MEMS scanner adapted to a laser printer
First Claim
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1. A MEMS scanner for a laser printer;
- comprising;
a silicon scan plate having a lateral dimension greater than about 4 times its longitudinal dimension;
first and second opposed torsion arms, each torsion arm coupled to the scan plate and extending longitudinally from a proximal to a distal point, the first and second torsion arms defining an axis of rotation of the scan plate;
first and second opposed mounting structures, each mounting structure coupled to a distal point of a respective torsion arm; and
first and second suspensions interposed between the scan plate and respective first and second torsion arms, the first and second suspensions forming a torque spreading apparatus operative to maintain dynamic flatness of the mirror during operation of the MEMS scanner, wherein the first and second suspensions include respective first and second suspension beams and the first and second suspension beams are coupled to the silicon scan plate by respective center connectors and first and second lateral connectors.
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Abstract
An electrophotographic printer includes an exposure unit having a MEMS scanner operable to scan a beam of light across a photoconductor. The MEMS scanner includes a mirror having an aspect ratio similar to the shape of the facets of a conventional rotating polygon scanner. In a preferred embodiment, the scan mirror has a length of about 750 microns in a dimension parallel to its axis of rotation and a length of about 8 millimeters in a dimension perpendicular to its axis of rotation. The MEMS scanner is operable to scan at a frequency of about 5 KHz and an angular displacement of about 20 degrees zero-to-peak mechanical scan angle.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A MEMS scanner for a laser printer;
- comprising;
a silicon scan plate having a lateral dimension greater than about 4 times its longitudinal dimension; first and second opposed torsion arms, each torsion arm coupled to the scan plate and extending longitudinally from a proximal to a distal point, the first and second torsion arms defining an axis of rotation of the scan plate; first and second opposed mounting structures, each mounting structure coupled to a distal point of a respective torsion arm; and first and second suspensions interposed between the scan plate and respective first and second torsion arms, the first and second suspensions forming a torque spreading apparatus operative to maintain dynamic flatness of the mirror during operation of the MEMS scanner, wherein the first and second suspensions include respective first and second suspension beams and the first and second suspension beams are coupled to the silicon scan plate by respective center connectors and first and second lateral connectors. - 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)
- comprising;
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35. An electrophotographic printer;
- comprising;
a photoconductor operable to, in succession, receive a static charge, receive modulated light to form a latent electrostatic image, receive toner in a pattern corresponding to the latent electrostatic image, and transfer the toner to a receiving web; and an exposure unit operable to provide modulated light to the photoconductor, the exposure unit comprising; a light source responsive to a modulated signal; beam shaping optics aligned to receive light from the light source and produce a shaped beam of light; and a MEMS scanner aligned to receive the shaped beam of light and operable to periodically scan the light across the photoconductor;
wherein the MEMS scanner comprises;a silicon scan plate having a lateral dimension greater than about 4 times its longitudinal dimension; first and second opposed torsion arms, each torsion arm coupled to the scan plate and extending longitudinally from a proximal to a distal point, the first and second torsion arms defining an axis of rotation of the scan plate; first and second opposed mounting structures, each mounting structure coupled to a distal point of a respective torsion arm; and first and second suspensions interposed between the scan plate and respective first and second torsion arms, the first and second suspensions forming a torque spreading apparatus operative to maintain dynamic flatness of the mirror during operation of the MEMS scanner, wherein the first and second suspensions include respective first and second suspension beams and the first and second suspension beams are coupled to the silicon scan plate by respective center connectors and first and second lateral connectors. - View Dependent Claims (36)
- comprising;
Specification