Micro-mirrors with flexure springs
View Patent ↗A micro-mirror device includes a micro-mirror and a flexure spring supporting the micro-mirror. The flexure spring is configured to store potential energy during movement of the micro-mirror that is released as kinetic energy to drive movement of the micro-mirror when the micro-mirror is re-oriented.
1. A micro-mirror device comprising:
a micro-mirror; and
a flexure spring supporting said micro-mirror, said flexure spring having supports thereon that are attached to said micro-mirror and that space said micro-mirror from said flexure spring;
wherein said flexure spring is configured to store potential energy during movement of said micro-mirror that is released as kinetic energy to drive movement of said micro-mirror when said micro-mirror is re-oriented.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said flexure spring comprises:
a post;
a flexure supported on said post; and
said supports being on said flexure and attached to and supporting opposite corners of said micro-mirror.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said flexure spring comprises a piezoelectric element configured to controllably orient said micro-mirror.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising electrodes for electrostatically driving said flexure spring to controllably orient said micro-mirror.
5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising drive circuitry for driving said spring to orient said micro-mirror.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said flexure spring is supported on a substrate.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein said substrate comprises silicon.
8. The device of claim 6 , wherein said substrate comprises glass or plastic.
9. The device of claim 2 , wherein said flexure runs diagonally between opposite corners of said micro-mirror.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein said flexure has a non-uniform width.
11. The device of claim 2 , wherein said flexure comprises a plurality of flexures extending from said post along an underside of said micro-mirror, wherein, during operation of said micro-mirror, said plurality of flexures contact said micro-mirror and store energy due to movement of said micro-mirror.
12. The device of claim 2 , wherein said supports have a square shape, with corners of said supports being matched with corners of said micro-mirror.
13. An array of micro-mirrors comprising:
a plurality of micro-mirrors; and
a flexure spring supporting each said micro-mirror, each said flexure spring having supports thereon that are attached to a corresponding micro-mirror;
wherein each said flexure spring is configured to store potential energy during movement of a corresponding micro-mirror that is released as kinetic energy to drive movement of said corresponding micro-mirror when said corresponding micro-mirror is re-oriented.
14. The array of claim 13 , wherein each said flexure spring comprises:
a post;
a flexure supported on said post; and
said supports being on said flexure and attached to and supporting opposite corners of said micro-mirror.
15. The array of claim 13 , wherein each said flexure spring comprises a piezoelectric element configured to controllably orient said corresponding micro-mirror.
16. The array of claim 13 , wherein each said flexure spring has a corresponding set of electrodes for electrostatically driving said that flexure spring to controllably orient said corresponding micro-mirror.
17. The array of claim 13 , further comprising drive circuitry for driving said springs to orient said micro-mirrors in response to incoming image data.
18. The array of claim 13 , wherein said array of micro-mirrors is formed and supported on a substrate.
19. The array of claim 18 , wherein said substrate comprises silicon.
20. The array of claim 18 , wherein said substrate comprises glass or plastic.
21. The array of claim 14 , wherein said flexure runs diagonally between opposite corners of said corresponding micro-mirror.
22. The array of claim 21 , wherein said flexure has a non-uniform width.
23. The array of claim 14 , wherein said flexure comprises a plurality of flexures extending from said post along an underside of said corresponding micro-mirror, wherein, during operation of said array, said plurality of flexures contact said corresponding micro-mirror and store energy due to movement of said corresponding micro-mirror.
24. The array of claim 14 , wherein said supports have a square shape, with corners of said supports being matched with corners of said corresponding micro-mirror.
25. A spatial light modulation device comprising:
a micro-mirror; and
a pliant flexure supporting said micro-mirror, said pliant flexure having a bias, and including:
a post;
a flexure member supported on said post; and
supports on said flexure member for supporting said micro-mirror;
wherein said pliant flexure stores energy due to said bias in response to any re-positioning of said micro-mirror away from a default orientation; and
wherein said pliant flexure releases said stored energy to drive movement of said micro-mirror when a force against said bias is relaxed.
26. The device of claim 25 , wherein said pliant flexure holds said micro-mirror in said default orientation according to said bias when said pliant flexure is not driven.
27. The device of claim 25 , wherein said pliant flexure comprises a piezoelectric element configured to bend said pliant flexure to controllably orient said micro-mirror.
28. The device of claim 25 , further comprising a set of electrodes for electrostatically driving said pliant flexure to controllably orient said micro-mirror.
29. The device of claim 25 , further comprising drive circuitry for driving said pliant flexure to orient said micro-mirror.
30. The device of claim 25 , wherein said pliant flexure runs diagonally between opposite corners of said micro-mirror.
31. The device of claim 30 , wherein said pliant flexure has a non-uniform width.
32. The device of claim 25 , wherein said pliant flexure comprises a plurality of flexures extending from said post along an underside of said micro-mirror, wherein, during operation of said micro-mirror, said plurality of flexures contact said micro-mirror and store energy due to movement of said micro-mirror.
33. The device of claim 25 , further comprising a plurality of micro-mirrors arranged in an array.
34. A micro-mirror device comprising:
a micro-mirror; and
a flexure spring, wherein said micro-mirror is supported on arms of said flexure spring, with supports connected between said arms and opposite corners of said micro-mirror,
wherein said flexure spring comprises a plurality of flexures disposed side-by-side, substantially parallel to each other and extending toward opposite corners of said micro-mirror;
wherein said flexure spring is configured to store potential energy during movement of said micro-mirror that is released as kinetic energy to drive movement of said micro-mirror when said micro-mirror is re-oriented.
35. The device of claim 34 , wherein said supports have a square cross-section with corners of said supports being matched to said opposite corners of said micro-mirror.
36. The device of claim 34 , wherein said plurality of flexures are unconnected arms extending from a central portion.
37. The device of claim 34 , wherein said plurality of flexures compnses:
a flexure having said supports thereon connected to and for supporting said micro-mirror; and
at least one other flexure which only applies force to said micro-mirror when said micro-mirror tilts about said axis into contact with said at least one other flexure.
38. The device of claim 34 , wherein said flexure spring is supported on a substrate in a dielectric liquid disposed on said substrate.
39. The device of claim 34 , wherein any re-positioning of said micro-mirror away from a default position is resisted by a bias of said flexure spring.
40. A micro-mirror device comprising:
a micro-mirror; and
a flexure spring, wherein said micro-mirror is supported on arms of said flexure spring, with supports connected between said arms and opposite corners of said micro-mirror, said supports spacing said micro-mirror from said arms of said flexure spring,
wherein said flexure spring comprises a plurality of flexures disposed substantially parallel to each other and extending toward opposite corners of said micro-mirror, where movement of said micro-mirror brings said micro-mirror into contact with at least some of said plurality of flexures which then flex and store energy due to continued movement of said micro-mirror toward those flexing flexures;
wherein said flexure spring is configured to store potential energy during movement of said micro-mirror that is released as kinetic energy to drive movement of said micro-mirror when said micro-mirror is re-oriented.