Optical scanner and image forming apparatus

• US 9,134,533 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L.
• Application Number:
  US14/547,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 3591981-1994, 3592006-2008, 359/202.1, 359/221.2, 3592231-2251, 359/226.2, 359/904, 359290-295, 359/838, 359/846, 359/871, 359/872, 250/204, 250/559.06, 250/559.29, 250/230, 250/234, 347255-260, 353/39, 353 98- 99, 385 15- 18, 385/22, 398/12, 398/19, 398/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/47 using the combination of scanning and modulation of light
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/904 Micromirror

Abstract

An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a movable plate which includes the light reflecting section and can be displaced; four link sections connected to the movable plate; and a supporting section supporting the four link sections. The four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in a plan view. Each link section includes a turnable drive section, and a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the drive section. The shaft section is bent and deformed in a thickness direction of the movable plate by turning the drive section.

Claims

1. An optical scanner comprising:

a light reflecting section;

a movable plate provided to the light reflecting section;

four link sections connected to the movable plate; and

a supporting section supporting the four link sections,

the four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in an X-Y plane view,

each link section includes;

a turnable drive section, and

a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the turnable drive section,

the shaft section including a stress alleviating section, and

a movable plate-side shaft section connecting the stress alleviating section and the movable plate, and

a drive section-side shaft section connecting the stress alleviating section and the turnable drive section, and

the movable plate-side shaft section have a lower torsional stiffness than the drive section-side shaft section with comparing the movable plate-side shaft section with the drive section-side shaft section.

2. The optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein

the movable plate-side shaft section have a thinner with X-axis direction than the drive section-side shaft section with comparing the movable plate-side shaft section with the drive section-side shaft section.

3. The optical scanner according to claim 2, wherein the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

4. The optical scanner according to claim 3, wherein

each of the first shaft sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.

5. The optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein

each of the four link sections is formed of a SOI substrate in which a first Si layer, a SiO₂ layer, and a second Si layer are laminated one on top of another in this order.

6. The optical scanner according to claim 5, wherein

the drive section-side shaft sections, and the drive sections of the four link sections are each formed of the first Si layer, the SiO2 layer, and the second Si layer, and

the movable plate-side shaft sections, is formed of only the second Si layer.

7. The optical scanner according to claim 5, wherein the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

8. The optical scanner according to claim 7, wherein

each of the first shaft sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.

9. The optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a deformation section extending in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the movable plate-side shaft section and the drive section-side shaft section in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate, the deformation section being torsionally deformed about a central axis.

10. The optical scanner according to claim 9, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a pair of deformation sections, and

one of the pair of deformation sections is connected to the movable plate-side shaft section, and the other of the pair of deformation sections is connected to the drive section-side shaft section.

11. The optical scanner according to claim 10, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a non-deformable section provided between the pair of deformation sections, the non-deformable sections extending in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the deformation sections, and being torsionally non-deformable about a central axis thereof.

12. The optical scanner according to claim 11, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a plurality of extending sections extending in the X-axis direction and a plurality of extending sections extending in the Y-axis direction, and

each of the plurality of extending sections is adapted to torsionally deform about a central axis and bend.

13. The optical scanner according to claim 9, wherein the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

14. The optical scanner according to claim 13, wherein

each of the first shaft sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.

15. The optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a part which alternately extends and meanders in the X-axis direction and in the Y-axis direction.

16. The optical scanner according to claim 15, wherein

each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a plurality of extending sections extending in the X-axis direction and a plurality of extending sections extending in the Y-axis direction, and

each of the plurality of extending sections is adapted to torsionally deform about a central axis and bend.

17. The optical scanner according to claim 15, wherein the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

18. The optical scanner according to claim 17, wherein

each of the first shaft sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.

19. The optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

20. The optical scanner according to claim 19, wherein

each of the first shaft sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.