A new design concept for vibrating microgyroscope

Abstract

The principles of dynamic vibration absorbers (DVA) or shock absorbers are used in a novel way to provide magnification rather than to suppress the unwanted vibration amplitude. The dynamic vibration magnifier (DVM) can be realised as a multi-degree freedom of systems or simply just two degrees of freedom system. The concept of DVM can be applied in the field of microelectromechanical systems, particularly to resonating microsensors for example resonating microgyroscope, micropump and microbridges. These sensors and other micromechanical resonating structures require large displacement or vibration amplitude for improving their working range or sensitivity and hence the DVM can provide an excellent method of magnification. The concept presented in this paper is two-fold; the DVM method can be used as an actuator as well as a sensor.