Resonant pivoting surface with inertially coupled activation

• US 6,964,196 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Turner, Arthur Monroe, Heaton, Mark W., Dewa, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US10/440,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040007069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 735/80, 73/240.6, 73/240.4, 73/614.9, 73/617.5, 73/617.9, 73/645.3
• US Class Current: 73/580
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• 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 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric 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 system and method for providing resonant movement about a first axis. A functional surface supported by a first pair of torsional hinges is driven into resonant oscillations about the first axis by inertially coupling energy through the first pair of torsional hinges. The resonant movement may be moved orthogonally on the target area by a gimbals portion of the functional surface pivoting about a second axis according to one embodiment. The resonant oscillation of the functional surface is monitored to detect changes in frequency due to mass changes of the functional surface.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing a resonant movement about a first axis, said apparatus comprising:

a device integrally formed from a single piece of material comprising a functional surface portion, and a first pair of torsional hinges attached to said functional surface portion and extending to a support portion for pivoting said functional surface portion about said first axis wherein said functional surface portion further includes a first material thereon for interacting with a second material such that the combined mass of said functional surface position and said first material is changed, and wherein said first material readily absorbs moisture;

a driver circuit for generating vibrational energy in said support portion and wherein said vibrational energy is inertially coupled from said support portion through said first pair of torsional hinges to said functional surface portion such that said functional surface portion oscillates about said first pair of torsional hinges at a resonant frequency, and wherein said resonant frequency changes with changes in the mass of said functional surface portion.

2. Apparatus for providing a resonant movement about a first axis, said apparatus comprising:

a device integrally formed from a single piece of material comprising a functional surface portion, and a first pair of torsional hinges attached to said functional surface portion and extending to a support portion for pivoting said functional surface portion about said first axis wherein said functional surface portion further includes a first plurality of materials at different locations on said functional surface, each one of said plurality for interacting with a second and different plurality of materials such that the combined mass of said functional surface and said first plurality of material is changed; and

a driver circuit for generating vibrational energy in said support portion and wherein said vibrational energy is inertially coupled from said support portion through said first pair of torsional hinges to said functional surface portion such that said functional surface portion oscillates about said first pair of torsional hinges at a resonant frequency, and wherein said resonant frequency changes with changes in the mass of said functional surface portion.