Patents Examined by Euncha P. Cherry
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Patent number: 11163152Abstract: An actuator element of a MEMS device on a substrate is provided to create large, out-of-plane deflection. The actuator element includes a metallic layer having a first portion contacting the substrate and a second portion having an end proximal to the first portion. A distal end is cantilevered over the substrate. A first insulating layer contacts the metallic layer on a bottom contacting surface of the second cantilevered portion from the proximal to the distal end. A second insulating layer contacts the metallic layer on a portion of a top contacting surface at the distal end. The second portion of the metallic layer is prestressed. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the first and second insulating layers is different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the metallic layer. And, a Young's modulus of the first and second insulating layer is different than a Young's modulus of the metallic layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: LaVern A Starman, John P K Walton, David Torres Reyes
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Patent number: 11150464Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror part having a mirror surface configured to reflect light, N support cantilevers supporting the mirror part swingably, N drive cantilevers, and a plurality of driving piezoelectric elements secured on N drive cantilevers. The mirror part precesses by setting the frequency of AC voltage applied to each of a plurality of piezoelectric elements to a determined common value and setting the phase of AC voltage applied to each of a plurality of piezoelectric elements to a value determined according to the position of each piezoelectric element.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki Hirata, Nobuaki Konno, Takahiko Ito, Kozo Ishida, Yoshitaka Kajiyama
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Patent number: 11150439Abstract: An optomechanical device having an interface that is mounted to another interface wherein the two interfaces are made of materials having the same or similar coefficients of thermal expansion and within the optomechanical device is an interface that is designed to compensate for the second mechanical component that is made of materials having the same or similar coefficients of thermal expansion as the optic or photonic device or instrument being held or controlled altogether with a fully constrained set of slip planes making for an optical mechanical device consisting of two or more materials that have coefficients of thermal expansion that are suitably matched to the materials it is being mounted to and the materials it is holding or controlling.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2019Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventor: Brett D'Alessio
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Patent number: 11143862Abstract: An exposure device that draws a pattern on a substrate by shining a beam from a light source device on substrate and scanning the beam in a main scanning direction while varying the intensity of beam according to pattern information, including: a scanning unit having a beam scanning unit that includes a polygonal mirror whereby the beam is oriented to scan the beam, and light detector for photoelectric detection of reflected light generated when beam is shined on substrate; an electro-optical element for controlling the beam's intensity modulation according to pattern information such that at least part of second pattern to be newly drawn is drawn on top of at least part of first pattern formed on substrate; and a measurement unit measuring relative positional relationship between the first and second pattern on the basis of a detection signal output by the detector while second pattern is drawn on substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki Kito, Masakazu Hori, Yosuke Hayashida, Masaki Kato
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Patent number: 11143859Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a mirror supporting portion having a mirror on a front surface, an actuator configured to driving the mirror supporting portion, a fixed frame disposed around the mirror supporting portion and the actuator, and at least one rib disposed on a back surface side of the mirror supporting portion or the actuator, wherein the rib includes a straight portion and a contact portion having a width wider than a width of the straight portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Akira Takahashi
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Patent number: 11137595Abstract: A light deflection device includes a reflector; a drive beam supporting the reflector such that the reflector is movable; a supporting section supporting the drive beam; and a piezoelectric drive circuit disposed on the drive beam. The light deflection device further includes circuitry configured to output a first drive-voltage waveform and a second drive-voltage waveform to the piezoelectric drive circuit. The first drive-voltage waveform has a period of a positive slope within one cycle, the period of the positive slope includes a period of a first slope and a period of a second slope different from the first slope. The second drive-voltage waveform has a period of a negative slope within one cycle, and the period of the negative slope includes a period of a third slope and a period of a fourth slope different from the third slope.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akitoshi Mochida, Tomohiko Kamatani
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Patent number: 11137594Abstract: There is provided an irradiation apparatus 1 including a laser light source 6, a light deflector 7, and a control unit 8. The light deflector 7 has a piezoelectric actuator 74 that include a plurality of piezoelectric cantilevers 79 in a meandering pattern arrangement. In the control unit 8, the driving voltage control unit 14 stops supplying a driving voltage to some piezoelectric cantilevers 79 when a designated drawing area designated by the drawing area designating unit 15 is an upper drawing area Fu and a lower drawing area Fd that are partial drawing areas.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Makoto Sakurai, Mamoru Miyachi
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Patent number: 11117521Abstract: A rear view assembly for a rear view device of a vehicle includes a rear view element, a carrier plate for the rear view element, and a heating and lighting unit arranged between the rear view element and the carrier plate. The heating and lighting unit may include a light module including a printed circuit board having at least one LED and having no power stripes, and a heater pad. The heater pad may include a circuit or printed circuit board, at least one recess or at least one transparent window, and first contacts or contact elements for contacting a printed circuit board of the light module.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: SMR Patents S.à.r.l.Inventors: Andrew Brian Little, Gottfried Sailer, Andreas Hermann, Douglas Wilson, Anthony D'Andreas, Bernd Sülzle
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Patent number: 11112598Abstract: An exposure device that draws a pattern on a substrate by shining a beam from a light source device on substrate and scanning the beam in a main scanning direction while varying the intensity of beam according to pattern information, including: a scanning unit having a beam scanning unit that includes a polygonal mirror whereby the beam is oriented to scan the beam, and light detector for photoelectric detection of reflected light generated when beam is shined on substrate; an electro-optical element for controlling the beam's intensity modulation according to pattern information such that at least part of second pattern to be newly drawn is drawn on top of at least part of first pattern formed on substrate; and a measurement unit measuring relative positional relationship between the first and second pattern on the basis of a detection signal output by the detector while second pattern is drawn on substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki Kito, Masakazu Hori, Yosuke Hayashida, Masaki Kato
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Patent number: 11104274Abstract: The invention relates to a mirror assembly (1) for a vehicle, comprising a housing having a first housing portion (12); a second housing portion (14), which is removably connected to the first housing portion (12) to define a recess therebetween; and a mirror mounted within the housing. A flexible engagement member (30) is provided between the first housing portion (12) and the second housing portion, the flexible engagement member (30) extending along at least a portion of an interface (18) between the first and the second housing portions. The flexible engagement member (30) comprises a first member portion first member portion (40) which extends inside the housing recess and which is releasably connected to at least one portion of the housing, and an second member portion (32) which extends from first member portion (40) to at least an outer surface of the housing (10).Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2016Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATIONInventor: Paolo Ballarin
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Patent number: 11096562Abstract: An optical fiber scanning system includes: an optical fiber with a magnet; four drive coils configured to apply a drive magnetic field generated using a drive power signal to the magnet; four detection coils configured to output a detection signal in response to variation of a magnetic field; a controller configured to perform feedback control of the drive power signal; a signal output circuit configured to output a drive signal; a voltage-current conversion circuit configured to convert the drive signal to the drive power signal; and a correction circuit configured to output a magnet magnetic field signal by removing the drive magnetic field signal from the detection signal, and the controller controls the signal output circuit based on the magnet magnetic field signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Tosaka, Masanori Ogata
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Patent number: 11086122Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes a body of semiconductor material, which forms a cavity, a mobile structure, and an actuation structure. The actuation structure includes at least one first deformable element which faces the cavity and is mechanically coupled to the body and to the mobile structure, and a piezoelectric-actuation system which can be controlled so as to deform the first deformable element and cause a consequent rotation of the mobile structure. The mobile structure includes a supporting region and at least one first pillar region, the first pillar region being mechanically coupled to the first deformable element, the supporting region being set on the first pillar region and overlying at least part of the first deformable element.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli, Nicolo′ Boni
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Patent number: 11079568Abstract: A payload module (1) of a stratospheric drone including: a casing (10), and a piece of optical equipment (20) comprising an optical axis, mounted in the casing, wherein the module being includes a mirror (40) positioned on the optical axis facing the optical equipment, the mirror being swivelable about at least one axis, within an angular range, wherein the casing has a through-opening (11) shaped so that any light ray received or emitted by the optical equipment parallel to the optical axis and reflected by the mirror passes through the through-opening, over the entire angular range of the mirror.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2018Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SASInventors: Pierre-Luc Georgy, Pere Roca
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Patent number: 11079592Abstract: The present invention relates to a device 3 for protecting an optical sensor 13 for an automotive vehicle that is intended to be attached to the optical sensor, characterized in that the device includes:—a transparent optical element 9 exhibiting rotational symmetry and being rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, configured to be positioned upstream of the optical sensor 13 so that the axis of rotation of the optical element 9 is merged with the optical axis 15 of the optical sensor 13; and—an actuator 5 that is coupled to the optical element 9 so as to rotate the optical element 9 in order to allow soiling to be removed by a centrifugal effect.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2017Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'EssuyageInventors: Frédéric Bretagnol, Giuseppe Grasso, Grégory Kolanowski, Marcel Trebouet
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Patent number: 11067800Abstract: Provided is an image display device including an optical scanner configured to scan light emitted from a light source, a parallel light generator configured to generate the scanned light as parallel light, a prism configured to refract the parallel light, and a light direction changer including a plurality of points whereon the parallel light refracted by the prism is incident and configured to reflect or diffract the parallel light and change a traveling direction of the parallel light, wherein the prism is provided on a path of each light traveling from the optical scanner to the light direction changer to adjust an optical path difference of parallel light incident on each of the plurality of points of the light direction changer.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Katsutoshi Sasaki
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Patent number: 11054719Abstract: A privacy shutter selectively covers and exposes a camera lens on a computer device. The privacy shutter has a frame with an aperture and a screen carried by the frame and slidable in the aperture. The screen moves between open and closed positions. A fingertip grip has a low-profile dome coupled to the screen.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Handstands Promo, LLCInventors: Brandon VanTassell, Stefan Leimer, Jason Fogg
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Patent number: 11054720Abstract: A lens cover selectively covers and exposes a camera lens on a mobile device, such as a cellular phone, laptop or tablet. The lens cover can be adhered to the mobile device. The lens cover has a slider that slides between an open position and a closed position. Indicium is disposed on the exposed face of the slider that is indicative of or representing a business, a product, or both. The base and the slider have perimeters with a length less than approximately 20 mm and a height less than or equal to 8 mm, and/or a ratio of approximately 19:8.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Handstands Promo, LLCInventor: Jason Fogg
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Patent number: 11042029Abstract: A display device includes a light source unit, a light deflector configured to deflect light from the light source unit, an optical element array configured to be two-dimensionally scanned in a main-scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction with light via the light deflector 15, the optical element array having a plurality of optical elements, and a light projecting unit configured to project light received via the optical element array. In the display device, each of a beam spot diameter in the sub-scanning direction on the optical element array and an arrangement pitch of the optical elements in the sub-scanning direction on the optical element array is equal to or greater than a scanning line pitch on the optical element array.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Tanabe, Yumiko Kishi, Makoto Inamoto
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Patent number: 11029503Abstract: An optical system mount arrangement includes a stop, a mount for an optical element, and an electromagnet. The mount has a first position and a second position, the mount abutting the stop in the first position and the mount spaced apart from the stop in the second position. The electromagnet is fixed relative to the stop and is arranged to exert a holding force when the mount is in the first position. Optical systems, vehicles carrying optical systems, and methods moving optical elements in optical systems are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Goodrich CorporationInventors: Davis Lange, Luke N. Asselin, Christopher William Helmke
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Patent number: 11029511Abstract: There is presented an optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprising a support structure (101, 501) with a sidewall (112, 512), a bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) attached to the sidewall (112, 512), one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) arranged for shaping said bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) into a desired shape, wherein said optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprises an optically active area (111, 511) with an optical axis (110, 510), wherein an outer edge (215A-E) of the one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) as observed in a direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a first line, and an inner edge (109) of the support structure (101, 501) at the interface between the support structure (101, 501) and the bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) as observed in the direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a second line, wherein the first line and the second line as observed in the direction being parallel with the optiType: GrantFiled: February 27, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Polight ASAInventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Pierre Craen