IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,360,362
Granted Patent B2
US 12,360,362 · App. 17/922,322 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Optical scanning device

Inventor: Tadashi Watanabe (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
G02B26/101G02B26/0858H02N2/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,360,362
App. No.
17/922,322
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical scanning device includes an optical deflector, a driving unit, and a detection unit. The optical deflector has a mirror part and an H actuator. The driving unit supplies both of a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage to a first set of piezoelectric divided sections and a second set of piezoelectric divided sections of the H actuator during a first driving period, and supplies the driving voltage only to one set out of the first set and the second set of piezoelectric divided sections during a second driving period. The detection unit detects a deflection angle γ based on the output voltage of the other set of piezoelectric divided sections during the second driving period.

Claims (21)

1. An optical scanning device comprising:

an optical deflector which has a mirror part, a support part, and a plurality of piezoelectric divided sections coupled in series, and includes a piezoelectric actuator which is interposed between the support part and the mirror part and rotates the mirror part about a rotation axis in a reciprocating manner;

a driving unit which supplies a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage to a first set and a second set of piezoelectric divided sections so as to provide a relationship of opposite phases from each other in the case where the plurality of piezoelectric divided sections are divided alternately into the first set and the second set in an arrangement order toward an acting end from a proximal end of the optical deflector; and

a detection unit that detects a deflection angle of the mirror part about the rotation axis,

wherein the driving unit

supplies a driving voltage to both the first set and the second set of piezoelectric divided sections during a first driving period, and

supplies a driving voltage only to one of the first set and the second set of piezoelectric divided sections during a second driving period, and

the detection unit detects the deflection angle based on an output voltage of the other set of piezoelectric divided sections during the second driving period.

2. The optical scanning device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the support part annularly surrounds the mirror part,

the optical deflector has a pair of torsion bars which protrude from both sides of the mirror part and are coupled to the support part, and

the piezoelectric actuator is an annular piezoelectric actuator which annularly surrounds the mirror part on an inner peripheral side of the support part, is coupled to an intermediate portion of the pair of torsion bars on a first axis serving as the rotation axis, and is coupled to the support part on a second axis orthogonal to the first axis at a center of the mirror part.

3. The optical scanning device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a pair of piezoelectric sensors placed so as to sandwich the first axis from both sides on at least one coupled portion of coupled portions of the annular piezoelectric actuator coupled to the pair of torsion bars,

wherein the detection unit detects the deflection angle based on output voltages of the pair of piezoelectric sensors during the first driving period.

4. The optical scanning device according to claim 3 , wherein

the detection unit detects the deflection angle based on a sum of an output voltage of the other set of piezoelectric divided sections and output voltages of the pair of piezoelectric sensors during the second driving period.

5. The optical scanning device according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a connection switching unit which connects an output terminal of at least one of the pair of piezoelectric sensors to ground during the second driving period.

6. The optical scanning device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the connection switching unit alternately switches the other set between the first set and the second set during the second driving period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2022
From: WATANABE, TADASHI
To: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061585/0713 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-090522 · May 25, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230168490A1 · Jun 1, 2023
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