Optical shutter element drive mechanism

• US 5,930,021 A
• Filed: 02/26/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsubara, Ken, Kamoda, Yuji, Masuda, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURKE, MARGARET A
• Application Number:
  US09/031,038
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 347/136, 359/245, 359/246, 359/315, 359/320, 349/3, 349/41, 349/33
• US Class Current: 359/245
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0327 Operation of the cell; Circuit arrangements G02F1/05 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical shutter element drive mechanism for driving optical shutter elements that are electrically equivalent to condensers by charging and discharging the elements by a power source and switching elements. The optical shutter element drive mechanism includes a resistor through which a current for charging the optical shutter elements flows when the optical shutter elements are charged and through which a current for discharging the optical shutter elements flows when the optical shutter elements are discharged.

Claims

1. A driving circuit for driving an element which is electrically equivalent to a condenser by charging and discharging said element, said driving circuit comprising:

a driver disposed on an integrated circuit board; and

a resistor located externally of said integrated circuit board through which a charging current and a discharging current flow, said charging current occurring when said element is charged, said discharging current occurring when said element is discharged.

2. The driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switching unit for controlling the charging and discharging of said element.

3. The driving circuit according to claim 2,

wherein said switching unit is disposed on an integrated circuit board.

4. The driving circuit according to claim 2, wherein said switching unit comprises:

a first switch and second switch operating in combination with one another to forming a charging circuit and a discharging circuit.

5. The driving circuit according to claim 4,

wherein said charging circuit is formed when said first switch is in an ON state and said second switch is in an OFF state, and said discharging circuit is formed when said first switch is in an OFF state and said second switch is in an ON state.

6. The driving circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said element is a light shutter element.

7. The driving circuit according to claim 6,

wherein said light shutter element comprises a PLZT material.

8. The driving circuit according to claim 6,

wherein said light shutter element comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal.

9. The driving circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said element comprises a PZT material.

10. An driving circuit for driving an array of elements by charging and discharging said elements, each of said elements being electrically equivalent to a condenser, said driving circuit comprising:

a plurality of circuits electrically connected to said elements to control charging and discharging of said elements, each of said plurality of said circuits operative for generating a charging current for charging at least one of said elements, and for generating a discharging current for discharging at least one of said elements; and

a resistor being electrically coupled to said elements and to said plurality of circuits, said charging current and said discharging current flowing through said resistor.

11. The driving circuit according to claim 10,

wherein said plurality of circuits are disposed on an integrated circuit board, and said resistor is not disposed on said integrated circuit board.

12. The driving circuit according to claim 10,

wherein each of said plurality of circuits comprises a first switch and a second switch for selectively forming either a charging circuit or a discharging circuit.

13. The driving circuit according to claim 12,

wherein said charging circuit is formed when said first switch is in an ON state and said second switch is in an OFF state, and said discharging circuit is formed when said first switch is in an OFF state and said second switch is in an ON state.

14. The driving circuit according to claim 10,

wherein each of said elements is a light shutter element.

15. The driving circuit according to claim 14,

wherein each of said light shutter elements comprises a PLZT material.

16. The driving circuit according to claim 14,

wherein each of said light shutter elements comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal.

17. The driving circuit according to claim 10,

wherein each of said elements comprises a PZT material.

18. A driving circuit for driving an optical shutter element which is electrically equivalent to a condenser by charging and discharging said optical shutter element, said driving circuit comprising:

an integrated circuit driver; and

a resistor through which a charging current and a discharging current flow, the charging current occurring when said optical shutter element is charged, the discharging occurring when said optical shutter element is discharged.

19. An optical shutter element drive mechanism for driving optical shutter elements that are electrically equivalent to condensers by charging and discharging said elements by a power source and switching elements, said optical shutter element drive mechanism comprising:

a resistor through which a current for charging said optical shutter elements flows when said optical shutter elements are charged and through which a current for discharging said optical shutter elements flows when said optical shutter elements are discharged.