High-speed scanner-tracker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612436-B1
Application number	US-201514824591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 12, 2015
Priority date	Aug 12, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a high speed scanner tracker are disclosed. The scanner tracker can include a mirror assembly that rotates within a housing about a first axis. Moreover, the mirror can be tilted about a second axis. Pulses of light can be directed to and received from a selected location or target surface located within a target volume by selectively controlling the rotational and tilt angles of the mirror relative to a laser associated with the scanner tracker assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scanner assembly, comprising:
a base;
a bearing assembly;
a rotating assembly, wherein the rotating assembly is connected to the base by the bearing assembly, and wherein the bearing assembly allows the rotating assembly to rotate about a first axis, the rotating assembly including:
a rotor;
a pivot, wherein the pivot includes a base portion fixed to the rotor and a tilting portion;
a mirror, wherein the mirror is interconnected to the tilting portion of the pivot, and wherein the pivot allows the mirror to be tilted about a second axis.

2. The scanner assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor, wherein the motor is operable to rotate the rotating assembly about the first axis.

3. The scanner assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a tilt activation mechanism, including:
a first magnet interconnected to the mirror proximate to a first location about a perimeter of the mirror;
a second magnet interconnected to the mirror proximate to a second location about the perimeter of the mirror;
a first coil assembly interconnected to the base, wherein the tilt activation mechanism is operable to selectively tilt the mirror about the second axis.

4. The scanner assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a mirror substrate, wherein the mirror is interconnected to the mirror substrate, and wherein the mirror substrate has a wedge-shaped profile with a relatively thin first end proximate to the first location about the perimeter of the mirror and a relatively thick second end proximate to the second location about the perimeter of the mirror.

5. The scanner assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first magnet is interconnected to the mirror substrate proximate to the relatively thin first end, and wherein the second magnet is interconnected to the mirror substrate proximate to the relatively thick second end.

6. The scanner assembly of claim 5 , wherein in an intermediate position about the second axis a reflecting surface of the mirror is tilted by a first amount relative to the first axis.

7. The scanner assembly of claim 4 , wherein the tilting portion of the pivot is interconnected to the mirror substrate.

8. The scanner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivot is formed from a unitary piece of material having an X-shaped cross-section.

9. The scanner assembly of claim 8 , wherein the unitary piece of material is metal.

Assignees

• Ball Aerospace & Tech Corp

Inventors

• Hoffman Charles N
• Leone Christopher M

Classifications

• G02B26/105 Primary

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B26/085

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