Gimbaled micromechanical rotation system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a gimbaled platform capable of rotating about an x-axis and a y-axis, the intersection of the x-axis and y-axis defining a platform origin and a gimbal plane;
a first x-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first x-actuator axis, the first x-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the x-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first y-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first y-actuator axis, the first y-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the y-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first x-wraparound lever arm coupled to the first x-rotatable actuator;
a first y-wraparound lever arm coupled to the first y-rotatable actuator;
a first x-gimbal spring, coupling the first x-wraparound lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first x-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first x-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point; and
a first y-gimbal spring, coupling the first y-wraparound lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first y-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first y-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point;
wherein each gimbal spring comprises at least two component springs coupled in series, each of the component springs having a component compliant axis, the component compliant axis of the at least two component springs making a nonzero angle relative to each other; and
wherein the first x-rotatable actuator, the first x-wraparound lever arm, and the first x-gimbal spring are configured such that a positive rotation of the first x-rotatable actuator about the first x-actuator axis induces a positive rotation of the gimbaled platform about the x-axis and wherein the first y-rotatable actuator, the first y-wraparound lever arm, and the first y-gimbal spring are configured such that a positive rotation of the first y-rotatable actuator about the first y-actuator axis induces a positive rotation of the gimbaled platform about the y-axis.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed towards apparatuses for rotating a gimbaled platform with rotatable actuators. Gimbal springs comprised of component springs with compliant axes that intersect at a nonzero angle are coupled to the gimbaled platform. Preferably, the compliant axes of the component springs are oriented at an approximately 45 degree angle relative to the actuator rotation axes. Wraparound lever arms coupling the rotatable actuators with the gimbal springs serve to increase the leverage ratio, thereby permitting greater platform rotation for a given actuator rotation.
-
Citations
64 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a gimbaled platform capable of rotating about an x-axis and a y-axis, the intersection of the x-axis and y-axis defining a platform origin and a gimbal plane;
a first x-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first x-actuator axis, the first x-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the x-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first y-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first y-actuator axis, the first y-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the y-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first x-wraparound lever arm coupled to the first x-rotatable actuator;
a first y-wraparound lever arm coupled to the first y-rotatable actuator;
a first x-gimbal spring, coupling the first x-wraparound lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first x-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first x-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point; and
a first y-gimbal spring, coupling the first y-wraparound lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first y-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first y-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point;
wherein each gimbal spring comprises at least two component springs coupled in series, each of the component springs having a component compliant axis, the component compliant axis of the at least two component springs making a nonzero angle relative to each other; and
wherein the first x-rotatable actuator, the first x-wraparound lever arm, and the first x-gimbal spring are configured such that a positive rotation of the first x-rotatable actuator about the first x-actuator axis induces a positive rotation of the gimbaled platform about the x-axis and wherein the first y-rotatable actuator, the first y-wraparound lever arm, and the first y-gimbal spring are configured such that a positive rotation of the first y-rotatable actuator about the first y-actuator axis induces a positive rotation of the gimbaled platform about the y-axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a gimbaled platform capable of rotating about an x-axis and a y-axis, the intersection of the x-axis and y-axis defining a platform origin and a gimbal plane;
a first x-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first x-actuator axis, the first x-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the x-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first y-rotatable actuator capable of rotating about a first y-actuator axis, the first y-actuator axis being substantially parallel to the y-axis and disposed in the gimbal plane;
a first x-lever arm coupled to the first x-rotatable actuator;
a first y-lever arm coupled to the first y-rotatable actuator;
a first x-gimbal spring, coupling the first x-lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first x-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first x-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point; and
a first y-gimbal spring, coupling the first y-lever arm to the gimbaled platform, the first y-gimbal spring attaching to the gimbaled platform at a first y-gimbal-spring/gimbaled-platform attachment point;
wherein at least one gimbal spring comprises at least two component springs coupled in series, each of the component springs having a component compliant axis, the component compliant axis of the at least two component springs making an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the x and y axes. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
-
Specification