MICRO SCANNER DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MICRO SCANNER DEVICE

• US 20100277783A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta OPTO Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta OPTO Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Utako
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0109 Bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/004 Angular deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1821 for rotating or oscillating mirrors

Abstract

A mirror axis (MA) is displaced by deformation of a holder (HD) and with resonance of an optical scanner (LS) itself according to the frequency of a voltage applied to a piezoelectric element (PE). The frequency of the applied voltage for causing a resonance deforms the holder (HD) so as to generate at least one node intersecting with respect to the length of the holder (HD) itself.

Claims

1. A micro scanner device comprising:

a fixing frame serving as an outer frame;

an axis portion;

a holder having a cantilever beam structure in which one end of the holder is connected to the axis portion and another end of the holder is fixed to the fixing frame;

a drive portion generating, in response to a voltage applied thereto, a force for deforming the holder;

a moving portion swinging with respect the to the axis portion according to displacement of the axis portion; and

a drive circuit applying to the drive portion a voltage having a frequency that is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of the micro scanner itself and that generates in the holder at least one node intersecting with respect to a length of the holder.

2. The micro scanner device according to claim 1,

wherein a natural frequency of a system including the holder and the drive portion is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of a system including the axis portion, the holder, the drive portion, the moving portion, and the fixing frame which surrounds the axis portion, the holder, the drive portion, and the moving portion.

3. The micro scanner device according to claim 2,

wherein a natural frequency of the holder is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of a system including the axis portion, the holder, the moving portion, and the fixing frame which surrounds the axis portion, the holder, and the moving portion.

4. A micro scanner device comprising:

a fixing frame serving as an outer frame;

a first axis portion and a second axis portion having axis directions different from one another;

a holder having a cantilever beam structure in which one end of the holder is connected to the second axis portion and another end of the holder is fixed to the fixing frame;

a drive portion generating, in response to a voltage applied thereto, a force for deforming the holder; and

a moving portion, on one hand, swinging with respect to the first axis portion according to displacement of the first axis portion and, on the other hand, swinging with respect to the second axis portion according to displacement of the second axis portion,

wherein the second axis portion is displaced by deformation of the holder alone whereas the first axis portion is displaced with resonance, and

a drive circuit applies to the drive portion a voltage having a frequency that is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of the micro scanner itself and that generates in the holder at least one node intersecting with respect to a length of the holder.

5. The micro scanner device according to claim 4,

wherein a natural frequency of a system including the holder and the drive portion is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of a system including the first axis portion, the second axis portion, the holder, the drive portion, the moving portion, and the fixing frame which surrounds the first axis portion, the second axis portion, the holder, the drive portion, and the moving portion.

6. The micro scanner device according to claim 5,

wherein a natural frequency of the holder is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of a system including the first axis portion, the second axis portion, the holder, the moving portion, and the fixing frame which surrounds the first axis portion, the second axis portion, the holder, and the moving portion.

7. A method for controlling a micro scanner device comprising a micro scanner and a drive circuit,

wherein the micro scanner includes:

a fixing frame serving as an outer frame;

an axis portion;

a holder having a cantilever beam structure in which one end of the holder is connected to the axis portion and another end of the holder is fixed to the fixing frame;

a drive portion generating, in response to a voltage applied thereto, a force for deforming the holder; and

a moving portion swinging with respect to the axis portion according to displacement of the axis portion,

wherein a voltage is applied to the drive portion by the drive circuit, the voltage having a frequency that is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of the micro scanner itself and that generates in the holder at least one node intersecting with respect to a length of the holder.

8. A method for controlling a micro scanner device comprising a micro scanner and a drive circuit,

wherein the micro scanner includes:

a fixing frame serving as an outer frame;

a first axis portion and a second axis portion having axis directions different from one another;

a holder having a cantilever beam structure in which one end of the holder is connected to the second axis portion and another end of the holder is fixed to the fixing frame;

a drive portion generating, in response to a voltage applied thereto, a force for deforming the holder; and

a moving portion, on one hand, swinging with respect to the first axis portion according to displacement of the first axis portion and, on the other hand, swinging with respect to the second axis portion according to displacement of the second axis portion,

wherein the second axis portion is displaced by deformation of the holder alone whereas the first axis portion is displaced with resonance, and

wherein a voltage is applied to the drive portion by the drive circuit, the voltage having a frequency that is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of the micro scanner itself and that generates in the holder at least one node intersecting with respect to a length of the holder.

9. A micro scanner device comprising a micro scanner and a drive circuit,

wherein the micro scanner includes:

a fixing frame serving as an outer frame;

an axis portion;

a holder having a cantilever beam structure in which one end of the holder is connected to the axis portion and another end of the holder is fixed to the fixing frame;

a drive portion generating, in response to a voltage applied thereto, a force for deforming the holder; and

a moving portion swinging with respect to the axis portion according to displacement of the axis portion, and

wherein the drive circuit applies to the drive portion a voltage having a frequency that is approximate to or equal to a natural frequency of the micro scanner itself and that generates in the holder at least one node intersecting with respect to a length of the holder.