Vibratory gyro-sensor using a trident tuning fork resonator with lateral width set in parallel with a rotationary axis

Abstract

This paper deals with a new type of piezoelectric vibratory gyro-sensor using a trident tuning fork resonator, which is supported laterally at its base portion, the width direction of which is in parallel with a rotationary axis. The vibratory gyro-sensor is an important and attractive device as an angular velocity sensor, especially, in the vehicle stability control (VSC) system schemed for a practical use in the not so far future. Therefore, many researchers have been engaged in development of such a key device in the VSC system. Some types of piezoelectric vibratory gyro-sensors have also been investigated; for example, two types of vibratory gyro-sensors have been studied using a trident tuning fork resonator: one of them was vertically supported at its base portion and the other was flatly supported at the same portion. The gyro-sensor dealt with here is one of such types of gyro-sensors; however, its operation principle is different from theirs. That is, this new gyro-sensor is aimed at being constructed using two-mode coupling of flexural and torsional vibrations in tuning fork arms. In this paper, the structure and operation principle of such a new trident tuning fork resonator gyro-sensor are described, with simulated results of vibrational characteristics for designing the resonator, and moreover, experimental results to confirm its operation principle are shown.