Actuator for oscillator

• US 6,490,924 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Manabu, Kurachi, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US09/809,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.2, 735/040.2, 735/040.4, 735/041.4, 735/041.5, 735/041.6, 735/041.3, 735/143.2, 735/142.9
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis

Abstract

An actuator for an oscillator which can control the fluctuation of the oscillation of an electrostatic driven oscillator such as the detection error by controlling the fluctuation of the amount of the noise mixed into a displacement detecting signal. An actuator oscillates a drive frame and a detecting frame in the X-direction by outputting the drive signal to a drive electrode to detect the displacement of the drive frame in the X-direction as a displacement detecting signal. The actuator generates a direct-current voltage component of the drive signal increased or decreased based on the detected displacement signal and the alternating voltage component of the drive signal having a constant amplitude to maintain the oscillation amplitude of the drive frame constant.

Claims

1. An actuator for an oscillator comprising:

an electrostatic driven oscillator;

an oscillator driving means for oscillating the electrostatic driven oscillator by outputting a drive signal thereto;

a displacement detecting means for detecting a displacement according to an oscillation of the electrostatic driven oscillator as a displacement signal; and

an amplitude adjusting means for controlling the generation of the drive signal outputted from the oscillator driving means to maintain the constancy of an oscillation amplitude of the electrostatic driven oscillator based on the detected displacement signal;

wherein the amplitude adjusting means includes an alternating voltage component generating means for generating an alternating voltage component of the drive signal having a constant amplitude or an amplitude proportional to the oscillation amplitude and a direct-current voltage component generating means for generating a direct current component of the drive signal controlled to be increased or decreased based on the detected displacement signal;

wherein an oscillation driving force of the electrostatic driven oscillator is controlled based on the drive signal including said alternating voltage component and the direct-current voltage component to maintain the constancy of the oscillation amplitude of the electrostatic driven oscillator.

2. The actuator for an oscillator according to claim 1, wherein increase or decrease of the direct-current voltage component of the drive signal is controlled to be proportional to a difference between the detected oscillation amplitude of the electrostatic driven oscillator based on the displacement signal and a predetermined amplitude or is controlled to be proportional to a value obtained by performing time integration of the difference between the detected oscillation amplitude of the electrostatic driven oscillator based on the displacement signal and the predetermined amplitude or is controlled to be proportional to an addition of the value obtained by performing time integration of the difference between the oscillation amplitude of the electrostatic driven oscillator detected based on the displacement signal and the predetermined amplitude and the value proportional to the difference between the oscillation amplitude and the predetermined amplitude.

3. The actuator for oscillator according to claim 1, wherein the alternating voltage component of the drive signal is generated having a phase contrast by approximately 90 degrees to the displacement signal and having an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the displacement signal or is generated proportional to a signal obtained by differentiating, integrating or 90 degree phase-shifting the displacement signal.

4. The actuator for oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising:

first and second drive electrodes being driven by respective drive signals whose alternating voltage components are inverted relative to each other, so that the directions of the electrostatic attraction generated between the electrostatic driven oscillator and the first and second drive electrodes are opposed to each other.