Apparatus comprising a spring and an optical element suspended thereon

• US 10,095,023 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Gu-Stoppel, Shanshan, Kaden, Dirk, Eisermann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Thomas K
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROOME, SHARRIEF I
• Application Number:
  US14/289,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 359811-830
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1821 for rotating or oscillating mirrors

Abstract

Apparatuses with actuators having actuator-side attachment areas disposed thereon, an optical element having mirror-side attachment areas disposed thereon and springs are described, wherein an optical element is connected to actuators via two or four springs.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a first actuator;

a second actuator;

an optical element;

at least one first spring disposed between the first actuator and the optical element;

at least one second spring disposed between the second actuator and the optical element;

wherein the optical element comprises exactly two spaced-apart optics-side attachment areas; and

wherein the at least one first spring is disposed on the first optics-side attachment area and the at least one second spring is disposed on the second optics-side attachment area, such that actuation of the first or second actuator causes tilting of the optical element around two axes;

wherein the first spring is disposed on a first actuator-side attachment area on the first actuator and the second spring is disposed on a second actuator-side attachment area on the second actuator;

wherein expansions of lines between the first actuator-side attachment area and the first optics-side attachment area and between the second actuator-side attachment area and the second optics-side attachment area intersect at an angle of less than 180°

; and

wherein a course of the springs along the axial expansion comprises a curvature;

wherein

the spring runs within an area defined by circular arcs intersecting the first and the second end of the spring;

wherein

each circular arc comprises a radius that is greater than 0.75 times a distance between the first end and the second end of the spring; and

wherein

each circular arc comprises a center positioned along a line that is positioned perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first end and the second end of the spring to one another.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the optical element is disposed between the first and the second actuator and the first spring is disposed on a deflectable end of the first actuator and the second spring is disposed on a deflectable end of the second actuator;

wherein the first and second actuator extend in the same direction starting from a fixing, or the extension directions comprise a right angle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the springs comprises, between the first and second end, equal to or less than six portions that are straight in sections and are inclined with respect to an adjacent portion;

wherein

the portions comprise a different axial expansion along the spring course from the first to the second end of the spring, such that the spring comprises a long and at least one short portion;

the long portion comprises at least 80% of the overall axial expansion of the course of the spring; and

each short portion comprises a proportion of the overall axial expansion of the course of the spring that is less than 4%.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the springs comprises a lateral expansion that is constant across the axial course.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lateral expansion is less than the axial expansion multiplied by the factor 0.3.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one further spring is disposed on an optics-side attachment point, and each of the springs comprises the same lateral expansion.

7. Apparatus to claim 1, wherein the lateral expansion of the springs varies across the axial course;

wherein the lateral expansion is implemented within an area defined by circular arcs which intersect the first and the second end of the spring;

wherein

each of the circular arcs comprises a radius that is greater than 0.75 times of a distance between the first end and the second end of the spring; and

wherein

each circular arc comprises a center positioned along a line that is positioned perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first end and the second end of the spring.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a measurement element that is implemented to detect the deflection state of the actuators is disposed on an actuator.

9. Apparatus, comprising:

a first actuator;

a second actuator;

an optical element;

at least one first spring disposed between the first actuator and the optical element;

at least one second spring disposed between the second actuator and the optical element;

wherein the optical element comprises exactly two spaced-apart optics-side attachment areas; and

wherein the at least one first spring is disposed on the first optics-side attachment area and the at least one second spring is disposed on the second optics-side attachment area, such that actuation of the first or second actuator causes tilting of the optical element around two axes;

wherein the lateral expansion of the springs varies across the axial course;

wherein the lateral expansion is implemented within an area defined by circular arcs which intersect the first and the second end of the spring;

wherein

each of the circular arcs comprises a radius that is greater than 0.75 times of a distance between the first end and the second end of the spring; and

wherein

each circular arc comprises a center positioned along a line that is positioned perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first end and the second end of the spring.