Micromechanical rotation system with coupled actuators
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorMitchell J. Novack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed towards a system for rotating a pedestal through the use of rotatable actuators. First and second rotatable actuators having substantially parallel rotation axes are connected to the pedestal via linkage arms and gimbal springs. A coupling mechanism inhibits the first and second rotatable actuators from simultaneously rotating in the opposite sense about their respective axes.
Claims23
An apparatus, comprising:
- a pedestal;
- a first rotatable actuator having a first actuator rotation axis;
- a second rotatable actuator having a second actuator rotation axis, the second actuator rotation axis being substantially parallel to the first actuator rotation axis, the first actuator rotation axis and the second actuator rotation axis defining an actuator plane;
- a first linkage arm attached to the first rotatable acutator;
- a second linkage arm attached to the second rotatable actuator;
- a first gimbal spring connecting the first linkage arm to the pedestal, the first gimbal spring having a first gimbal spring effective pivot;
- a second gimbal spring connecting the second linkage arm to the pedestal, the second gimbal spring having a second gimbal spring effective pivot;
- and
- a coupling mechanism that inhibits the first rotatable actuator and the second rotatable actuator from simultaneously rotating in the opposite sense about their respective axes.
A method for inhibiting out-of-plane motion of a pedestal, the pedestal being connected to a pair of rotatable actuators, each rotatable actuator having an actuator rotation axis, the connection of the rotatable actuators to the pedestal being through linkage arms and gimbal springs, the method comprising the step of:
- coupling the pair of rotatable actuators such that the torque for rotating the rotatable actuators increases faster per actuator angle of rotation for actuator rotations of opposite sense than for actuator rotations of the same sense.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.