Hinge structure of micromirror device

• US 7,356,880 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Rogerio Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/187,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 162/77, 162/25, 16280-282, 163/67, 16221-223, 359/291, 359/198, 359/292, 359/293, 359220-224, 359/320, 359/323, 310/309
• US Class Current: 16/277
• 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

Abstract

A hinge structure includes a rotatable plate member, a frame member, a spring member that connects the rotatable plate member with the frame member at each of two opposite positions along a rotation axis. The spring member includes a first axial section, a second axial section. An end of the first axial section is connected to the frame member, and an end of the second axial section is connected to the rotatable plate member. The spring member includes a first zigzag section and a second zigzag section formed on opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis, each of the first and second zigzag sections including parallel portions which are parallel with each other and with the rotation axis and bent portions each connecting adjacent parallel portions. A predetermined gap between the first and second axial section is smaller than a length of the parallel portions.

Claims

1. A hinge structure, comprising:

a rotatable plate member;

a frame member;

a spring member that connects the rotatable plate member with the frame member at each of two opposite positions along a rotation axis so that the rotatable plate member rotates about the rotation axis with respect to the frame member,

wherein the spring member includes;

a first axial section;

a second axial section, an end of the first axial section being connected to the frame member, an end of the second axial section being connected to the rotatable plate member, a predetermined gap being formed between another end of the first axial section and another end of the second axial section;

a first zigzag section and a second zigzag section formed on opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis, each of the first and second zigzag sections including parallel portions which are parallel with each other and with the rotation axis and bent portions each connecting adjacent parallel portions, the bent portions being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis,

an end of the first zigzag section being connected to the other end of the first axial section,

an end of the second zigzag section being connected to the other end of the second axial section, and

the other end of the first zigzag section being connected to the other end of the second zigzag section.

2. The hinge structure according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined gap is smaller than a length of the parallel portions.

3. The hinge structure according to claim 1,

wherein the first and second zigzag sections are symmetrical to each other about a point at which the other end of the first zigzag section is connected to the other end of the second zigzag section.

4. The hinge structure according to claim 1,

wherein the parallel portions of each zigzag section are arranged at every predetermined interval.

5. The hinge structure according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined interval S satisfies a following condition:

4 μ

m≦

S≦

8 μ

m.

6. The hinge structure according to claim 1, which is formed of an SOI wafer.

7. The hinge structure according to claim 6, wherein a width W of the spring member satisfies a following condition:

2 μ

m≦

W≦

4 μ

m.

8. The hinge structure according to claim 6, wherein a thickness T of the spring member satisfies a following condition:

7 μ

m≦

T≦

13 μ

m.

9. A hinge structure, comprising:

a rotatable plate member;

a frame member;

a spring member that connects the rotatable plate member with the frame member at each of two opposite positions along a rotation axis so that the rotatable plate member rotates about the rotation axis with respect to the frame member,

wherein the spring member includes;

a first axial section;

a second axial section, an end of the first axial section being connected to the frame member, an end of the second axial section being connected to the rotatable plate member, a predetermined gap being formed between another end of the first axial section and another end of the second axial section;

a first zigzag section and a second zigzag section arranged on both sides of the first axial section, respectively; and

a third zigzag section and a fourth zigzag section arranged on both sides of the second axial section, respectively,

wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth zigzag sections includes a plurality of parallel portions which are parallel with each other and with the rotation axis, and bent portions each connecting adjacent parallel portions, the bent portions being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis,

an end of the first zigzag section being connected to the other end of the first axial section,

another end of the first zigzag section being connected to an end of the second zigzag section,

another end of the second zigzag section being connected to an end of the third zigzag section,

another end of the third zigzag section being connected to an end of the fourth zigzag section, and

another end of the fourth zigzag section being connected to the other end of the second axial section.

10. The hinge structure according to claim 9,

wherein the predetermined gap is smaller than a length of the parallel portions.

11. The hinge structure according to claim 9,

wherein the second and third zigzag sections are symmetrical to each other about a point at which ends of the second and third zigzag sections are connected to each other, and wherein first and fourth zigzag sections are symmetrical to each other about the point at which the ends of the second and third zigzag sections are connected to each other.

12. The hinge structure according to claim 9,

wherein the parallel portions of each zigzag section are arranged at every predetermined interval.

13. The hinge structure according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined interval S satisfies a following condition:

4 μ

m≦

S≦

8 μ

m.

14. The hinge structure according to claim 9, which is formed of an SOI wafer.

15. The hinge structure according to claim 14, wherein a width W of the spring member satisfies a following condition:

2 μ

m≦

W≦

4 μ

m.

16. The hinge structure according to claim 14, wherein a thickness T of the spring member satisfies a following condition:

7 μ

m≦

T≦

13 μ

m.

17. A hinge structure, comprising:

a rotatable plate member;

a frame member;

a spring member that connects the rotatable plate member with the frame member at each of two opposite positions along a rotation axis so that the rotatable plate member rotates about the rotation axis with respect to the frame member,

wherein the spring member includes;

a first axial section;

a second axial section, an end of the first axial section being connected to the frame member, an end of the second axial section being connected to the rotatable plate member, a predetermined gap being formed between another end of the first axial section and another end of the second axial section;

a plurality of zigzag sections successively connected between the first axial section and the second axial section, one end of the plurality of successively connected zigzag sections being connected to the other end of the first axial section, another end of the plurality of successively connected zigzag sections being connected to another end of the second axial section, each of the plurality of zigzag sections includes a plurality of parallel portions which are parallel with the rotation axis, the plurality of zigzag sections being arranged symmetrically with respect to each other about a center point of a geometry defined by the plurality of zigzag sections.

18. The hinge structure according to claim 17,

wherein the predetermined gap is smaller than a length of the parallel portions.

19. The hinge structure according to claim 17,

wherein the parallel portions of each zigzag section are arranged at every predetermined interval.

20. The hinge structure according to claim 17, which is formed of an SOI wafer.