Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

• US 9,715,106 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Momose, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US15/058,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 3591981-1994, 3592006-2008, 3592212, 3592231-2262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

There is provided an electro-optical device comprising a substrate, a first torsion hinge disposed above the substrate in a thickness direction, the first torsion hinge having a first hinge support portion configured to support the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction, a second torsion hinge disposed above the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the second torsion hinge having a second hinge support portion configured to support the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction, and a mirror disposed above the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the mirror having a mirror support portion configured to support the mirror in the thickness direction. The second hinge support portion does not overlap the first hinge support portion in a planar view of the substrate, and the mirror support portion does not overlap the second hinge support portion in the planar view of the substrate.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first torsion hinge that is disposed above the substrate and is coupled to a stopper;

a first hinge support member disposed between the substrate and the first torsion hinge, the first hinge support member supports the first torsion hinge;

a second torsion hinge disposed above the first torsion hinge;

a second hinge support member disposed between the first torsion hinge and the second torsion hinge, the second hinge support member supports the second torsion hinge and does not overlap the first hinge support member in a planar view of the substrate;

a mirror disposed above the second torsion hinge, and the stopper being configured to come in contact with the mirror when the mirror is in a tilted position; and

a mirror support member disposed between the second torsion hinge and the mirror, the mirror support member supports the mirror and does not overlap the second hinge support member in the planar view of the substrate.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the first torsion hinge extends along a first direction,

the second hinge support member is a first hinge support post positioned in a center of the first torsion hinge along the first direction,

the first hinge support member includes a second hinge support post and a third hinge support post, the second hinge support post is positioned at one end of the first torsion hinge and the third hinge support post is positioned at another end of the first torsion hinge, and

the mirror support member includes a first mirror support post and a second mirror support post, and the first mirror support post is positioned at one end of the second torsion hinge and the second mirror support post is positioned at another end of the second torsion hinge.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper comprises spring chips, and the spring chips extend from the first torsion hinge and come into contact with the mirror and limit a turn range of the mirror when the mirror turns.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a thickness of the first torsion hinge is greater than a thickness of the second torsion hinge.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a width of the first torsion hinge is greater than a width of the second torsion hinge.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of address electrode portions, each address electrode portion being disposed on the substrate and overlaps the mirror in the planar view; and

a bias electrode disposed on the substrate and overlaps the mirror in the planar view,

the mirror is electrically coupled to the bias electrode through the mirror support member, the second torsion hinge, the second hinge support member, the first torsion hinge and the first hinge support member, and

electrostatic force is generated between the mirror and one of the plurality of the address electrode portions by applying a voltage to the one of the plurality of the address electrode portions.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 6, each of the plurality of address electrode portions includes a first address electrode, a first upper address electrode and a first electrode support member, the first address electrode is disposed on the substrate, the first upper address electrode is disposed between the first address electrode and the mirror, and the first electrode support member supports the first upper address electrode relative to the first address electrode, and

the first upper address electrode is electrically coupled to the first address electrode through the first electrode support member, and

the first address electrode protrudes from the first upper address electrode in the planar view.

8. The electro-optical device according to claim 7, each of the plurality of address electrode portions further includes a second upper address electrode and a second electrode support member, the second upper address electrode is disposed between the first upper address electrode and the mirror, and the second electrode support member supports the second upper address electrode relative to the second address electrode, and

the third second address electrode is electrically coupled to the first upper address electrode through the second electrode support member, and

the first address electrode protrudes from the second upper address electrode in the planar view.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the electro-optical device according claim 1; and

a light source configured to emit light to the mirror.

10. An electro-optical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first torsion hinge that is disposed above the substrate and is coupled to a stopper;

a first hinge support member protrudes from the first torsion hinge toward the substrate and supports the first torsion hinge;

a second torsion hinge disposed above the first torsion hinge;

a second hinge support member that supports the second torsion hinge relative to the first torsion hinge and does not overlap the first hinge support member in a planar view;

a mirror which is disposed above the second torsion hinge, and the stopper being configured to come in contact with the mirror when the mirror is in a tilted position; and

a mirror support member which supports the mirror relative to the second torsion hinge and does not overlap the second hinge support member in the planar view.

11. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, the first hinge support member includes a first hinge support post and a second hinge support post, the first hinge support post is positioned at one end of the first torsion hinge and the second hinge support post is positioned at another end of the first torsion hinge.

12. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, the second torsion hinge extends along a first direction,

the second hinge support member is a hinge support post, and

the hinge support post is positioned in a center of the first torsion hinge along the first direction.

13. The electro-optical device according to claim 12, the hinge support post protrudes from the second torsion hinge toward the first torsion hinge.

14. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, the mirror support member includes a first mirror support portion and a second mirror support portion, and the first mirror support portion is positioned at one end of the second torsion hinge and the second mirror support portion is positioned at another end of the second torsion hinge.

15. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, the first torsion hinge extends along a first direction, and

the second torsion hinge extends along the first direction.

16. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the electro-optical device according to claim 15; and

a light source configured to emit light to the mirror.

17. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of address electrode portions, each address electrode portion is disposed on the substrate and overlaps the mirror in the planar view;

a bias electrode disposed on the substrate and overlaps the mirror in the planar view, and

the mirror is electrically coupled to the bias electrode through the mirror support member, the second torsion hinge, the second hinge support member, the first torsion hinge and the first hinge support member, and

electrostatic force is generated between the mirror and one of the plurality of the address electrode portions by applying a voltage to the one of the plurality of the address electrode portions.

18. The electro-optical device according to claim 17, each of the plurality of address electrode portions includes a first address electrode, a first upper address electrode and a first electrode support member, the first address electrode is disposed on the substrate, the first upper address electrode is disposed between the first address electrode and the mirror, and the first electrode support member supports the first upper address electrode relative to the first address electrode,

the first upper address electrode is electrically coupled to the first address electrode through the first electrode support member.

19. The electro-optical device according to claim 18, each of the plurality of address electrode portions further includes a second upper address electrode and a second electrode support member, the second upper address electrode is disposed between the first upper address electrode and the mirror, and the second electrode support member supports the second upper address electrode relative to the first upper address electrode, and

the second upper address electrode is electrically coupled to the first upper address electrode through the second electrode support member.

20. An electro-optical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first hinge that is disposed above the substrate and is coupled to a stopper;

a first hinge support member that supports the first hinge over the substrate;

a second hinge disposed above the first hinge;

a second hinge support member that supports the second hinge over the first hinge in a position that does not overlap the first hinge support member in a planar view;

a mirror disposed above the second hinge, and the stopper being configured to come in contact with the mirror when the mirror is in a tilted position; and

a mirror support member that supports the mirror over the second hinge in a position that does not overlap the second hinge support member in the planar view.

21. An electro-optical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first torsion hinge disposed above the substrate in a thickness direction and is coupled to a stopper, the first torsion hinge having a first hinge support portion configured to support the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction;

a second torsion hinge disposed above the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the second torsion hinge having a second hinge support portion configured to support the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction;

a mirror disposed above the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the mirror having a mirror support portion configured to support the mirror in the thickness direction, and the stopper being configured to come in contact with the mirror when the mirror is in a tilted position;

the second hinge support portion does not overlap the first hinge support portion in a planar view of the substrate, and

the mirror support portion does not overlap the second hinge support portion in the planar view of the substrate.