General Scanning, Inc.

Pierre J Brosens

Jean I Montagu

Brian Patrick Stokes

Steven M Burgarella

Stephen O'Dea

Albert K Bukys

Leaf springs suspend a frame within an outer housing of a resonant optical scanner. The leaf springs are substantially perpendicular to the axis of torsional oscillation and to the direction of transverse oscillation of the rotor and, therefore, reduce the transmission of vibrational forces from the scanner to an optical bed.

Resonant optical scanner

A variable-capacitance transducer detects the angular position of a rotatable member. The transducer includes a first capacitance plate having a plurality of electrically conductive capacitance electrodes, a second capacitance plate spaced therefrom, and a dielectric element located between the plates. At least two of the electrodes are interconnected by a conductive trace. The dielectric element or one of the plates is fixedly mounted on the rotatable member. The electrodes on the first capacitance plate, in conjunction with the second capacitance plate, form a plurality of capacitances that vary as the angular position of the rotatable member changes. A conductive guard partially envelopes the conductive trace and a conductive guard partially envelopes the electrodes on the first capacitive plate. A spacer defines the distance between the capacitance plates and has a coefficient of thermal expansion and dimensions that cause the distance between the capacitance plates to vary by an amount calculated to compensate for changes in plate area with temperature. The transducer includes a parasitic capacitor plate having a position that is adjustable to compensate for parasitic capacitance. An electromagnetic shield is constructed and positioned, with respect to a driver that controls the rotatable member, such that the shield tends to prevent electromagnetic radiation from the driver from affecting the capacitances between the capacitance plates.

Variable-capacitance position transducing

A limited rotation motor has a stator and a rotor mounted for limited rotation relative to the stator. The stator is constructed to conduct bias flux through magnetic circuits that extend across air gaps between the stator and the rotor and a drive system produces drive flux which is conducted through magnetic circuits that extend across air gaps between the stator and rotor to drive the rotor. The stability of radial rotor position in its support bearings is enhanced by an imbalance in the bias flux magnetic circuits which continually produces a resultant radial force on the rotor so that a well defined radial position of the rotor is maintained over the range of limited rotation that the rotor moves in response to the drive system.

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Belmont, MA, United States of America

Pierre J Brosens