No Preview Available