Multiple degree of freedom actuator

• US 8,768,157 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Gutierrez, Roman C., Calvet, Robert J., Jain, Ankur
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISNER, NOAM S
• Application Number:
  US13/247,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12.03, 310/12.14, 318/115, 359/199.2, 359/200.6, 396/55
• US Class Current: 396/55
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0015 by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0053 Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/10 Power-operated focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/006 of the gap-closing type H02N1/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

A multiple degree of freedom actuator can have at least one first MEMS actuator configured to move a platform in translation and at least one second MEMS actuator configured to move the platform in a different direction, e.g., tangentially. The first MEMS actuator(s) can facilitate autofocus and/or zoom, for example. The second MEMS actuator(s) can facilitate optical image stabilization (OIS), for example.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one first MEMS actuator configured to move a platform in translation along a first axis; and

at least one second MEMS actuator configured to move the first MEMS actuator in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the first axis;

wherein at least one of the at least one first and second MEMS actuators comprises a fixed frame and a moveable frame, at least one of the movable frame and the fixed frame being deployed at an angle relative to a plane of the device and the moveable frame being rotatable relative to the fixed frame about a hinge line lying in the plane of the device and passing through a portion of the fixed frame, and

wherein the second MEMS actuator(s) define a plane and at least a portion of each first MEMS actuator is deployed to a position out of the plane to define a rotational comb drive.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first MEMS actuator(s) comprise a plurality of independently actuatable actuators.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second MEMS actuator(s) comprise a plurality of independently actuatable actuators.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first MEMS actuator(s) comprise a plurality of substantially identical actuators.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second MEMS actuator(s) comprise a plurality of substantially identical actuators.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein three first MEMS actuators are configured to cooperate to move the platform.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein three first MEMS actuators are configured to cooperate to rotate the platform about a second axis and a third axis that are perpendicular to the first axis.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein three second MEMS actuators are configured to cooperate to move the platform.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein three second MEMS actuators are configured to cooperate to move the platform in any direction within a plane that is perpendicular to the first axis.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, where the three second MEMS actuators are configured to rotate the platform about the first axis.

11. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first MEMS actuator(s) are nested at least partially within the second MEMS actuator(s).

12. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first MEMS actuators is nested within one of the second MEMS actuators.

13. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first MEMS actuator(s) comprise rotational comb drives.

14. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a lens ring.

15. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first MEMS actuator(s) are configured to facilitate focusing of a camera.

16. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second MEMS actuator(s) are configured to facilitate optical image stabilization of a camera.

17. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a camera.

18. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a cellular telephone.

19. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a MEMS actuator assembly comprising a plurality of nested MEMS actuators configured to focus a camera and to provide optical imaging stabilization for the camera, wherein the plurality of nested MEMS actuators include the at least one first MEMS actuator and the at least second MEMS actuator, and wherein each actuator comprises a moveable frame and a fixed frame, and wherein at least the movable frames of the actuators are all disposed in a common plane when none of the actuators is acutated.

23. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flexure interconnecting the first MEMS actuator and the platform.

24. The device as recited in claim 23, wherein the flexure comprises a hinge flexure that is flexible along a direction of the first axis and a cantilever flexure that is rigid along the direction of the first axis,

25. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the portion of each first MEMS actuator is rotated about a hinge to a position out of the plane.

26. A lens barrel comprising the MEMS actuator assembly of claim 19 and an optical element disposed within the lens barrel and configured to be moved by the MEMS actuator assembly.

27. An electronic device comprising the MEMS actuator assembly of claim 19, the MEMS actuator assembly further comprising the camera, wherein the MEMS actuator assembly is disposed in the camera.

20. A method for operating a camera, the method comprising:

moving a platform in translation with at least one first MEMS actuator; and

moving the first MEMS actuator tangentially with respect to the platform using at least one second MEMS actuator, wherein

the at least one first MEMS actuator comprises a fixed frame and a moveable frame disposed at an angle relative to each other about a common hinge line,

the moving of the platform in translation comprises rotating the moveable frame about the hinge line and relative to the fixed frame,

the camera further comprises a flexure interconnecting the first MEMS actuator and the platform, and

the flexure comprises a hinge flexure that is flexible along direction of a first axis and a cantilever flexure that is rigid along the direction of the first axis.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein:

an optical element is attached to the platform; and

moving the platform effects centration of the optical element.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein:

an optical element is attached to the platform; and

moving the platform effects alignment of the optical element,