Single torsional hinge mirror
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsArthur Monroe Turner, John W. Orcutt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a single torsional hinge device, such as a mirror, adapted for use as a pivoting mirror and preferably a pivoting mirror oscillating at a resonant frequency about the single hinge. The single torsional hinge mirror reduces or substantially eliminates stresses on the torsional hinge mirrors caused by mismatched mounting levels of the support structure and/or differences of the coefficient and thermal expansion of materials in the mirror and support structures. The mirror may include a single layer of silicon having a reflective surface or may be a multilayered mirror wherein silicon is used for the torsional hinges and support and silicon or other materials may be used as the reflecting surface.
Claims14
A device for pivoting about a selected axis comprising:
- a support member;
- a using device for mounting said support member;
- a functional surface;
- a single torsional hinge lying along said selected axis and having a mirror end fixedly supporting said functional surface and a mounting end of said hinge fixedly secured to said support member such that said functional surface can pivot on said single torsional hinge about said selected axis with respect to said support member;
- and
- further comprising an axial member having a first end attached to said functional surface and a free end, said free end extending away from said functional surface along said selected axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.