Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – With support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-11-13
Spy, Cassandra (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
With support
C359S224200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315423
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to micro-machined three dimensional structures, and in particular to micro-machined movable structures.
Conventional bar code scanners are used to scan a surface with a laser beam. Conventional bar code scanners further typically utilize mirrors that are oscillated to permit the laser beam to scan. Conventional mirrors for bar code scanners are relatively large and imprecise.
In order to manufacture smaller and more precise bar code mirrors, micromachining processes are commonly used in which a silicon substrate is micromachined to produce a mirror. However, conventional micromachining processes suffer from a number of limitations.
For example, in micromachining an initially planar substrate using repeated iterations of photolithographic patterning and etching, it is typically desirable to etch the substrate to achieve etch depth variations that are greater than those appropriate for conventional photolithographic patterning methods used in manufacturing integrated circuits. In some cases, the etch depth variation of the substrate may exceed the depth of focus of the optical lithography equipment. The variation in etch depth may also be sufficiently large to preclude the application of a thin, uniform layer of photoresist using the conventional technique of pouring photoresist onto the substrate and then rapidly spinning the substrate to distribute the photoresist. If photoresist is spun onto a surface having significant topography, then the resulting thickness of the photoresist may vary by more than 1000%. As a result, lithography of fine features in uneven photoresist is difficult because of the overexposure of the thinner photoresist regions. However, in typical micromachining applications, it is typically desirable to subsequently pattern such a substrate having significant topography.
An additional complication arises during micromachining if relatively deep recesses are formed on one side of a substrate and then the other side of the substrate is micromachined. Typical vacuum chucks of conventional automatic wafer handling equipment may not be able to hold such wafers due to the uneven micromachined surface.
In order to overcome some of the difficulties of micromachining, a number of so-called merged-mask micromachining processes have been developed. The typical processing steps in a merged-mask micromachining process include forming all of the etching masks onto the substrate, and then micromachining the substrate. In this manner, the etching masks are formed on a substantially planar surface resulting in relatively consistent and even film thicknesses. However, the conventional merged-mask micromachining processes still suffer from a number of limitations.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations of the existing micromachining processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, a mirror assembly is provided that includes a mirror, a top cap, and a bottom cap. The mirror includes a mirror support structure, a pair of T-shaped hinges coupled to the mirror support structure and a mirrored plate coupled to the T-shaped hinges. The mirrored plate includes one or more travel stops for limiting movement of the mirrored plate. The top cap is coupled to one side of the mirror. The top cap includes a top cap support structure that includes an opening for permitting light to reflect off of the mirrored plate and one or more travel stops coupled to the top cap support structure for limiting movement of the mirrored plate. The bottom cap is coupled to another side of the mirror. The bottom cap includes a bottom cap support structure including an opening and one or more travel stops coupled to the bottom cap support structure for limiting movement of the mirrored plate.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a mirror assembly is provided that includes a support structure, pair of T-shaped hinges coupled to the support structure and a mirrored plate coupled to the T-shaped hinges. The mirrored plate includes one or more travel stops for limiting movement of the mirrored plate.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes one or more T-shaped springs and a mass coupled to the T-shaped spring.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a housing, a mass, and one or more springs for coupling the mass to the housing. Each spring includes a rotational spring constant and a translational spring constant. The rotational spring constant is decoupled from the translational spring constant.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of resiliently supporting a mass in a housing is provided that includes coupling the mass to the housing using one or more springs having translational spring constants and rotational spring constants and decoupling the translational spring constants from the rotational spring constants.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of resiliently supporting a mass in a housing is provided that includes limiting translational movement of the mass in the X, Y and Z directions and limiting rotational movement of the mass.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a housing and a mass resiliently coupled to the housing. The mass includes one or more travel stops for limiting rotational and translational movement of the mass.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a housing including an opening, the opening including one or more cutouts and a reflective surface resiliently coupled to the housing.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of reflecting rays of light is provided that includes providing a reflective surface and providing an optical pathway for accessing the reflective surface including one or more cutouts for minimizing clipping of the incident and reflected light rays.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5583688 (1996-12-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5914801 (1999-06-01), Dhuler et al.
patent: 5999303 (1999-12-01), Drake
patent: 6059188 (2000-05-01), DiFazio
patent: 6102294 (2000-08-01), Swartz et al.
patent: 6128122 (2000-10-01), Drake et al.
Goldberg Howard D.
Ried Robert P.
Schmidt Martin A.
Yu Duli
Yu Lianzhong
Input / Output Inc.
Madan Mossman & Sriram PC
Robinson Mark A.
Spy Cassandra
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