Actuator Shaft Bending Points for Mirror Rotation Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical scanners with torsional oscillators face challenges in achieving sufficient rotation of the mirror for light beam scanning due to the increasing size of the mirror, which limits the compactness and rotation angle of the actuator.
Innovation Solution
An actuator design featuring a movable plate with connecting members and an elongated shaft that includes bending points and a stress relieving portion, allowing for maximum shaft length and stable rotation, even when the actuator size is maintained, by positioning the shaft's bending points and stress relieving portions strategically to enhance rotation angle and reduce stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the area of the mirror is increased, then the light beam scanning coverage is improved, but the rotation angle of the mirror decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed with bending points that introduce curvature, transforming a linear one-dimensional structure into a multi-dimensional configuration. This allows the shaft to achieve a longer effective length within the same planar footprint, thereby increasing the rotation angle without increasing the mirror area.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft incorporates bending points with curved configurations instead of straight linear segments. This curvature allows the shaft to wrap around or bend at intermediate positions, effectively increasing its length and providing a larger rotation angle while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Length of stationary object
If the length of the torsion bar is decreased, then the actuator size is reduced, but the twisting flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed with bending points that introduce curvature, allowing it to achieve a longer effective length within the same planar footprint. This curvature enables the shaft to twist and bend more easily, maintaining flexibility while reducing the overall actuator size.
Solution Approach 2:
By introducing bending points that create three-dimensional curvature in the shaft, the design achieves greater twisting flexibility within a compact planar space. The shaft can bend and twist in multiple dimensions, maintaining adaptability while reducing the required torsion bar length.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the number of connecting members is increased, then the stability of the movable plate is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting members are positioned asymmetrically at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, with specific attention to the arrangement of bending points. This asymmetric distribution of bending points along the connecting members provides optimal stability for the movable plate while minimizing the total number of connecting members required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enables a compact optical scanner to achieve the largest possible rotation of the movable plate, maintaining stability and increasing the rotation angle, thus overcoming the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the shaft of the actuator according to the aspect of the invention has at least one bending point in which the shaft is bent or curved at an intermediate portion of the shaft in a longitudinal direction of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
the shaft of the actuator according to the aspect of the invention has a stress relieving portion disposed at a position different from the bending point at the intermediate portion of the shaft in the longitudinal direction of the shaft to provide a function of relieving stress
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator includes a movable member which rotates around a rotation axis, a plurality of connecting members which extend from the movable member through a shaft and are disposed in the vicinity of the outer circumference of the movable member at equal intervals in the plan view as viewed in a thickness direction of the movable member, and a support unit which supports each of the plurality of connecting members. Each of the plurality of connecting members has a driving portion rotatably connected with the support unit, and the shaft connecting the movable member and the driving portion. A first connecting portion that connects the movable member with the shaft and that is disposed opposite to a corresponding second connecting portion that connects the driving portion with the shaft through the movable member so that the movable member is interposed between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.