FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF TRIDENT-TYPE TUNING FORK RESONATOR FOR VIBRATORY GYROSCOPE

We have investigated the possibility of producing a highly stable piez oelectric vibratory gyroscope. In order to achieve such a gyroscope, a trident-type tuning fork resonator was adopted, because it has good i nherent vibrational characteristics for its support conditions. Howeve r from a practical viewpoint, the tuning fork must be studied with the aim of achieving very high stability, and high performance as an angu lar rate sensor. Therefore, we investigated the detailed vibrational d isplacement characteristics using finite-element methods and showed th at unnecessary vibration of the tuning fork influenced the sensitivity of the gyroscope. That is, this paper concerns the dimensional condit ions of the tuning fork for decreasing vibrational displacements at it s base portion. We also report the measured characteristic of the angu lar rate sensor using such an improved tuning fork.