Micromechanical micromirror array and corresponding operating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11307404-B2
Application number	US-201816652210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A micromechanical micromirror array including a frame including a cutout, a micromirror device suspended on the frame in the area of the cutout in a first plane, a first pivoting vane device suspended on the frame protruding into the area of the cutout, coupled to the micromirror device via a first spring device, a second pivoting vane device suspended on the frame protruding into the area of the cutout, coupled to the micromirror device via a second spring device, a first drive device for deflecting the first pivoting vane device along a first axis, perpendicular to the first plane, and a second drive device for the antiphase deflection of the second pivoting vane device along the first axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micromechanical micromirror array, comprising:
a frame which includes a cutout;
a micromirror device suspended in a first plane on the frame in an area of the cutout;
a first pivoting vane device suspended on the frame in the area of the cutout, the first pivoting vane device being coupled to the micromirror device via a first spring device;
a second pivoting vane device suspended on the frame, protruding into the area of the cutout, the second pivoting vane being coupled to the micromirror device via a second spring device;
a first drive device configured to deflect the first pivoting vane device along a first axis which is situated perpendicular to the first plane; and
a second drive device configured to an antiphase deflection of the second pivoting vane device along the first axis;
wherein the micromirror device is resiliently rotatable out of the first plane by the antiphase deflection of the first pivoting vane device and of the second pivoting vane device about a second axis; and
wherein the first pivoting vane device and the second pivoting vane device extend beyond the second axis on a first side of the micromirror device along a direction of a third axis situated perpendicularly to the second axis,
wherein the first pivoting vane device is suspended in a first area of the frame in the first plane, extends along a direction of the third axis beyond the second axis, and is connected at its end to a first extension of the micromirror device via the first spring device.

2. A micromechanical micromirror array, comprising:
a frame which includes a cutout;
a micromirror device suspended in a first plane on the frame in an area of the cutout;
a first pivoting vane device suspended on the frame in the area of the cutout, the first pivoting vane device being coupled to the micromirror device via a first spring device;
a second pivoting vane device suspended on the frame, protruding into the area of the cutout, the second pivoting vane being coupled to the micromirror device via a second spring device;
a first drive device configured to deflect the first pivoting vane device along a first axis which is situated perpendicular to the first plane; and
a second drive device configured to an antiphase deflection of the second pivoting vane device along the first axis;
wherein the micromirror device is resiliently rotatable out of the first plane by the antiphase deflection of the first pivoting vane device and of the second pivoting vane device about a second axis; and
wherein the first pivoting vane device and the second pivoting vane device extend beyond the second axis on a first side of the micromirror device along a direction of a third axis situated perpendicularly to the second axis,
wherein the first pivoting vane device is suspended in a first area of the frame in the first plane, extends along a direction of the third axis beyond the second axis, and is connected at its end to a first extension of the micromirror device via the first spring device, and the second pivoting vane device is suspended in the first plane in a second area of the frame situated opposite the first area, extending along the direction of the third axis beyond the second axis, and is connected at its end to a second extension of the micromirror device via the second spring device, the first extension and the second extension being offset in the same direction along the third axis with respect to the second axis.

3. The micromechanical micromirror array as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first extension extends in a straight line and the second extension extends at an angle.

4. A micromechanical micromirror array, comprising:
a frame which includes a cutout;
a micromirror device suspended in a first plane on the frame in an area of the cutout;
a first pivoting vane device suspended on the frame in the area of the cutout, the first pivoting vane device being coupled to the micromirror device via a first spring device;
a second pivoting vane device suspended on the frame, protruding into the area of the cutout, the second pivoting vane being coupled to the micromirror device via a second spring device;
a first drive device configured to deflect the first pivoting vane device along a first axis which is situated perpendicular to the first plane; and
a second drive device configured to an antiphase deflection of the second pivoting vane device along the first axis;
wherein the micromirror device is resiliently rotatable out of the first plane by the antiphase deflection of the first pivoting vane device and of the second pivoting vane device about a second axis; and
wherein the first pivoting vane device and the second pivoting vane device extend beyond the second axis on a first side of the micromirror device along a direction of a third axis situated perpendicularly to the second axis,
wherein the first pivoting vane device is suspended in the first plane in a first area of the frame, extends at an angle along a direction of the second axis and the third axis, extends along a direction of the third axis beyond the second axis, and is connected at its end to a first extension of the micromirror device via the first spring device, and the second pivoting vane device is suspended in the first plane in a second area of the frame, which is laterally offset relative to the first area, extends at an angle along the direction of the second axis and the third axis, extends along the direction of the third axis beyond the second axis, and is connected at its end to a second extension of the micromirror device via the second spring device, the first extension and the second extension being offset in the same direction along the third axis with respect to the second axis, and the micromirror device being suspended on the frame on a second side opposite the first side via a torsion bar.

5. The micromechanical micromirror array as recited in claim 4 , wherein the first extension extends in a straight line and the second extension extends at an angle.

6. The micromechanical micromirror array as recited in claim 4 , wherein a first torsion device configured to rotate the first pivoting vane device about the second axis in the first area is suspended in the first plane between the first area of the frame and the first pivoting vane device, and a second torsion device configured to rotate the second pivoting vane device about the second axis in the second area being suspended in the first plane between the second area of the frame and the first pivoting plane device.

7. The micromechanical micromirror array as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first pivoting vane device and the second pivoting vane device are each coupled on a first side of the micromirror device and on an opposite second side of the micromirror device.

8. A micromechanical micromirror array, comprising:
a frame which includes a cutout;
a micromirror device suspended in a first plane on the frame in an area of the cutout;
a first pivoting vane device suspended on the frame in the area of the cutout, the first pivoting vane device being coupled to the micromirror device via a first spring device;
a second pivoting vane device suspended on the frame, protruding into the area of the cutout, the second pivoting vane being coupled to the micromirror device via a second spring device;
a first drive device configured to deflect the first pivoting vane device along a first axis which is situated perpendicular to the first plane; and
a second drive device configured to an antiphase deflection of the second pivoting vane device along the first axis;
wherein the micromirror device is resiliently rotatable out of the first plane by the antiphase deflection of the first pivoting vane device

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Grutzeck Helmut
• Schary Timo
• Muchow Joerg
• Kaupmann Philip

Classifications

• G02B26/085

  the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means · CPC title

• G02B26/101 Primary

  with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners (colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129) · CPC title

• B81B2201/042

  Micromirrors, not used as optical switches · CPC title

• G02B26/0858 Primary

  the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means · CPC title

• B81B2203/0163

  Spring holders · CPC title