Movable reflective element
AssigneeDai-Ichi Seiko Co., Ltd.
InventorsKenji OGATA, Shogo KUROGI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator includes an arm starting end having a piezoelectric element, a first end of the arm starting end connected to an inner side of a fixed frame the arm starting end extending in a straight line, along a Y-axis direction through a gap between the fixed frame and a mirror surface, from the first end to beyond a middle point of an outer side of the mirror surface; an arm terminating end including a first end connected to the middle point of the outer side of the mirror surface, the arm terminating end extending parallel to the arm starting end; and an arm relay that connects a second end of the arm starting end to a second end of the arm terminating end, the arm relay being formed in a zigzag.
Claims12
A movable reflective device comprising:
- a fixed frame, the fixed frame having a flat plate-like shape;
- a rocker that includes a reflective surface, the rocker being disposed within the fixed frame such that a gap exists between the rocker and the fixed frame, a mirror surface being formed on a first side of rocker;
- and
- a first actuator that connects the fixed frame to the rocker, the first actuator being a pair of flexible members on which a piezoelectric element, configured to be capable of expansion and contraction, is formed at a portion extending along a first direction or a portion extending along a second direction that intersects the first direction, each of the pair of members being disposed on each side in the second direction of the rocker, the first actuator being deformed by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element, thereby causing the rocker to rock with respect to the fixed frame around a first rotational axis;
- wherein
- the first actuator includes:
- a first arm starting end on which the piezoelectric element is formed, a first end of the first arm starting end being connected to an inner side of the fixed frame, the first arm starting end extending in a straight line, along the first direction through the gap between the fixed frame and the rocker, from the first end to beyond a middle point of an outer side of the rocker,
- a first arm terminating end including a first end connected to the middle point of the outer side of the rocker, the first arm terminating end extending parallel to the first arm starting end, and
- a first arm relay that connects a second end of the first arm starting end to a second end of the first arm terminating end, the first arm relay being formed in a zigzag by alternately connecting a first arm connector extending along the second direction and a first arm extension extending parallel to the first arm starting end and on which the piezoelectric element is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.