Claims
- 1. An optical positioning device, comprising
an actuator for generating a mechanical movement, a moveable optical component, and a unitary assembly having,
a first connection to an actuator, a second connection to the optical component, and a third connection to a support housing, the unitary assembly imparting motion to the optical element relative to the support housing, in response to motion of the actuator.
- 2. An optical positioning device as in claim 1, wherein
the motion of the optical element causes steering of an optical beam.
- 3. An optical positioning device as in claim 1, wherein
the motion of the optical element causes formation and steering of an optical beam.
- 4. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the optical component includes a component selected from the group consisting of a fiber, a lens, a mirror, a collimator, a prism, a filter, and a grating.
- 5. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the unitary assembly comprises a compliant coupling between any combination of components selected from the group consisting of the actuator, the optical component, and support housing.
- 6. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the actuator includes an actuator selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric actuator, an electrostrictive actuator, a magnetostrictive actuator, an electrostatic actuator, a thermal actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, a shape memory alloy, and an electroactive polymer.
- 7. An optical positioning device according to claim 2, wherein
the unitary assembly includes a compliant coupling selected from the group consisting a bending flexure, a torsional flexure, an annular flexure, a membrane, a lever arm, a rigid link, and a gimbal.
- 8. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, further comprising a stroke amplifier for amplifying the mechanical movement generated by the actuator.
- 9. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the unitary assembly comprises a plurality of lever arms.
- 10. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the unitary assembly is formed from at least one layer.
- 11. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the unitary assembly is formed of a substrate.
- 12. An optical positioning device according to claim 1, wherein
the unitary assembly comprises at least one microfabricated element.
- 13. An optical switch with an optical positioning device, the optical positioning device comprising
an actuator for generating a mechanical movement, a moveable optical component, and a unitary assembly having,
a first connection to an actuator, a second connection to the optical component, and a third connection to a support housing, the unitary assembly imparting motion to the optical element relative to the support housing, in response to motion of the actuator.
- 14. An optical positioning device of the type that employs an actuator for moving an optical component, comprising
a unitary assembly having,
a first connection to an actuator, a second connection to the optical component, and a third connection to a support housing, the unitary assembly imparting motion to the optical element relative to the support housing, in response to motion of the actuator.
- 15. A unitary assembly for use in an optical positioning device that employs an actuator for moving an optical component, comprising
a first connection to an actuator, a second connection to the optical component, and a third connection to a support housing, the unitary assembly imparting motion to the optical element relative to the support housing, in response to motion of the actuator.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO OTHER PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Applications No. 60/326,775 and 60/326,780, having a common filing date of Oct. 3, 2001, and of U.S. provisional Applications entitled “Design and Fabrication of MEMS Assembly for Motion Transformation”, “Method and Apparatus for Switching or Attenuating Optical Signals”, and “Method and Apparatus for Positioning Optical Elements”, naming Nesbitt W. Hagood et al. as inventors and having a common filing date of Mar. 18, 2002, and U.S. Pat. App. 10/190,198, filed on July 5, 2002, entitled “Beam-Steering Optical Switching Apparatus”, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60326775 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
|
60326780 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10190198 |
Jul 2002 |
US |
Child |
10847984 |
May 2004 |
US |