IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,091,309
Granted Patent B2
US 12,091,309 · App. 17/312,177 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Movable device, distance measurement device, image projection apparatus, vehicle, and mount

Inventors: Masayuki Fujishima (Kanagawa, JP); Junichi Konishi (Hyogo, JP); Tsuyoshi Ueno (Kanagawa, JP); Nobunari Tsukamoto (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B81B3/0037G02B26/0858G02B26/101B81B2201/042G01S7/4817G03B21/008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,091,309
App. No.
17/312,177
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A movable device includes a movable portion including a reflecting surface; a pair of drive beams to support the movable portion rotatably around a predetermined rotation axis with the movable portion disposed between the pair of drive beams; and a support portion configured to support the pair of drive beams. The support portion has a light passing portion on each of both sides of the movable portion in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis in a plane along the reflecting surface in a state in which the movable portion is not rotated, the light passing portion allowing light reflected by the reflecting surface to pass through the light passing portion.

Claims (54)

1. A movable device comprising:

a movable portion including a reflecting surface;

a pair of drive beams to support the movable portion rotatably around a predetermined rotation axis with the movable portion disposed between the pair of drive beams; and

a support to support the pair of drive beams,

wherein the support has a light passing portion on each of both sides of the movable portion in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis in a plane along the reflecting surface in a state in which the movable portion is not rotated, the light passing portion to allow light reflected by the reflecting surface to pass through the light passing portion, and

wherein a wiring portion to transmit a current or voltage signal applied via an electrode connection is in a region on the movable portion other than the reflecting surface and on each of the pair of drive beams.

2. A movable device comprising:

a movable portion including a reflecting surface;

a pair of drive beams to support the movable portion rotatably around a predetermined rotation axis with the movable portion disposed between the pair of drive beams; and

a support to support the pair of drive beams,

wherein the support has a light passing portion on each of both sides of the movable portion in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis in a plane along the reflecting surface in a state in which the movable portion is not rotated, the light passing portion to allow light reflected by the reflecting surface to pass through the light passing portion,

wherein a width of the light passing portion in a direction along the rotation axis is larger than a width of the movable portion in the direction along the rotation axis,

wherein a first movable-portion outer peripheral surface of the movable portion along a direction of the rotation axis and a first support-portion outer peripheral surface of the support along the direction of the rotation axis are formed in a parallel state without a step,

wherein a second movable-portion outer peripheral surface, different from the first movable-portion outer peripheral surface, of the movable portion along the direction of the rotation axis and a second support-portion outer peripheral surface, different from the first support-portion outer peripheral surface, of the support along the direction of the rotation axis are formed in a parallel state without a step, and

wherein a wiring portion to transmit a current or voltage signal applied via an electrode connection is in a region on the movable portion other than the reflecting surface and on each of the pair of drive beams.

3. The movable device according to claim 1 , wherein the light passing portion has a shape in which a width of the light passing portion in a direction along the rotation axis is widened as the width is farther from the rotation axis.

4. The movable device according to claim 1 , wherein the light passing portion has a shape in which a width of the light passing portion in a direction along the rotation axis is non-linearly widened as the width is farther from the rotation axis.

5. The movable device according to claim 1 , wherein the wiring portion is covered with a protection film.

6. The movable device according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the pair of drive beams includes a meandering beam in which a plurality of beam portions having long sides in the direction intersecting with the rotation axis are coupled at a folded portion, and

wherein the beam portion adjacent to the movable portion is coupled to the movable portion at one end side in the direction intersecting with the rotation axis and has a cut shape having at least one of a straight portion and a curved-surface portion on the other end side in the direction intersecting with the rotation axis.

7. The movable device according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the pair of drive beams includes a meandering beam in which a plurality of beam portions having long sides in the direction intersecting with the rotation axis are coupled at a folded portion, and

wherein an interval between the movable portion and the beam portion adjacent to the movable portion is larger than an interval between the beam portions adjacent to each other.

8. A distance measurement device comprising:

the movable device according to claim 1 .

9. An image projection apparatus, comprising:

the movable device according to claim 1 .

10. A vehicle, comprising:

the distance measurement device according to claim 9 .

11. A movable device comprising:

a movable portion including a reflecting surface;

a pair of drive beams to support the movable portion rotatably around a predetermined rotation axis with the movable portion interposed between the pair of drive beams;

a support to support the pair of drive beams; and

a mount portion including a side wall member to which the support is secured,

wherein the side wall member on each of both sides of the movable portion in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis has a light passing portion in a plane along the reflecting surface in a state in which the movable portion is not rotated, the light passing portion being to allow light reflected by the reflecting surface to pass though the light passing portion, and

wherein a wiring portion to transmit a current or voltage signal applied via an electrode connection is in a region on the movable portion other than the reflecting surface and on each of the pair of drive beams.

12. The movable device according to claim 11 , wherein the light passing portion has a shape in which a width of the light passing portion in a direction along the rotation axis is widened as the width is farther from the rotation axis.

13. The movable device according to claim 11 , wherein the mount portion includes a bottom member that is made of a material different from a material of the side wall member and to which the side wall member is secured at an other end surface of the side wall member.

14. The movable device according to claim 11 ,

wherein a material of the movable portion, the pair of drive beams, and the support includes silicon, and

wherein the mount portion includes a bottom member that is made of silicon or TEMPAX glass and to which the side wall member is secured at an other end surface of the side wall member.

15. A distance measurement device, comprising:

the movable device according to claim 12 .

16. An image projection apparatus, comprising:

the movable device according to claim 12 .

17. A vehicle, comprising:

the distance measurement device according to claim 16 .

18. A mount to which a variable deflector is able to be secured, the variable deflector including

a movable portion including a reflecting surface,

a pair of drive beams to support the movable portion rotatably around a predetermined rotation axis with the movable portion interposed between the pair of drive beams, and

a support to support the pair of drive beams,

the mount comprising a side wall member to which the support is secured, the side wall member on each of both sides of the movable portion in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis having a light passing portion in a plane along the reflecting surface in a state in which the movable portion is not rotated, the light passing portion being configured to allow light reflected by the reflecting surface to pass though the light passing portion,

wherein a wiring portion to transmit a current or voltage signal applied via an electrode connection is in a region on the movable portion other than the reflecting surface and on each of the pair of drive beams.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2021
From: FUJISHIMA, MASAYUKI; KONISHI, JUNICHI; UENO, TSUYOSHI; TSUKAMOTO, NOBUNARI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056486/0944 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-237762 · Dec 19, 2018 · national
JP 2018-237763 · Dec 19, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210395073A1 · Dec 23, 2021