Optical Swing Structure With Softening Member for Stress Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In optical devices with a coupling portion that exhibits a hardening characteristic, increased stress during accelerated swinging or larger deflection angles can lead to damage and deteriorate control characteristics, posing a reliability concern.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a softening member with a softening characteristic into the optical device, specifically positioned to absorb stress when the movable portion swings, thereby canceling out the hardening effect of the coupling portion and ensuring reliability without excessive stress application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the coupling portion is formed of two spring plates facing each other with a predetermined gap therebetween to suppress the hardening characteristic, then the control characteristic of the deflection angle is improved, but stress other than torsional stress is locally applied to the coupling portion when the movable portion swings, increasing the possibility of damage
Solution Approach 1:
A softening member is introduced as an intermediary element between the drive element and the coupling portion. This softening member has a softening characteristic that counteracts the hardening characteristic of the coupling portion, allowing the coupling portion to maintain good control characteristics while the softening member absorbs excessive stress, preventing damage to the coupling portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the mechanical parameter (spring constant) of the system by introducing a softening member with opposite characteristics. The softening member's spring constant decreases with increasing deflection angle, which compensates for the hardening characteristic of the coupling portion where spring constant increases with deflection angle, thereby maintaining stable control characteristics across the operating range.
2Productivity
If the swinging of the movable portion is accelerated or the deflection angle is increased to improve performance, then the control characteristic is enhanced, but stress to be applied to the coupling portion is increased, making damage more noticeable
Solution Approach 1:
The softening member is positioned beforehand in the stress path between the drive element and the coupling portion. When the movable portion swings with increased acceleration or deflection angle, the softening member preemptively absorbs the excessive stress through its softening characteristic, cushioning the coupling portion from damage before the stress can cause failure.
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 optical device effectively suppresses the influence of the hardening characteristic of the coupling portion, maintaining control characteristics and reliability even during accelerated swinging or increased deflection angles, while allowing for improved design flexibility due to the softening member's non-electrical connection.
Implementation Method 1
a softening member which has a softening characteristic and to which stress is applied when the first movable portion swings around the first axis
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes a support portion, a first movable portion having an optical surface, a second movable portion having a frame shape and surrounding the first movable portion, a first coupling portion coupling the first movable portion and the second movable portion to each other, a second coupling portion coupling the second movable portion and the support portion to each other, and a softening member which has a softening characteristic and to which stress is applied when the first movable portion swings around a first axis. When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the optical surface, the softening member is provided to a portion of the second movable portion, the portion extending between a drive element and the first coupling portion, and is not electrically connected to an outside.