Rocker-arm actuator for a segmented mirror
First Claim
1. A device, comprising a deformable beam connected between first and second rocker arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein:
- the first rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis;
the second rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis;
said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate; and
said motion of the deformable beam defines a first rotation axis offset from the substrate by a first offset distance which is greater than an offset distance from the substrate for any part of the first and second rocker arms and the deformable beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A MEMS device having a movable plate supported on a substrate by a support structure that is hidden under the plate and yet which can be implemented to enable rotation of the plate with respect to the substrate about a rotation axis lying at the plate surface. As a result, the support structure does not take up any area within the plane of the plate, while enabling rotation of the plate, during which the plate does not substantially move sideways. The latter property reduces potential physical interference between neighboring plates in an arrayed MEMS device and enables implementation of a segmented mirror having relatively narrow gaps between adjacent segments and, thus, a relatively large fill factor, e.g., at least 98%.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A device, comprising a deformable beam connected between first and second rocker arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein:
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the first rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis; the second rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis; said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate; and said motion of the deformable beam defines a first rotation axis offset from the substrate by a first offset distance which is greater than an offset distance from the substrate for any part of the first and second rocker arms and the deformable beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a device having a deformable beam, the method comprising deforming the deformable beam using first and second rocker arms, each rocker arm connected to said beam and movably supported on a substrate, said beam deformed when the first rocker arm rotates with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis and the second rocker arm rotates with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis, said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deforming the deformable beam and causing the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate, wherein said motion of the deformable beam defines a first rotation axis offset from the substrate by a first offset distance which is greater than an offset distance from the substrate for any part of the first and second rocker arms and the deformable beam.
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21. A device, comprising a deformable beam connected between first and second rocker arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein:
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the first rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis; the second rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis; said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate; the first and second rocker arms are mounted on a frame supported on the substrate such that each rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the frame about the corresponding sway axis; and the frame is adapted to move with respect to the substrate together with the first and second rocker arms and the deformable beam.
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22. A device, comprising a deformable beam connected between first and second rocker arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein:
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the first rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis; the second rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis; said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate; and the device comprises one or more electrostatic drives adapted to produce the rotations of the rocker arms, wherein the one or more electrostatic drives include an in-plane comb drive having two interleaved comb-shaped portions, one of which portions is adapted to move with respect to the other portion along a plane parallel to the substrate.
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23. A device, comprising a deformable beam connected between first and second rocker arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein:
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the first rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a first sway axis; the second rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the substrate about a second sway axis; said rotations of the first and second rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the substrate; the deformable beam is further connected to third and fourth rocker arms movably supported on a substrate; the first, second, third, and fourth rocker arms are mounted on a frame supported on the substrate such that each rocker arm is adapted to rotate with respect to the frame about a corresponding sway axis; said rotations of the rocker arms deform the deformable beam and cause the deformable beam to move with respect to the frame such that said motion defines two rotation axes offset from the substrate by an offset distance; and the frame is adapted to move with respect to the substrate such that said motion changes the offset distance. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification