Triaxial snubber assembly
View Patent ↗A method and system for mitigating undesirable motion of the optics of a camera are disclosed. The system can include a stage and snubber assembly for defining motion of the camera optics. The stage and snubber assembly can include a stage assembly having a stage to which the optics are attachable, at least one wing formed upon the stage, and a snubber assembly configured to cooperate with the wing(s) so as to limit motion of the stage substantially to the desired direction of travel of the camera optics.
1. A system for controlling motion, the system comprising:
a stage having four corners, a generally planar upper surface, front and rear edges resiliently supported for generally rectilinear movement of the upper surface along a motion control axis lying in the plane of the upper surface and perpendicular to the front and rear edges of the stage, and opposite side edges, each having a laterally extending wing formed thereon and defining a cutout at each of the four corners of the stage; and,
a snubber assembly surrounding the periphery of the stage and having four mesas formed thereon, each of the mesas extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the upper surface of the stage and into a corresponding one of the cutouts of the stage and being configured to cooperate with adjacent edges of the stage and the wings so as to limit movement of the upper surface of the stage to substantially rectilinear movement along the motion control axis.
2. A stage and snubber assembly for defining motion of miniature camera optics, the stage and snubber assembly comprising:
a stage assembly comprising a stage having four corners, a generally planar upper surface to which the optics are attachable, front and rear edges resiliently supported for generally rectilinear movement of the upper surface along a motion control axis lying in the plane of the upper surface and perpendicular to the front and rear edges of the stage, and opposite side edges, each having a laterally extending wing formed thereon and defining a cutout at each of the four corners of the stage; and,
a snubber assembly surrounding the periphery of the stage and having four mesas formed thereon, each of the mesas extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the upper surface of the stage and into a corresponding one of the cutouts of the stage and being configured to cooperate with adjacent edges of the stage and the wings so as to limit movement of the upper surface of the stage to substantially rectilinear movement along the motion control axis.
3. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein movement of the stage effects focusing of the camera.
4. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two portions that are configured to sandwich the stage assembly therebetween.
5. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two portions that are configured to sandwich the stage assembly therebetween and each of the two portions comprises two of the mesas.
6. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions.
7. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the mesas are formed integrally with the snubber assembly.
8. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions that are configured to capture the stage assembly therebetween and each of the two portions comprises two mesas formed integrally therewith.
9. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions that are configured to capture the stage assembly therebetween, each of the two portions comprises two mesas formed integrally therewith, and the portions and the mesas comprise a resilient material.
10. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions that are configured to capture the stage assembly therebetween, each of the two portions comprises two mesas formed integrally therewith, and the portions and the mesas comprise a material that is softer than a material of the stage assembly.
11. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions that are configured to capture the stage assembly therebetween, each of the two portions comprises two mesas formed integrally therewith, and the portions and the mesas comprise a material that is more resilient than a material of the wing(s).
12. The stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the snubber assembly comprises two substantially identical portions that are configured to capture the stage assembly therebetween, each of the two portions comprises two mesas formed integrally therewith, and the portions and the mesas comprise a polymer material.
13. A camera, comprising the stage and snubber assembly as recited in claim 2 .
14. A cellular telephone, comprising the camera as recited in claim 13 .