Miniature MEMS actuator assemblies

• US 9,899,938 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Calvet, Robert J., Wang, Guiqin, Gutierrez, Roman C., Liu, Xiaolei
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US14/746,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/00 Viewfinders; Focusing aids for cameras; Means for focusing for cameras; Autofocus systems for cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0007 Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur imaging systems in general using optical elements for stabilisation of the position of the image G02B27/64
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming for optical zoom lenses in general G02B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0053 Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0061 using piezoelectric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/10 Power-operated focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/008 Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In one embodiment, an electrostatic actuator includes a generally planar fixed frame, a generally planar moving frame coupled to the fixed frame by a flexure for substantially coplanar, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame, a plurality of interdigitated teeth, a fixed portion of which is attached to the fixed frame and a moving portion of which is attached to the moving frame, and an elongated output shaft having opposite input and output ends, the input end being coupled to the moving frame.

Claims

1. An actuator assembly, comprising:

a planar mounting platform arranged within a first plane;

a plurality of first type planar actuators configured to move the planar mounting platform in directions within the first plane; and

a plurality of second type planar actuators configured to move the planar mounting platform in directions perpendicular to the first plane,

wherein the plurality of the first and the second actuators are arranged around the planar mounting platform in a manner alternating between the first type planar actuator and the second type planar actuator.

2. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the first type planar actuators and the plurality of the second type planar actuators allows a distinct degree of freedom (DOF) for moving the planar mounting platform.

3. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein immediately adjacent ones of the first type and the second type planar actuators are bent from each other to form an angle therebetween.

4. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the first type planar actuators and the plurality of the second type planar actuators comprises an elongated output shaft having an output end coupled to an output coupler that is coupled to the planar mounting platform.

5. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the elongated output shafts of the first type planar actuators extend in directions parallel to the first plane and the elongated output shafts of the second type planar actuators extend in directions perpendicular to the first plane.

6. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein upper surfaces of the output couplers of the second type planar actuators define a plane within which the output couplers of the first type planar actuators are configured to move rectilinearly.

7. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the first type planar actuators and the plurality of the second type planar actuators comprises an electrostatic comb drive actuator.

8. The actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the electrostatic comb drive actuator comprises:

a fixed frame;

a moving frame coupled to the fixed frame by a flexure for substantially coplanar, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame; and

a plurality of interdigitated teeth, a first group of which is attached to the fixed frame and a second group of which is attached to the moving frame.

9. A camera, comprising:

the actuator assembly of claim 1;

a lens barrel having a plurality of flats distributed around a circumferential surface of the lens barrel,

wherein the planar mounting platform is disposed at an end of the lens barrel and each of the first type and the second type planar actuators is disposed on a corresponding one of the flats.

10. A method of operating the actuator assembly of claim 1, the method comprising:

moving the planar mounting platform in directions within the first plane by actuating one or more of the first type planar actuators; and

moving the planar mounting platform in directions perpendicular to the first plane by actuating one or more of the second type planar actuators.

11. A lens barrel assembly, comprising:

a lens barrel; and

an actuator assembly attached to the lens barrel, the actuator assembly comprising;

a planar mounting platform arranged within a first plane;

a plurality of first type planar actuators configured to move the planar mounting platform in directions within the first plane; and

a plurality of second type planar actuators configured to move the planar mounting platform in directions perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the plurality of the first and the second actuators are arranged around the planar mounting platform in an manner alternating between the first type planar actuator and the second type planar actuator.

12. The lens barrel assembly of claim 11, wherein the lens barrel comprises an upper end and wherein the planar mounting platform is attached to the upper end.

13. The lens barrel assembly of claim 12, wherein the lens barrel comprises a plurality of flats distributed around a circumferential surface of the lens barrel, and wherein each of the first type and the second type planar actuators is disposed on a corresponding one of the flats.

14. The lens barrel assembly of claim 13, wherein the lens barrel comprises six flats distributed around the circumferential surface of the lens barrel to form a hexagonal prism shape and wherein the actuator assembly comprises three first type planar actuators and three second type planar actuators respectively disposed on the six flats.

15. The lens barrel assembly of claim 11, wherein the lens barrel comprises a central lumen and wherein the planar mounting platform comprises an aperture that is aligned with the central lumen so that light from an image can pass through the aperture and the central lumen.

16. The lens barrel assembly of claim 15, further comprising an optical element mounted within the aperture.

17. A camera comprising the lens barrel assembly of claim 11 and a lens coupled to the planar mounting platform for multidimensional movement thereof when one or more of the first type and the second type planar actuators are actuated.

18. A method of making the lens barrel assembly of claim 11, the method comprising:

forming the planar mounting platform and the first type and the second type planar actuators in the first plane;

folding each of the first type and the second type planar actuators out of the first plane; and

superimposing the first type and second type planar actuators onto corresponding side surfaces of the lens barrel with the planar mounting platform disposed on an upper end of the lens barrel.

19. A method of making the lens barrel assembly of claim 11, the method comprising:

forming the first type and the second type planar actuators in the first plane; and

attaching each of the first type and the second type planar actuators to a corresponding one of side flats of the lens barrel by aligning with a three-sided recesses form in the corresponding one of the side flats.

20. A method of operating the lens barrel assembly of claim 11, the method comprising moving a lens that is coupled to the planar mounting platform by actuating at least one of the first type and the second type planar actuators to effect autofocus, zooming and/or image stabilization functions for a camera.