Low cost moveable mirror
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorJohn N. Border
Life of this patent
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Abstract
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost moveable mirror with 2 axes of movement that is suitable for use in an optical application where a relatively large tip of tilt of a mirror is needed in a known series of positions repeatably and rapidly. This object is achieved by providing a planar structure with 4 bending actuators that can be produced through MEMs based manufacturing. The moveable mirror is flexibly connected to the bending actuators so it can be moved on 2 axes. The bending actuators are designed to have substantial length to increase the angular movement of the mirror. Hard stops are provided to provide repeatable and accurate positioning of the mirror for selected positions.
Claims14
An apparatus for tipping or tilting a mirror, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) four independently operable bending actuators each placed substantially parallel to each other and each operable in two different directions;
- and
- (b) a mirror flexibly connected to the four bending actuators so that the mirror is tipped or tilted by the four bending actuators which tipping or tilting results from two or more of the actuators bending in opposite directions about an un-tilted position to a series of known positions for providing a range of angular movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.