Micromechanical Element Which Can be Deflected

• US 20080284078A1
• Filed: 11/25/2005
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2005
• 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: Wolter, Alexander, Klose, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 267/154
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0062 Devices moving in two or more dimensions, i.e. having special features which allow movement in more than one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35

Abstract

The invention relates to deflectable micromechanical elements which can preferably be deflected in translation and optionally also in an oscillatory manner. With respect to known solutions, it is the object of the invention to enable larger deflections with a simultaneously improved resistance toward lateral forces and torques. In this connection, a suspension having at least one spring system is present at elements in accordance with the invention. Levers pivotally connected to torsion spring elements are present at spring systems. Torsion spring elements of a spring system are aligned in a common axis and/or a plurality of axes arranged parallel to one another and at least one torsion spring element is fixedly clamped.

Claims

1. A deflectable micromechanical element which is held by a suspension, with the suspension being formed with at least one spring system, wherein a spring system is formed with levers which are pivotally connected to torsion spring elements;

with the torsion spring elements of a spring system being aligned in a common axis and/or in a plurality of axes aligned parallel to one another and at least one torsion spring element being fixedly clamped.

2. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the levers have a larger mechanical resistance torque than the torsion spring elements in a direction of the deflection of the micromechanical element.

3. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the levers and the torsion spring elements are made of a common substrate.

4. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two like spring systems are arranged symmetrically to one another.

5. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two torsion spring elements of a spring system are fixedly clamped diametrically opposite one another.

6. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spring systems are made symmetrically around an axis aligned orthogonally to the axis in which torsion spring elements are aligned.

7. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein fixed clamps of torsion spring elements of a spring system are arranged at a spacing from one another which is at least as large as ⅔

of the extent of the micromechanical element in a region at which the respective spring system engages at the micromechanical element.

8. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein levers connected to torsion spring elements are additionally connected to stiffening elements.

9. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein two levers of a spring system engage at the micromechanical element.

10. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein two torsion springs arranged in an axis additionally engage at a micromechanical element held with two spring systems and pivotable around an axis.

11. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the micromechanical element, as well as all levers and torsion spring elements, are arranged in a common plane in a non-deflected state of the micromechanical element.

12. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein torsion spring elements have a cross-section varying along their longitudinal axis.

13. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein levers of a spring system are connected to bending spring elements.

14. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein levers engaging at the micromechanical element are designed as bending spring elements.

15. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein torsion spring elements of a spring system are arranged in a plurality of axes aligned parallel to one another and at different spacings from the micromechanical element.

16. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein more than two spring systems are arranged and aligned at respectively like angular spacings from one another.

17. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of levers connected to torsion spring elements form a parallel circuit in interleaved form.

18. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein one or more spring system(s) are connected to further levers which form a lever structure.

19. An element in accordance with claim 18, wherein the lever structure(s) is/are made in the form of a serpentine.

20. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein levers are bendable in a locally defined manner in the deflection direction at one or more spring system(s).

21. An element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the element is made as a sensor or as an actuator.