Movable device, image projection apparatus, laser headlamp, head-mounted display, distance measurement device, and mobile object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12554123-B2
Application number	US-202217652759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 17, 2021
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A movable device includes a movable portion; a drive unit having one end connected to the movable portion to rotate the movable portion; a support supporting the drive unit; a connecting portion having one end connected to the support to support the support; and a stationary support to which the other end of the connecting portion is connected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A movable device comprising:
a movable portion including a reflecting surface; a drive unit having one end connected to the movable portion to rotate the movable portion; a support supporting the drive unit and surrounding the reflecting surface; a connecting portion having one end connected to the support to support the support; and a stationary support to which the other end of the connecting portion is connected, said stationary support surrounding the support, wherein the connecting portion connects the support and the stationary support, and wherein the connecting portion connects the stationary support at a connecting part that is positioned in one radial direction relative to an axis of rotation of the movable portion.

2 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a connecting region where the one end of the connecting portion is connected to the support is not included in a region extending from the drive unit in a direction the drive unit extend to the support.

3 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the other end of the connecting portion is connected to the stationary support in a direction intersecting with an axis of rotation by the drive unit.

4 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion extends in a direction intersecting with an axis of rotation by the drive unit, to have the other end connected to the stationary support.

5 . The movable device according to claim 1 , further comprising;
a movable frame; and a frame drive unit having one end connected to the movable frame and the other end connected to the stationary support to rotate the movable frame to rotate, wherein the connecting portion has the one end connected to the support and the other end connected to the movable frame.

6 . The movable device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the connecting portion extends in a direction intersecting with an axis of rotation by the frame drive unit to have the other end connected to the movable frame.

7 . The movable device according to claim 5 ,
wherein a resonance frequency of the connecting portion is higher than a resonance frequency of the frame drive unit.

8 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a resonance frequency of the connecting portion is lower than a resonance frequency of the drive unit.

9 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion includes an even number of two or more connecting portions to elastically support the support, and wherein the drive unit is between the connecting portions along an axis of rotation by the drive unit.

10 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion has one of: a bending intrinsic resonance mode to bend in a direction of rotation of the movable portion by the drive unit; and a rotational twisting intrinsic resonance mode to rotationally twist in the direction of rotation of the movable portion by the drive unit.

11 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion has a turning structure.

12 . The movable device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drive unit has a turning structure having the one end connected to the movable portion and the other end connected to the support.

13 . An image projection apparatus comprising:
a light source unit to emit light; the movable device according to claim 1 to deflect the light emitted from the light source unit; and an optical system to form an image with the light deflected by the movable device to project the image.

14 . The image projection apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the light source unit includes: multiple light sources to emit light beams having different wavelengths; and a combiner to combine the light beams emitted from the multiple light sources into one light beam to be deflected by the movable device and projected by the image projection apparatus.

15 . A mobile object comprising the image projection apparatus according to claim 13 .

16 . A laser headlamp comprising:
a light source to emit light; the movable device according to claim 1 to deflect the light emitted from the light source; and a transparent plate having a surface covered with fluorescent material, the transparent plate to transmit the light deflected by the movable device to convert the light transmitted through the transparent plate into white light and allow the white light to be emitted therefrom.

17 . A mobile object comprising the laser headlamp according to claim 16 .

18 . A head-mounted display comprising:
a light source to emit light; the movable device according to claim 1 to deflect the light emitted from the light source; and a light guide plate to guide the light deflected by the movable device; and a mirror to reflect the light guided by the light guide plate to eyes of a user wearing the head-mounted display to allow the user to observe an image formed with the light.

19 . A distance measurement apparatus comprising:
a light source to emit light; the movable device according to claim 1 to deflect the light emitted from the light source to irradiate an object with the deflected light; a photosensor to receive light reflected from the object; and circuitry to obtain output based on the received light from the photosensor and calculate a distance to the object based on the output.

20 . A mobile object comprising the distance measurement apparatus according to claim 19 .

Assignees

• Shinkawa Mizuki
• Akanuma Goichi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shinkawa Mizuki
• Akanuma Goichi

Classifications

• F21S41/176

  Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title