Microelectromechanical television scanning device and method for making the same

• US 5,920,417 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Royal Bank Capital Partners
• Original Assignee: Medcam Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURKE, MARGARET A
• Application Number:
  US08/583,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 257/415, 359/296, 359/271, 359/846, 359/291-295, 359/298, 359/223, 359/224, 359/318, 348/203, 348/205, 235/462.33, 235/462.36
• US Class Current: 359/223.1
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A single reflector, two-axis MEMS scanner made of a substrate. The substrate has nested, cut-out regions. Each region is independently rotatable about one of the axes. The axes of the regions are substantially orthogonal.

Claims

1. A two-axis gimbal comprising a planar microelectromechanical ("MEMs") film substrate, the film substrate including a first cut-out region rotatably connected to an outer region of the film substrate in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the first region relative to the outer region, and a second cut-out region rotatably connected to and nested within the first cut-out region in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the second region relative to the first region, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first cut-out region is oriented substantially 90 degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the second cut-out region, and wherein the cutout regions are rotated by applying an independent rotational force to each respective cut-out region.

2. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the first cut-out region is rotatably connected to the surrounding outer region by a pair of collinear, torsionally flexible supports.

3. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the second cut-out region is rotatably connected to the surrounding outer region by a pair of collinear, torsionally flexible supports.

4. A two-axis gimbal comprising a planar microelectromechanical ("MEMs") film substrate, the film substrate including a first cut-out region rotatably connected to an outer region of the film substrate in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the first region relative to the outer region, and a second cut-out region rotatable connected to and nested within the first cut-out region in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the second region relative to the first region, wherein the second cut-out region carries a photoelectric device, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first cut-out region is oriented substantially 90 degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the second cut-out region.

7. The gimbal of claim 4, including means for moving the first and second cut-out regions relative to each other and relative to the outer region of the film substrate.

5. A two-axis gimbal comprising a planar microelectromechanical ("MEMs") film substrate, the film substrate including a first cut-out region rotatably connected to an outer region of the film substrate in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the first region relative to the outer region, and a second cut-out region rotatably connected to and nested within the first cut-out region in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the second region relative to the first region, wherein the second cut-out region carries a reflector, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first cut-out region is oriented substantially 90 degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the second cut-out region, and wherein the cut-out regions are rotated by applying an independent rotational force to each respective cut-out region.

8. The gimbal of claim 5, including means for moving the first and second cut-out regions relative to each other and relative to the outer region of the film substrate.

6. A two-axis gimbal comprising a planar microelectromechanical ("MEMs") film substrate, the film substrate including a first cut-out region rotatably connected to an outer region of the film substrate in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the first region relative to the outer region, and a second cut-out region rotatably connected to and nested within the first cut-out region in a manner to permit controlled free out-of-plane rotation of the second region relative to the first region, wherein the second cut-out region carries an emitter element, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first cut-out region is oriented substantially 90 degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the second cut-out region.

9. The gimbal of claim 6, including means for moving the first and second cut-out regions relative to each other and relative to the outer region of the film substrate.