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US 8,619,378 B2Granted
Rotational comb drive Z-stage
AssigneeDigitalOptics Corporation MEMS
InventorRoman C. Gutierrez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device may have an outer frame, a platform, and a plurality of actuators configured to move the platform with respect to the outer frame. Each of the actuators may have a movable frame and a fixed frame. A motion control mechanism may be configured to permit movement of the platform in a desired direction with respect to the outer frame and inhibit rotation of the platform with respect to the outer frame.
Claims24
A device, comprising:
- an outer frame defining a plane;
- a platform;
- a plurality of actuators adapted to move the platform in a first direction out of a plane defined by the outer frame, each of the actuators comprising a movable frame and a fixed frame;
- and
- a motion control mechanism coupling the actuators to the outer frame and the platform and adapted to cause movement of the platform in the first direction in response to rotational movement of the moving frames out of the plane defined by the outer frame,
- wherein the motion control mechanism comprises a flexure interconnecting the movable frame of one of the actuators and the platform, and wherein the flexure is adapted to bend in one direction to accommodate a varying angle between the movable frame and the platform and to bend in a different direction to accommodate a varying distance between the movable frame and the platform.
3 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an outer frame defining a plane;
- a platform;
- an optical element attached to the platform;
- a plurality of actuators adapted to move the platform in a direction out of a plane of the outer frame, each of the actuators comprising a movable frame and a fixed frame;
- a motion control mechanism coupling the actuators to the outer frame and the platform and adapted to cause substantially rectilinear permit movement of the platform in the direction in response to rotational movement of the moving frames out of the plane of the outer frame.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- interconnecting an outer frame and a platform with a plurality of actuators adapted to move the platform with respect to the outer frame;
- and
- interconnecting the outer frame and the platform with a motion control mechanism adapted to cause the platform to move in a direction out of a plane defined by the outer frame;
- wherein the motion control mechanism comprises a flexure interconnecting a movable frame of one of the actuators and the platform and wherein the flexure is adapted to bend in one direction to accommodate a varying angle between the movable frame and the platform and to bend in a different direction to accommodate a varying distance between the movable frame and the platform.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- moving a platform with respect to an outer frame using a plurality of rotational actuators;
- and
- using a motion control mechanism to constrain movement of the platform to substantially rectilinear movement in a direction out of a plane defined by the outer frame;
- and
- wherein the motion control mechanism comprises a flexure interconnecting a movable frame of an actuator and the platform and wherein the flexure is adapted to bend in one direction to accommodate a varying angle between the movable frame and the platform and to bend in a different direction to accommodate a varying distance between the movable frame and the platform.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.