High speed small deflection interlace mirror

Claim 2

A scanner comprising first and second plates having a symmetrical configuration relative to each other and a deflection plane orthogonal and through the surfaces of said plates, mounting means positioned in a plane between and parallel to said first and second plates, an array having first and second portions and positioned between said first and second plates and including a plurality of stacks of linear motion transducers arranged substantially symmetrical relative to said deflection plane, each stack having said first and second portions on opposite sides of said mounting mirror, and a source of pulses coupled to said linear motion transducers so that each stack controls movement of an area of each of said plates so that said first and second plates each move around a rotation axis included in said deflection plane.

Claim 3

An oscillating mirror system comprising first and second circular plates of a rigid material positioned with a selected space therebetween, said plates divided into first and second semicircular portions on opposite sides of a neutral plane perpendicular to the surfaces of said plates, a mounting plate positioned between and parallel to said circular plates substantially half way therebetween, first and second groups of stacks of transducer elements positioned between said first and second plates at said first and second portions respectively, said stacks positioned in each group in a preselected pattern symmetrical relative to said neutral plane, each stack having first and second portions positioned on opposite sides of said mounting plate, a source of pulses coupled to the stacks of said first and second groups to apply a first pulse pattern to said first group and a pulse pattern inverted with respect to said first pulse pattern to said second group, whereby said first and second plates are deflected by rotation around an axis through said neutral plane so that sequentially the first end has a substantially greater spacing between said plates than the second end and said second end has a substantially greater spacing between said plates than the first end.

Claim 4

An oscillating mirror system comprising first and second circular plates of a rigid material positioned with a selected space therebetween, said plates divided into first and second semicircular portions on opposite sides of a neutral plane perpendicular to the surfaces of said plates, a mounting plate positioned between and parallel to said circular plates substantially half way therebetween, first and second groups of stacks of transducer elements positioned between said first and second plates at said first and second portions respectively, said stacks positioned in each group in a preselected pattern symmetrical relative to said neutral plane, each stack having first and second portions positioned on opposite sides of said mounting plate, a source of pulses coupled to the stacks of said first and second groups to apply a first pulse pattern to said first group and a pulse pattern inverted with respect to said first pulse pattern to said second group, whereby said first and second plates are deflected by rotation around an axis through said neutral plane so that sequentially the first end has a substantially greater spacing between said plates than the second end and said second end has a substantially greater spacing between said plates than the first end.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 whereby transducer elements energizable by said source of pulses and substantially adjacent to first and second ends are connected in parallel and other transducer elements energizable by said pulses are connected with selected combinations of parallel and series connected transducer elements therebetween.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 whereby said transducer elements are electrostrictive elements and the voltage pulse patterns are symmetrical around a reference voltage with each of said transducers coupled to said reference voltage.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 3 whereby said transducer elements are magnetostrictive elements.

Claim 8

A high speed interlace mirror system for receiving energy from sources on a surface comprising first and second plates of a symmetrical configuration with respect to each other positioned at a predetermined distance apart with at least the surface of said first plate being polished to reflect energy received from said source, said first and second plates having a neutral plane through the center thereof and orthogonal to the surfaces thereof, means for mounting said first and second plates positioned in a mounting plane between and parallel to said first and second plates, a plurality of detectors arranged to receive reflected energy from the surface of said first platE, first and second groups of stacks of electrostrictive transducers positioned in a selected pattern respectively on opposite sides of said neutral plane between said first and second plates, said stacks having transducers therein selectively connected in parallel and in series with stacks arranged in a predetermined pattern symmetrical around said neutral plane, each stack having first and second portions respectively positioned on opposite sides of said mounting plane, a source of voltage pulses coupled to the stacks of said first and second arrays, said source of pulses applying a first pulse pattern to said first array and an inverted pulse pattern to said second array, said first pulse pattern and said inverted pulse pattern each having a plurality of voltage levels to define step positions for interlacing energy from different positions of said surface.

Claim 9

A high speed interlace mirror system for receiving energy from sources on a surface comprising first and second plates of a symmetrical configuration with respect to each other positioned at a predetermined distance apart with at least the surface of said first plate being polished to reflect energy received from said source, said first and second plates having a neutral plane through the center thereof and orthogonal to the surfaces thereof, means for mounting said first and second plates positioned in a mounting plane between and parallel to said first and second plates, a plurality of detectors arranged to receive reflected energy from the surface of said first platE, first and second groups of stacks of electrostrictive transducers positioned in a selected pattern respectively on opposite sides of said neutral plane between said first and second plates, said stacks having transducers therein selectively connected in parallel and in series with stacks arranged in a predetermined pattern symmetrical around said neutral plane, each stack having first and second portions respectively positioned on opposite sides of said mounting plane, a source of voltage pulses coupled to the stacks of said first and second arrays, said source of pulses applying a first pulse pattern to said first array and an inverted pulse pattern to said second array, said first pulse pattern and said inverted pulse pattern each having a plurality of voltage levels to define step positions for interlacing energy from different positions of said surface.

Claim 10

A high speed scan mirror mounted on a support structure comprising first and second plates positioned parallel to each other with the surface of at least one forming a mirror, said plates having a plane therethrough substantially perpendicular to the surfaces thereof, a mounting plate structure positioned parallel to and between said first and second plates and attached to said support structure, a plurality of electrically controlled first and second drive motor means respectively positioned between said first plate and a selected position of said mounting plate structure and said second plate and said selected position of said mounting plate structure adjacent to a selected area of both plates, so that each corresponding first and second motor means applies equal and opposite reactions to said mounting plate structure to cancel the reactions so that relatively small reactions are applied to said support structure.

Claim 11

A high speed scan mirror mounted on a support structure comprising first and second plates positioned parallel to each other with the surface of at least one forming a mirror, said plates having a plane therethrough substantially perpendicular to the surfaces thereof, a mounting plate structure positioned parallel to and between said first and second plates and attached to said support structure, a plurality of electrically controlled first and second drive motor means respectively positioned between said first plate and a selected position of said mounting plate structure and said second plate and said selected position of said mounting plate structure adjacent to a selected area of both plates, so that each corresponding first and second motor means applies equal and opposite reactions to said mounting plate structure to cancel the reactions so that relatively small reactions are applied to said support structure.

Claim 12

A controllable structure comprising first and second plates of a rigid material positioned substantially parallel to each other, a mounting plate positioned parallel to and between said first and second plates, an array formed of a plurality of stacks of transducers positioned between said first and second plates with each stack having first and second longitudinal sections having controllable lengths, and each contacting a selected position of said mounting plate each for controlling the distance between said first and second plates and said mounting plate of a selected area of said first and second plates, and a source of control pulses selectively coupled to said stacks of transducers for controlling the lengths of said stacks so that each stack moves its corresponding area of said first and second plates so that said first and second plates move to predetermined relative positions with the corresponding first and second longitudinal section of each stack applying equal and opposite reaction forces to said mounting plate.

Claim 13

A controllable structure comprising first and second plates of a rigid material positioned substantially parallel to each other, a mounting plate positioned parallel to and between said first and second plates, an array formed of a plurality of stacks of transducers positioned between said first and second plates with each stack having first and second longitudinal sections having controllable lengths, and each contacting a selected position of said mounting plate each for controlling the distance between said first and second plates and said mounting plate of a selected area of said first and second plates, and a source of control pulses selectively coupled to said stacks of transducers for controlling the lengths of said stacks so that each stack moves its corresponding area of said first and second plates so that said first and second plates move to predetermined relative positions with the corresponding first and second longitudinal section of each stack applying equal and opposite reaction forces to said mounting plate.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 8 in which said array has first and second halves each corresponding to half of the surfaces of said first and second plates and said source of pulses applies a first pulse pattern to a first half of said array and a second pulse pattern inverted with respect to said first pulse pattern to a second half of said array.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 9 in which the transducers are selectively coupled to said source of pulses in series and in parallel.

Claim 16

A scanner comprising first and second plates having a symmetrical configuration with respect to each other and positioned parallel to each other, at least one of said plates having a reflective surface, a mounting plate positioned equal distance between and substantially parallel to said first and second plates, a support structure coupled to said mounting plate, an array positioned between said first and second plates with a first portion between said first plate and said mounting plate and second portion between said second plate and said mounting plate, the first and second portions of said array formed of a plurality of staCks linear motion transducer elements being individually controllable to vary in length between said first and second plates, said arrays being positioned so that corresponding stacks of said first and second portions contact corresponding portions of said mounting plate, and a source of pulses coupled to the first and second portions of said array for controlling the transducer means so that said first and second plates move with a substantially linear variation of distances between corresponding points and for applying equal and opposite forces to said mounting plate for cancelling said forces and transferring a minimum of forces to said support structure.

Claim 17

A scanner comprising first and second plates having a symmetrical configuration with respect to each other and positioned parallel to each other, at least one of said plates having a reflective surface, a mounting plate positioned equal distance between and substantially parallel to said first and second plates, a support structure coupled to said mounting plate, an array positioned between said first and second plates with a first portion between said first plate and said mounting plate and second portion between said second plate and said mounting plate, the first and second portions of said array formed of a plurality of staCks linear motion transducer elements being individually controllable to vary in length between said first and second plates, said arrays being positioned so that corresponding stacks of said first and second portions contact corresponding portions of said mounting plate, and a source of pulses coupled to the first and second portions of said array for controlling the transducer means so that said first and second plates move with a substantially linear variation of distances between corresponding points and for applying equal and opposite forces to said mounting plate for cancelling said forces and transferring a minimum of forces to said support structure.