Abstract:
A device projecting images by micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology mirrors includes a base, a rotating seat, a substrate, a reflective mirror, a driver, and a controller. The rotating seat is rotably positioned on the base. The substrate is positioned on the rotating seat. The at least one MEMS reflective mirror is formed on the substrate and configured for rotating in two directions under control of the attached driver and controller to form two-dimensional images in a range.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to projectors and particularly to a projector having a micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) rapidscan device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Projectors may use a MEMS-based rapidscan device that has reflective mirrors. The reflective mirrors can be controlled to reflect light beam in two directions, such as horizontally and vertically. As such, the light beams form images on the screen. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a rapidscan device according to an embodiment. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the rapidscan device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the rapidscan device of  FIG. 1  along line III-III. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a planar view of a projector according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” The references “a plurality of” and “a number of” mean “at least two.” 
         [0009]    Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1-3  show a rapidscan device  10  according to an embodiment. The rapidscan device  10  includes a base  100 , a rotating seat  200 , a substrate  300 , a reflective mirror  400 , a driver  500 , and a controller  600 . 
         [0011]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the base  100  includes a first surface  110 , such as an upper surface, and defines a receiving groove  111  in the first surface  110 . The receiving groove  111  includes a first section  111   a,  which may be circular, and a second section  111   b  which may be rectangular. The first section  111   a  is defined in the first surface  110  and the second section  111   b  is defined in a bottom surface of the first section  111   a.  An opening of the first section  111   a  in the first surface  110  is larger than an opening of the second section  111   b  in the bottom surface of the first section  111   a.    
         [0012]    The rotating seat  200  is substantially a circular disk and is substantially identical with the first section  111   a  in shape and size. That is, a diameter and a thickness of the rotating seat  200  are substantially equal to, or slightly smaller than, the respective diameter and depth of the first section  111   a.  The rotating seat  200  includes a second surface  210 , such as a top surface, and a third surface  220 , such as a bottom surface, opposite to the second surface  210  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0013]    The substrate  300  and the reflective mirror  400  are constructed with micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. That is, the substrate  300  can be made of silicon, polymers, metals, or ceramics. Various semiconductor technologies, such as deposition, patterning, photolithography, and etching may be employed on the substrate  300  to form the reflective mirror  400  in the substrate  300 . The reflective mirror  400 , when activated, can rotate relative to the substrate  300  in two orthogonal directions. As such, light reflected by the reflective mirror  400  can be output in two directions, such as vertically and horizontally, to form a two-dimensional image. That is, the reflective mirror  400  can project an image by rapid movement. In this embodiment, the substrate  300  is rectangular and the reflective mirror  400  is circular. 
         [0014]    The driver  500  can be a rotating motor and includes a rotor shaft  510 . The driver  500  is substantially identical with the second section  111   b  in shape and size. That is, a cross-section of the driver  500  except for the rotor shaft  510  is equal to or slightly smaller than a cross-section of the second section. A height of the driver  500  is substantially equal to or slightly larger than a depth of the second section  111   b.  The driver  500  includes a rotor shaft  510  which, when activated, can drive the rotor shaft  510  to rotate. 
         [0015]    In assembly, the rotor shaft  510  is connected to a central portion of the third surface  220 , and the driver  500  is in communication with the controller  600 . Then, the driver  500  and the rotating seat  200  are placed into the receiving groove  111  such that the driver  500  fits and is received in the second section  111   b  and the rotating seat  200  is rotably received in the first section  111   a.  The rotor shaft  510  can slightly protrude out of the first section  111   a.  The second surface  210  is substantially coplanar with the first surface  210 . As such, the rotating seat  200  is rotably received in the receiving groove  111 . 
         [0016]    The substrate  300  is positioned on the second surface  210 . A radial line passing down from a center of the reflective mirror  400  and through a center of the rotating seat  200  is substantially perpendicular to the second surface  210 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a projector  20  according to another embodiment. The projector  20  includes the rapidscan device  10 , a light source  21 , an array of projection lenses  22 , and a screen  23 . 
         [0018]    The light source  21  can be a laser source and can emit a laser beam. The rapidscan device  10 , the array of projection lenses  22 , and the screen  23  are positioned along a light path of the laser beam. 
         [0019]    In operation, the controller  600  controls the driver  500  to rotate the rotating seat  200  until the laser beam can be gathered and reflected by the reflective mirror  400  onto an appropriate range of the screen  23 , through one of the projection lenses  22 , to form images. Then, the driver  500  suspends motion for a stable projection, that is, until positional adjustment of the images on the screen  23  has been carried out. In this case, the controller  600  controls the driver  500  to drive the rotating seat  200  to adjust the range of the images on the screen  23 . 
         [0020]    It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiments thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The above-described embodiments illustrate the possible scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.