The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 2008
Filed:
May. 03, 2002
John W. Orcutt, Richardson, TX (US);
John W. Orcutt, Richardson, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A device such as a mirror assembly comprises a movable structure () having a first movable portion () hinged to a frame portion () by a first pair of torsional hinges (A andB) spaced apart along a first axis (). The device may also have a second movable portion () and a second pivot axis provided by set of torsional hinge (A andB). The movable structure or mirror assembly () having a first coefficient of expansion is attached to a support structure () having a different coefficient of expansion at a single attaching or anchor point () such as by epoxy or a clamp (). The single attaching point () allows expansion and/or contraction along two dimensions and thereby prevents compression and/or tension forces resulting from different coefficients of expansion between the mirror assemblyand the support structurefrom being applied to the torsional hingesA,B,A andB. One embodiment of the invention also includes a biasing member or finger () which bears against the frame portionof mirror assemblyto prevent vibrations in the third dimension.