Optical deflector

• US 20050128609A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kato, Takahisa, Shimada, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,220,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/849
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Optical deflector includes a movable mirror, a gimbal for rotatably supporting the movable mirror about a first rotational axis with a first support portion, and a frame for rotatably supporting the gimbal with a second support portion about a second rotational axis that forms an angle relative to the first rotational axis. A moving comb electrode is provided on the gimbal and has a surface extending approximately parallel to a direction of a rotational movement of the gimbal, and a stationary comb electrode is disposed facing the surface of the moving comb electrode. An electrostatic driving unit displaces the gimbal by an electrostatic force acting between the moving comb electrode and the stationary comb electrode. An electromagnetic driving unit displaces the movable mirror by an electromagnetic force.

Claims

1. An optical deflector comprising:

a movable mirror;

a gimbal for rotatably supporting said movable mirror about a first rotational axis with a first support portion;

a frame for rotatably supporting said gimbal with a second support portion about a second rotational axis that forms an angle relative to the first rotational axis;

a moving comb electrode, said moving comb electrode being provided on said gimbal and having a surface extending approximately parallel to a direction of a rotational movement of said gimbal;

a stationary comb electrode, said stationary comb electrode being disposed facing the surface of said moving comb electrode;

an electrostatic driving unit for displacing said gimbal about the second rotational axis by an electrostatic force acting between said moving comb electrode and said stationary comb electrode; and

an electromagnetic driving unit for displacing said movable mirror about the first rotational axis by an electromagnetic force.

2. An optical deflector according to claim 1, wherein said first support portion comprises a first pair of torsion bars, and said second support portion comprises a second pair of torsion bars.

3. An optical deflector according to claim 1, wherein said moving comb electrode is a movable interdigitated comb electrode, and said stationary comb electrode is a stationary interdigitated comb electrode arranged to mesh with said movable interdigitated comb electrode with a gap between said movable interdigitated comb electrode and said stationary interdigitated comb electrode.

4. An optical deflector according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic driving unit comprises a stationary coil and a movable magnet, the movable magnet being disposed on said movable mirror, and said movable mirror is adapted to be displaced by an electromagnetic force acting between said stationary coil and said movable magnet.

5. An optical deflector according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic driving unit comprises at least a stationary magnet and a movable coil, the movable coil being disposed on said movable mirror, and said movable mirror is adapted to be displaced by an electromagnetic force acting between said stationary magnet and said movable coil.

6. An optical deflector according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of said stationary magnets are arranged in a row parallel to the second rotational axis of said gimbal.

7. An optical deflector according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of said stationary magnets comprise three cylindrical permanent magnets.

8. An optical deflector according to claim 7, wherein a center cylindrical permanent magnet of said three cylindrical permanent magnets has a direction of magnetization opposite to that of adjacent of said cylindrical permanent magnets.

9. An optical deflector according to claim 1, further comprising a common substrate, wherein at least one of said frame, said stationary comb electrode, a coil substrate carrying a stationary coil of said electromagnetic unit, and a stationary magnet of said electromagnetic unit is supported by said common substrate.

10. An optical deflector according to claim 9, wherein said frame is supported by said common substrate through a spacer.

11. An optical deflector according to claim 9, wherein a recess portion is formed in said common substrate, and at least one of said stationary comb electrode, said coil substrate, and said stationary magnet is disposed on said recess portion formed on said common substrate.

12. An optical deflector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said electromagnetic driving unit and said electrostatic driving unit drives at least one of said movable mirror and said gimbal in a resonance vibration manner.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a light source; and

the optical deflector recited in claim 1, said optical deflector deflecting light from said light source to form an image using the deflected light.

14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the optical deflector performs high speed scanning through resonance vibration of at least one of said gimbal and said movable mirror.

15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of said light sources are provided, with each of said plurality of light sources emitting a different color light.