Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Tsuyoshi Hashiguchi

Jun Nakagawa

Shuichi Suzuki

Goichi Akanuma

Atsushi Sakai

Koichiro Nakamura

Hideaki Hirai

Takeshi Nanjyo

Yasuhiro Satoh

Tomofumi Kitazawa

Mizuki Shinkawa

Kazuhiko Tsukamoto

Toshihiro Yamashiro

Eri Watanabe

A movable device includes a reflector; a movable section including the reflector; a first drive section connected to the movable section, the first drive section configured to drive the movable section; a first support connected to the first drive section to support the first drive section; and two adjusters disposed symmetrically with respect to the reflector.

Movable device, image projection apparatus, heads-up display, laser headlamp, head-mounted display, object recognition device, and vehicle

An optical scanning apparatus, an image projecting apparatus, and a mobile object. The optical scanning apparatus includes a light source to emit light, a light deflector to deflect the light emitted from the light source at least in a sub-scanning direction to perform optical scanning on a scan region, a light receiver to receive, within a predetermined range in the sub-scanning direction, the light used for optical scanning performed by the light deflector, and a controller to control the light deflector based on a number of times of light reception of the light receiver at a plurality of positions in the sub-scanning direction within the predetermined range. The image projecting apparatus includes the optical scanning apparatus, and a projection optical system configured to project light emitted from the optical scanning apparatus to the scan region.

Optical scanning apparatus, image projecting apparatus, and mobile object

A rotating apparatus includes a folded back elastically deformable portion including a first piezoelectric element for deforming a first elastically deformable portion and a second piezoelectric element for deforming a second elastically deformable portion, and the rotating apparatus rotates a movable portion around a predetermined rotation axis, by respectively applying first and second driving voltage signals to the first and second piezoelectric elements, to deform the first and second elastically deformable portions. First and second connection positions have a relationship of being relatively the same or symmetrical across all folded back structures. The first connection position is where a signal line of the first driving voltage signal and the first piezoelectric element are connected, and the second connection position is where a signal line of the second driving voltage signal and the second piezoelectric element are connected.

Rotating apparatus, optical scanning apparatus, and image display apparatus

An optical deflector is used for optically scanning a target surface. The optical deflector includes: a mirror device configured to include a mirror capable of oscillating; and a casing configured to include a window unit for facing the mirror device, and to accommodate the mirror device. The window unit has a transmissive reflection structure in which part of an incident beam is caused to transmit through the window unit toward the mirror, and at least part of a remainder of the incident beam is reflected by the window unit to a direction separated from an optical deflection range that is deflected by the mirror device, and the transmissive reflection structure includes a diffraction grating provided on one of a front surface and a back surface of the window unit.

Optical deflector, image displaying apparatus, and object apparatus

A control unit to control a movement of a reflector includes a drive signal output unit to apply a drive voltage having a minimum value and a maximum value in one cycle to a piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element, the deformation of the piezoelectric element causing the reflector to move, and circuitry to control the drive voltage to have the minimum value greater than a zero voltage by a given difference value.

Control unit, optical deflection system, image projection apparatus, and control method

A light deflector is provided including a mirror unit having a light reflection plane, a movable frame to support the mirror unit, a support frame disposed to surround the movable frame, a pair of serpentine beams each disposed between the movable frame and the support frame on both sides of the movable frame to form a turning shape, each of the serpentine beams having one end attached to the support frame, and another end attached to the movable frame, and a vibration damper provided on a portion that moves due to deformation of the serpentine beams caused by application of voltage being transferred.

Light deflector, two-dimensional image display apparatus, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus

An optical deflecting device includes a mirror having a reflecting surface and a support unit to support the mirror. The support unit includes a first drive unit. The first drive unit includes a plurality of continuously meandering first beams and a plurality of first piezoelectric members respectively provided to the plurality of first beams to swing the mirror around a first axis to deflect light incident on the reflecting surface of the mirror. Two voltages having non-similar waveforms are respectively applied in parallel to each two of the first piezoelectric members respectively provided to adjacent two of the first beams.

Optical deflection device, apparatus including the same, and method of controlling optical deflecting device

A multibeam deflector includes a plurality of optical deflection devices formed on a single substrate and an output optical system. Each of the optical deflection devices includes a slab optical waveguide formed by a material having an electro-optic effect. The output optical system is configured to separate beams output from the optical deflection devices from each other.

Multibeam deflector for separating beams output from optical deflection devices

An optical device includes a phase modulation element having an optical waveguide part and electrodes, the optical waveguide part being configured such that a laser light beam emitted by a laser light source is inputted to the optical waveguide part and having an optical waveguide layer formed of an electro-optic material, the electrodes being provided on respective sides of the optical waveguide part to apply a voltage to the optical waveguide layer, the phase modulation element being configured to modulate a phase of the laser light beam by using a refraction index modulation region formed in the optical waveguide layer when a voltage is applied to the optical waveguide layer through the electrodes, and a pump light source configured to irradiate at least the refraction index modulation region of the optical waveguide layer with a pump light beam.

Optical device, optical deflection device, and optical modulation device

An optical scanner includes a light source, an optical splitter which splits light from the light source into a plurality of light beams, an input optical element on which the light beams split by the optical splitter are incident, a driver which generates a voltage signal, an optical deflector which comprises at least two deflector portions formed close to each other on a same substrate and individually supplied with an electric action of the driver so as to capture and deflect the incident light beams using the electric action, and an output optical element which emits the deflected light beams to an image plane, wherein the optical scanner is configured to scan the image plane with the light beams by adjusting the voltage signal of the driver.

Optical scanner

An optical element for resonating and reflecting incident light having a wavelength includes a periodic structure formed of protrusions and recessions. A period of the periodic structure is equal to or less than the wavelength of the incident light. The incident light having the wavelength is resonated and reflected by a resonance caused between the incident light and the protrusions and recessions. Widths of the protrusions are spatially changed.

Optical element, refractive index sensor, refractive index sensor array, and biosensor

An optical switching element includes a resonant reflection element and a driving unit. The resonant reflection element has a thickness portion functioning as a waveguide layer, with one surface in a thickness direction functioning as a total reflection surface and the other surface having formed thereon a fine periodic structure with fine asperities, the resonant reflection element resonant-reflecting light that is incident from the other surface and has a specific wavelength component. The driving unit varies a resonant wavelength of resonant reflection by varying at least one of a shape and a refractive index of the resonant reflection element.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Tsuyoshi Hashiguchi