MOTION CONTROLLED ACTUATOR

• US 20120119612A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tessera MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Gutierrez, Roman C., Calvet, Robert J., Jain, Ankur, Liu, Xiaolei, Wang, Guiqin
• Granted Patent: US 8,604,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/300
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• 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: F16H 49/00 Other gearings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/005 Motorised alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/34 Power focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0007 Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur imaging systems in general using optical elements for stabilisation of the position of the image G02B27/64
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming for optical zoom lenses in general G02B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0084 using other types of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/10 Power-operated focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/24 specially adapted for suppression or reduction of noise or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/008 Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18056 Rotary to or from reciprocating or oscillating

Abstract

A device can have an outer frame and an actuator. The actuator can have a movable frame and a fixed frame. At least one torsional flexure and at least one hinge flexure can cooperate to provide comparatively high lateral stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame and can cooperate to provide comparatively low rotational stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an outer frame;

an actuator having a movable frame and a fixed frame; and

at least one flexure configured provide comparatively high lateral stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame and configured to provide comparatively low rotational stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexure is disposed substantially upon a common pivot axis.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexure facilitates rotation of the movable frame with respect to the fixed frame.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexure is X-shaped.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the outer frame, the actuator, and the at least one flexure are of monolithic construction; and

the at least one flexure is substantially thinner than the outer frame, the movable frame and the fixed frame.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexure provides the comparatively high lateral stiffness.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexure provides the comparatively low rotational stiffness.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer frame, the actuator, and the at least one flexure comprise MEMS structures.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a rotational comb drive actuator.

10. An electronic device comprising the device of claim 1.

11. A system comprising:

a outer frame;

a plurality of actuators each having a movable frame and a fixed frame; and

at least flexure configured to provide comparatively high lateral stiffness between the outer frame and each of the movable frames and configured to provide comparatively low rotational stiffness between the outer frame and each of the movable frames.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one flexure is disposed substantially upon a common pivot axis for each actuator.

13. The system device as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one flexure facilitates rotation of the movable frame with respect to the fixed frame.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one hinge flexure is X-shaped.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a platform; and

wherein the movable frame of each actuator cooperates to facilitate translation of the platform with respect to the fixed frame.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the outer frame, the actuator, the at least one flexure is of monolithic construction; and

the at least one flexure is substantially thinner than the outer frame, the movable frame and the fixed frame.

17. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one flexure provides the comparatively high lateral stiffness.

18. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one flexure provides the comparatively low rotational stiffness.

19. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the outer frame, the actuator, and the at least one flexure comprise MEMS structures.

20. The system device as recited in claim 11, wherein the actuator comprises a rotational comb actuator.

21. An electronic device comprising the system device of claim 11.

22. A method comprising:

forming an outer frame;

forming an actuator to the outer frame, the actuator having a movable frame and a fixed frame;

forming a torsional flexure to connect the outer frame and the movable frame; and

forming a hinge flexure to connect the outer frame and the movable frame.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the outer frame, the actuator, the torsional flexure, and the hinge flexure are of monolithic construction.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the outer frame, the actuator, the torsional flexure, and the hinge flexure are formed by a MEMS process.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the torsional flexure and the hinge flexure are formed to be substantially thinner than the outer frame and the actuator.

26. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the hinge flexure is X-shaped.

27. A method comprising:

rotating a movable frame of an actuator with respect to an outer frame;

providing comparatively high lateral stiffness between the movable frame and the outer frame using at least one torsional flexure; and

providing comparatively low rotational stiffness between the movable frame and the outer frame using at least one hinge flexure.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein rotating the movable frame of the actuator comprises rotating the movable frame of the actuator with respect to a fixed frame of the actuator.

29. The method as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

twisting the torsional flexure as the movable frame rotates; and

bending the hinge flexure as the movable frame rotates.