Abstract: A microelectromechanical device array apparatus is provided and includes: an device array one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged with devices including a movable portion having movable electrodes and fixed electrodes facing to the movable portion for displacing the movable portion to one of two different positions; and a drive circuit for inclining the movable portion by writing an device-displacing signal to the fixed electrodes and applying a control voltage to the movable electrodes when the device in a first state of controlling to displace the position of the movable portion from one to the other of the two different positions and the device in a second state of controlling to maintain the position of the movable portion at one position of the two different positions, there is brought about a state in which the device in the first state crosses over pull-out and the device in the second state does not cross over the pull-out.

Abstract: An optical scanning probe is provided and includes an optical scanning element which scans a subject with light, and a signal switching section for switching a drive signal for making the optical scanning element perform optical scanning. The optical scanning element includes a movable portion having a micro mirror which is displaced in a first rotating direction and a second rotating direction, and first and second drivers which apply physical acting forces to the movable portion. The signal switching section has a function for switching a driving preparation signal for attracting the movable portion in either the first rotating direction or the second rotating direction into a scanning drive signal for attracting the movable portion in the first rotating direction and the second rotating direction alternately. The maximum voltage of the driving preparation signal is set value to be higher than the maximum voltage of the scanning drive signal.

Abstract: An optical scanning element is provided and includes: a substrate; a first movable section supported on the substrate so as to be capable of rocking displacement about a first axis parallel to a surface of the substrate; a second movable section arranged integrally on the first movable section and supported so as to be capable of rocking displacement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the second movable section having a micro mirror on an upper surface thereof; and a driving section that applies a physical action force on the first movable section and the second movable section so as to cause the micro mirror to perform rocking displacement in two axial directions about the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: An optical scanning probe is provided and includes an optical scanning element which scans a subject with light, and a signal switching section for switching a drive signal for making the optical scanning element perform optical scanning. The optical scanning element includes a movable portion having a micro mirror which is displaced in a first rotating direction and a second rotating direction, and first and second drivers which apply physical acting forces to the movable portion. The signal switching section has a function for switching a driving preparation signal for attracting the movable portion in either the first rotating direction or the second rotating direction into a scanning drive signal for attracting the movable portion in the first rotating direction and the second rotating direction alternately. The maximum voltage of the driving preparation signal is set value to be higher than the maximum voltage of the scanning drive signal.

Abstract: In a microelectromechanical device array including an array of devices arranged at least one of one-dimensionally and two-dimensionally each of which includes a movable portion that is supported to be elastically deformed and that has a movable electrode on at least one part thereof and fixed electrodes that are disposed to face the movable portion and by which the movable portion is moved to one of at least two different positions, hold electrodes are disposed beside the fixed electrodes, and a hold voltage is applied to the hold electrodes and before rewriting an address voltage that is applied to the fixed electrodes so as to fix the position state of the movable portion.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical modulation device comprising: a movable portion, which is supported to be elastically and bi-directionally displaced and which has a modulation function; and a plurality of driving sources operative to apply a physical action force to said movable portion, wherein when said movable portion is displacement-driven in a first direction, a physical action force for suppressing oscillation of said movable portion is applied to said movable portion in a second direction different from the first direction by said drive sources while said movable portion is transited in the first direction.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical systems element array device in which plural micro-electro-mechanical systems elements each having a movable portion are arranged in an array, said movable portion being to be displaced by a physical force which is generated by applying an electric signal to a conductive portion, and each of said micro-electro-mechanical systems elements drives and displaces said movable portion of said micro-electro-mechanical systems element on the basis of a displacement data for said micro-electro-mechanical systems element, wherein said device comprises: an electric signal generating unit as defined herein; a switching unit as defined herein; and a selecting unit as defined herein.

Abstract: A small thin film movable element comprises; a movable portion supported elastically deformably and having a movable electrode at at least a portion of the movable portion; and a fixed electrode arranged to be opposed to the movable portion, wherein the movable portion is displaced by an electrostatic force in accordance with a voltage applied to the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, and wherein the voltage applied in displacing the movable portion falls in a range equal to or lower than a static pull-in voltage for bringing the movable portion into contact with a side of the fixed electrode against a resistance force generated in accordance with an amount of displacing the movable portion and equal to or higher than a minimum dynamic pull-in voltage for bringing the movable portion into contact with the side of the fixed electrode by being compounded with an inertia force generated in accordance with an operation of the movable portion.

Abstract: A method of driving a small electromechanical element, which includes: an elastic portion accumulating an elastic energy by being deformed elastically; a movable portion supported by the elastic portion; and a drive source exerting a physical acting force to maintain the movable portion, is provided. The movable portion is displaced to one normal position, an elastic energy is accumulated to the elastic portion, thereafter, the movable portion is maintained at one normal position by a physical acting force. Further, by releasing the elastic energy by stopping the physical acting force, the movable portion is displaced to other normal position while accumulating again an elastic energy having a polarity reverse to that of the preceding elastic energy and is maintained at other normal position. Thereby, the movable portion is displaced only by the elastic energy accumulated to the elastic portion without depending on the physical acting force from outside.

Abstract: A transition time is a time from a state where a movable portion has been rotationally displaced in the first direction and stopped to a state where driving portions apply the physical action forces to the movable portion to rotationally displace the movable portion in the second direction, which is different from the first direction, and the movable portion reaches a final displacement position. An elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion and the transition time have such a relationship that when the elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion is equal to a certain value, the transition time takes a local maximum value. The elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion is equal to or less than the certain value at which the transition time takes the local maximum value.

Abstract: A transition time is a time from a state where a movable portion has been rotationally displaced in the first direction and stopped to a state where driving portions apply the physical action forces to the movable portion to rotationally displace the movable portion in the second direction, which is different from the first direction, and the movable portion reaches a final displacement position. An elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion and the transition time have such a relationship that when the elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion is equal to a certain value, the transition time takes a local maximum value. The elastic force value of the elastic supporting portion is equal to or less than the certain value at which the transition time takes the local maximum value.

Abstract: A fluid actuator incorporated in a bending section of an electronic endoscope has two fluid chambers and a connecting channel connecting therebetween. The fluid chambers and the connecting channel are filled with a fluid. The fluid chamber includes a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface and to which the connecting channel is connected. The first surface is formed of a stretchy elastic member. A pair of electrodes which elastically deforms in accordance with elastic deformation of the elastic member is attached to the first and second surfaces. Using electrostatic force, generated by the input voltage from a variable power supply, across the electrodes on each fluid chamber, the volumes of the fluid chambers are changed. Thus, the bending section is bent.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical modulating element including a plurality of movable portions as defined herein and a plurality of driving portions as defined herein, wherein a dynamic pull-in voltage defined herein is set to be lower than a hold voltage defined herein, and the driving portion drives the movable portion by a drive voltage greater than or equal to the hold voltage and the drive voltage is less than or equal to 10 V.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical systems element array device in which plural micro-electro-mechanical systems elements each having a movable portion are arranged in an array, said movable portion being to be displaced by a physical force which is generated by applying an electric signal to a conductive portion, and each of said micro-electro-mechanical systems elements drives and displaces said movable portion of said micro-electro-mechanical systems element on the basis of a displacement data for said micro-electro-mechanical systems element, wherein said device comprises: an electric signal generating unit as defined herein; a switching unit as defined herein; and a selecting unit as defined herein.

Abstract: A small thin film movable element comprises; a movable portion supported elastically deformably and having a movable electrode at at least a portion of the movable portion; and a fixed electrode arranged to be opposed to the movable portion, wherein the movable portion is displaced by an electrostatic force in accordance with a voltage applied to the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, and wherein the voltage applied in displacing the movable portion falls in a range equal to or lower than a static pull-in voltage for bringing the movable portion into contact with a side of the fixed electrode against a resistance force generated in accordance with an amount of displacing the movable portion and equal to or higher than a minimum dynamic pull-in voltage for bringing the movable portion into contact with the side of the fixed electrode by being compounded with an inertia force generated in accordance with an operation of the movable portion.

Abstract: A method of driving a small electromechanical element, which includes: an elastic portion accumulating an elastic energy by being deformed elastically; a movable portion supported by the elastic portion; and a drive source exerting a physical acting force to maintain the movable portion, is provided. The movable portion is displaced to one normal position, an elastic energy is accumulated to the elastic portion, thereafter, the movable portion is maintained at one normal position by a physical acting force. Further, by releasing the elastic energy by stopping the physical acting force, the movable portion is displaced to other normal position while accumulating again an elastic energy having a polarity reverse to that of the preceding elastic energy and is maintained at other normal position. Thereby, the movable portion is displaced only by the elastic energy accumulated to the elastic portion without depending on the physical acting force from outside.

Abstract: A small thin film-movable element is provided and includes: a movable portion supported elastically deformably and capable of being displaced bidirectionally in one direction and a direction reverse thereto; a first drive source for applying a physical acting force to the movable portion, in which the movable portion produces a modulating or switching function by the first drive source; and a second drive source, which is different from the first drive source, for increasing or reducing an absolute value of the physical acting force to restrain a vibration of the movable portion in driving to displace the movable portion in a first direction by the first drive source.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical device array apparatus is provided and includes: an device array one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged with devices including a movable portion having movable electrodes and fixed electrodes facing to the movable portion for displacing the movable portion to one of two different positions; and a drive circuit for inclining the movable portion by writing an device-displacing signal to the fixed electrodes and applying a control voltage to the movable electrodes when the device in a first state of controlling to displace the position of the movable portion from one to the other of the two different positions and the device in a second state of controlling to maintain the position of the movable portion at one position of the two different positions, there is brought about a state in which the device in the first state crosses over pull-out and the device in the second state does not cross over the pull-out.

Abstract: An optical modulation element array includes: a substrate and optical modulation elements two-dimensionally arranged in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction, and at least a portion of the end of the hinge is disposed in a gap between optical modulation elements next to each other in the first direction, the optical modulation elements next to each other in the first direction is located next to the optical modulation elements having the end of the hinge, in the second direction.

Abstract: In a microelectromechanical device array including an array of devices arranged at least one of one-dimensionally and two-dimensionally each of which includes a movable portion that is supported to be elastically deformed and that has a movable electrode on at least one part thereof and fixed electrodes that are disposed to face the movable portion and by which the movable portion is moved to one of at least two different positions, hold electrodes are disposed beside the fixed electrodes, and a hold voltage is applied to the hold electrodes and before rewriting an address voltage that is applied to the fixed electrodes so as to fix the position state of the movable portion.