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US 11,630,297 B2Granted
Buckling mode actuation of fiber scanner to increase field of view
AssigneeMagic Leap, Inc.
InventorsTimothy Mark Dalrymple, Andrew C. Duenner, Albert Daniel Carlomagno, Xiaoyang Zhang, Michael Robert Johnson, William K. Jones, Jr., Charles David Melville
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Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of fiber scanning systems and methods of scanning optical fibers. The disclosed systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the scanning range, the oscillation amplitude, and/or the maximum pointing angle for an optical fiber in a fiber scanning system by inducing a buckling of a portion of the optical fiber.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- an optical fiber having a distal fiber end and a proximal fiber end;
- a first electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by a first joint, wherein the first joint is positioned between a second joint and the distal fiber end, and wherein the first electromechanical transducer includes a hub, a frame surrounding the hub, and a plurality of lateral electromechanical transducers mechanically coupled to the frame and to the hub, wherein the optical fiber passes through the hub, and wherein the hub is mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by the first joint;
- a second electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by the second joint, wherein the second joint is positioned between the first joint and the proximal fiber end;
- and
- a voltage source in electrical communication with at least one of the first electromechanical transducer and the second electromechanical transducer, the voltage source configured to apply a plurality of voltages to the first and second electromechanical transducers to vary an orientation of the distal fiber end of the optical fiber according to a spiral path, wherein the plurality of voltages includes a first voltage having a sinusoidal profile with an amplitude that increases or decreases as a function of time, and a second voltage that periodically ramps in magnitude.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- applying a plurality of voltages to a first electromechanical transducer and a second electromechanical transducer of an optical fiber scanning system to vary an orientation of a distal fiber end of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber scanning system includes:
- the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber has the distal fiber end and a proximal fiber end;
- the first electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by a first joint, wherein the first joint is positioned between a second joint and the distal fiber end, and wherein the first electromechanical transducer includes a hub, a frame surrounding the hub, and a plurality of lateral electromechanical transducers mechanically coupled to the frame and to the hub, wherein the optical fiber passes through the hub, and wherein the hub is mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by the first joint;
- and
- the second electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber by the second joint, wherein the second joint is positioned between the first joint and the proximal fiber end;
- and
- a voltage source in electrical communication with the first and second electromechanical transducers for applying the plurality of voltages, wherein the plurality of voltages includes a first voltage having a sinusoidal profile with an amplitude that increases or decreases as a function of time, and a second voltage that periodically ramps in magnitude.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.