MEMS Oscillator Having A Combined Drive Coil

Abstract

A MEMS oscillator, such as a MEMS scanner, has an improved and simplified drive scheme and structure. Drive impulses may be transmitted to an oscillating mass via torque through the support arms. For multi-axis oscillators drive signals for two or more axes may be superimposed by a driver circuit and transmitted to the MEMS oscillator. The oscillator responds in each axis according to its resonance frequency in that axis. The oscillator may be driven resonantly in some or all axes. Improved load distribution results in reduced deformation. A simplified structure offers multi-axis oscillation using a single moving body. Another structure directly drives a plurality of moving bodies. Another structure eliminates actuators from one or more moving bodies, those bodies being driven by their support arms.

1 - 58 . (canceled) 
   
   
       65 . A MEMS oscillator, comprising:
 a gimbal;   a scan plate disposed within gimbal;   a first torsion arm to couple the scan plate to the gimbal generally along a first axis;   a support frame, wherein the gimbal is disposed within the support frame;   a second torsion arm to couple the gimbal to the support frame generally along a second axis; and   a combined drive coil for driving the scan plate and the gimbal via a drive signal, wherein the scan plate oscillates within the gimbal about the first axis in response to a first component of the drive signal, and the gimbal oscillates about the second axis generally orthogonal to the first axis in response to a second component of the drive signal, to cause the scan plate to move in a two-dimensional oscillation pattern in response to the drive signal.   
   
   
       66 . A MEMS oscillator as claimed in  claim 65 , further comprising a torque distribution member configured to distribute torque loads from the first torsion to substantially across a lateral extent of the scan plate. 
   
   
       67 . A MEMS oscillator as claimed in  claim 66 , wherein the torque distribution member imposes a controlled dynamic deformation on the scan plate during oscillation to maintain a reduced flatness of a central portion of the scan plate during oscillation. 
   
   
       68 . A MEMS oscillator of claim  64 , wherein;
 the scan plate is coupled to receive the first component of the drive signal at its resonance frequency through the first torsion arm; and   the scan plate is positioned to oscillate at its resonance frequency.   
   
   
       69 . The MEMS oscillator of claim  64 , wherein the combined drive coil is positioned to directly drive the gimbal. 
   
   
       70 . The MEMS oscillator of claim  64 , wherein the first torsion arm comprises two torsion arms. 
   
   
       71 . The MEMS oscillator of claim  64 , wherein the second torsion arm comprises two torsion arms. 
   
   
       72 . The MEMS oscillator of claim  64 , wherein the axis of rotation defined by the second torsion arm is transverse to the axis of rotation defined by the first torsion arm.