EP0471291A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical scanner
Assignee: Omron Corp
•
Filing: 1991-08-07
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-08-07
Abstract
Abstract An optical scanner and beam printer using the optical scanner are disclosed in which the optical scanner includes a scanning element supporting a mirror surface, a support element for freely supporting at one end the scanning element and at another end a vibrating element, and a drive source for inducing vibrations in the vibrating element. The support element may be a shaft having two modes of elastic deformation upon vibration or a torsional spring which undergoes deformation upon vibration. Vibrations received by the vibrating element are applied to the scanning element by the support element to cause optical scanning movement by the scanning element.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi C/O Omron Corporation Goto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:58
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/101; G02B7/00; G02B7/18; G02B7/182; G02B7/1821
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
An optical scanner comprising: a scanning element; a mirror surface provided on said scanning element; a support element for freely supporting at one end thereof said scanning element, said support element being capable of flexure; a vibrating element provided on another end of said support element; and a drive source for inducing vibrations in said vibrating element, whereby vibration of said vibrating element produces elastic deformation of said support element and consequent scanning movement of said scanning element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
An optical scanner comprising: a scanning element; a mirror surface provided on said scanning element; a support element for freely supporting at one end thereof said scanning element, said support element being capable of flexure; a vibrating element provided on another end of said support element; and a drive source for inducing vibrations in said vibrating element, whereby vibration of said vibrating element produces elastic deformation of said support element and consequent scanning movement of said scanning element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
An optical scanner as in claim 1, wherein said support element is a shaft having at least two modes of elastic deformation and said drive source is capable of inducing oscillations in said vibrating element of a resonant frequency corresponding to each mode of elastic deformation of said shaft, said scanning element being rotated in at last two directions by the elastic vibrations of said deformable shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical scanner as in claim 2, wherein said drive source comprises means for generating a plurality of oscillating frequencies means for selecting at least one of said frequencies; and an actuator connected to receive the selected frequencies for vibrating said vibrating element at said selected frequencies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical scanner as in claim 3 wherein said drive source further comprises means for altering the amplitude of the selected frequencies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical scanner as in claim 2, wherein said vibrating element, shaft and scanning element are integrally formed as a flat plate-like member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
An optical scanner as in claim 6, wherein said scanning element includes a weight to provide said scanning element with an imbalance with respect to a center of balance of said deformable shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical scanner as in claim 2, wherein said at least two modes of elastic deformation include a twisting mode about said shaft axis and a bending mode in which said shaft bends lengthwise along its axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical scanner as in claim 6, wherein said flat plate-like member is a thin plate formed from at least one of a silicon and a glass wafer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical scanner as in claim 8, wherein said mirror surface is provided as an etching of said thin plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical scanner as in claim 1 wherein said drive source includes, as an actuator for inducing vibrations in said vibrating element, at least one of a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic element and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
An optical scanner as in claim 7, wherein said drive source comprises a first oscillator which outputs a signal of a first frequency substantially equal to a resonant frequency of said twisting mode; a second oscillator which outputs a signal of a second frequency substantially equal to a resonant frequency of said bending mode; means for amplifying the output of said first and second oscillators; means for selecting at least one amplified output of at least one of said oscillators; and an actuator for receiving the at least one amplified output from the selecting means, said actuator vibrating said vibrating element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical scanner as in claim 11, wherein said actuator is selected from the group consisting of: a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic element, and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical scanner as in claim 11, wherein said selecting means is capable of selecting amplified outputs from both of said oscillators which are applied to said actuator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
An optical scanner as in claim 7, wherein said drive source comprises: a voltage setting unit for setting a voltage to select a desired vibration frequency, said desired vibration frequency being one which is substantially equal to at least one of a resonant frequency of said twisting mode and a resonant frequency of said bending mode; a voltage to frequency converter connected to an output of said voltage setting unit; an amplifier connected to an output of said converter; and, an actuator connected to an output of said amplifier, said actuator vibrating said vibrating element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical scanner as in claim 11, wherein said amplifying means is a variable gain amplifying means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical scanner as in claim 14, wherein said amplifier is a variable gain amplifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
120 words
An optical device for creating an image on a medium comprising: an optical light source providing a writing light beam; a medium for receiving said writing light beam to create an image; and an optical scanner for causing said writing light beam from said light source to be scanned on said medium, said optical scanner comprising: a scanning element; a support element for freely supporting above end thereof said scanning element, said support element being capable of flexure; a vibrating element provided on another end of said support element; and a drive source for inducing oscillation in said vibrating element, whereby vibration of said vibrating element produced deformation of said support element and consequent scanning movement of said scanning element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
An optical device for creating an image on a medium comprising: an optical light source providing a writing light beam; a medium for receiving said writing light beam to create an image; and an optical scanner for causing said writing light beam from said light source to be scanned on said medium, said optical scanner comprising: a scanning element; a support element for freely supporting above end thereof said scanning element, said support element being capable of flexure; a vibrating element provided on another end of said support element; and a drive source for inducing oscillation in said vibrating element, whereby vibration of said vibrating element produced deformation of said support element and consequent scanning movement of said scanning element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
An optical device as in claim 17 wherein said support element is a shaft having at least two modes of elastic deformation and said drive source is capable of inducing oscillations in said vibrating element of a resonant frequency corresponding to each mode of elastic deformation of said shaft, said scanning element being rotated in at last two directions by the elastic vibrations of said deformable shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical device as in claim 18, wherein said drive source comprises means for generating a plurality of oscillating frequencies, means for selecting at least one of said frequencies; and an actuator connected to receive the selected frequencies for vibrating said vibrating element at said selected frequencies.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical device as in claim 19, wherein said drive source further comprises means for altering the amplitude of the selected frequencies.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical device as in claim 18, wherein said vibrating element, shaft and scanning element are integrally formed as a flat plate-like member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
An optical device as in claim 21, wherein said scanning element includes a weight to provide said scanning element with an imbalance with respect to a center of balance of said deformable shaft.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical device as in claim 18, wherein said at least two modes of elastic deformation include a twisting mode about said shaft axis and a bending mode in which said shaft bends lengthwise along its axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical device as in claim 21, wherein said flat plate-like member is a thin plate formed from at least one of a silicon and a glass wafer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical device as in claim 24, wherein said mirror surface is provided as an etching of said thin plate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical device as in claim 17, wherein said drive source includes, as an actuator for inducing vibrations in said vibrating element, at least one of a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic element and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
101 words
An optical device as in claim 23, wherein said drive source comprises a first oscillator which outputs a signal of a first frequency substantially equal to a resonant frequency of said twisting mode; a second oscillator which outputs a signal of a second frequency substantially equal to a resonant frequency of said bending mode; means for amplifying the output of said first and second oscillators; means for selecting at least one amplified output of at least one of said oscillators; and an actuator for receiving the at least one amplified output from the selecting means, said actuator vibrating said vibrating element.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical device as in claim 27, wherein said actuator is selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic element, and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical device as in claim 28, wherein said selecting means is capable of selecting amplified outputs from both of said oscillators which are applied to said actuator.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
95 words
An optical device as in claim 23, wherein said drive source comprises: a voltage setting unit for setting a voltage to select a desired vibration frequency, said desired vibration frequency being one which is substantially equal to at least one of a resonant frequency of said twisting mode and a resonant frequency of said bending mode; a voltage to frequency converter connected to an output of said voltage setting unit; an amplifier connected to an output of said converter; and, an actuator connected to an output of said amplifier, said actuator vibrating said vibrating element.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical device as in claim 27, wherein said amplifying means is a variable gain amplifying means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical device as in claim 30, wherein said amplifier is a variable gain amplifier.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
72 words
An optical scanner as in claim 1, wherein said support element is a torsional spring to which torque can be applied by said vibrating element; said scanning element being attached to and supported by one end of the torsional spring to receive the torque, with its center of gravity being separate from the rotational axis of the torsional spring, the vibrating element being mounted on the other end of the torsional spring.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical scanner as in claim 33, wherein the scanning element, torsional spring and vibrating element are integrally formed as a flat plate-like member.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
An optical scanner as in claim 34, wherein said scanning element includes a weight to provide said scanning element with an imbalance with respect to the center of balance of said torsional spring.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical scanner as in claim 35, wherein said flat plate-like member is a thin plate formed from at least one of a silicon and a glass wafer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical scanner as in claim 36, wherein said mirror surface is provided as an etching of said thin plate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical scanner as in claim 33, wherein said torsional spring has a characteristic frequency at which it torsionally deforms, and said drive source induces vibration in said vibrating element at said characteristic frequency.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical scanner as in claim 38, wherein said drive source comprises an oscillator for supplying said characteristic frequency, an amplifier connected to the output of said oscillator, and an activator connected to the output of said amplifier.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical scanner as in claim 39, wherein said actuator is selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric element, and electrostatic element, and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical scanner as in claim 39, further comprising means for altering said oscillator output frequency.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical scanner as in claim 39, further comprising means for altering the gain of said amplifier.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
71 words
An optical device as in claim 17, wherein said support element is a torsional spring to which torque can be applied by said vibrating element,said scanning element being attached to and supported by one end of the torsional spring to receive the torque, with its center of gravity being separate from the rotational axis of the torsional spring, the vibrating element being mounted on the other end of the torsional spring.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical device as in claim 43, wherein the scanning element, torsional spring and vibrating element are formed as a flat plate-like member.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
33 words
An optical device as in claim 44, wherein said scanning element includes a weight to provide said scanning element with an imbalance with respect to the center of balance of said torsional spring.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical device as in claim 45, wherein said flat plate-like member is a thin plate formed from at least one of a silicon and a glass wafer.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical device as in claim 46, wherein said mirror surface is provided as an etching of said thin plate.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical device as in claim 43, wherein said torsional spring has a characteristic frequency at which it torsionally deforms and said drive source induces vibration in said vibrating element at said characteristic frequency.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical device as in claim 48, wherein said drive source comprises an oscillator for supplying said characteristic frequency, an amplifier connected to the output of said oscillator, and an actuator connected to the output of said amplifier.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical device as in claim 49, wherein said actuator is selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic element, and a magnetostrictive element.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical device as in claim 49, further comprising means for altering said oscillator frequency.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical device as in claim 49, further comprising means for altering the gain of said amplifier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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