OPTICAL-LEVER CANTILEVER DISPLACEMENT DETECTING MECHANISM
First Claim
1. An optical-lever cantilever displacement detecting mechanism comprising:
- a support member;
a cantilever cantilevered by the support member;
a light source to emit a light beam; and
an optical sensor to sense the light beam,the cantilever having a probe at its tip, the support member having a fixed reflecting portion extending to face the cantilever with a space from the cantilever, the fixed reflecting portion having a light transmitting portion to allow the light beam to pass therethrough, the cantilever and the fixed reflecting portion having reflecting surfaces on sides facing each other, respectively,wherein the light beam emitted from the light source undergoes repeated reflections by the reflecting surface of the cantilever and the reflecting surface of the fixed reflecting portion including reflections by the reflecting surface of the cantilever, passes through the light transmitting portion, and strikes the optical sensor, andthe optical sensor outputs a signal representing a change of the entry position of the light beam caused by a displacement of the cantilever.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical-lever cantilever displacement detecting mechanism includes a support member, a cantilever cantilevered by the support member, a light source to emit a light beam, and an optical sensor to sense the light beam. The cantilever has a probe at its tip. The support member has a reflecting portion extending to face the cantilever with a space. The reflecting portion has a light transmitting portion to allow the light beam to pass therethrough. The cantilever and reflecting portion have reflecting surfaces on sides facing each other, respectively. The light beam emitted from the source undergoes repeated reflections by the reflecting surfaces of the cantilever and reflecting portion including reflections by the reflecting surface of the cantilever, passes through the light transmitting portion, and strikes the sensor. The sensor outputs a signal representing a change of the entry position of the light beam caused by a displacement of the cantilever.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An optical-lever cantilever displacement detecting mechanism comprising:
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a support member; a cantilever cantilevered by the support member; a light source to emit a light beam; and an optical sensor to sense the light beam, the cantilever having a probe at its tip, the support member having a fixed reflecting portion extending to face the cantilever with a space from the cantilever, the fixed reflecting portion having a light transmitting portion to allow the light beam to pass therethrough, the cantilever and the fixed reflecting portion having reflecting surfaces on sides facing each other, respectively, wherein the light beam emitted from the light source undergoes repeated reflections by the reflecting surface of the cantilever and the reflecting surface of the fixed reflecting portion including reflections by the reflecting surface of the cantilever, passes through the light transmitting portion, and strikes the optical sensor, and the optical sensor outputs a signal representing a change of the entry position of the light beam caused by a displacement of the cantilever. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification