Patent Description:
In an optical scanning device, a laser light source and a MEMS optical deflector are preferably mounted on the same substrate to achieve miniaturization. However, both the direction of light emission from the laser light source and the rotating mirror of a MEMS optical deflector inconveniently face upward in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, making it difficult to direct the light from a laser element so as to be incident on the rotating mirror of the MEMS optical deflector.

Consequently, in conventional optical scanning devices, the laser light source and the MEMS optical deflector are mounted on separate substrates placed so as to face each other, or the light emitted from the laser light source is guided to the MEMS optical deflector by an optical fiber (e.g., Patent Literature <NUM>).

Meanwhile, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an optical scanning device adapted to display character information on the viewfinder of a camera. In this optical scanning device, a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) and a micromirror are placed on the same substrate, and a mirror that deflects a traveling direction by <NUM>° is provided directly above the VCSEL and the micromirror, and the light emitted upward in the direction perpendicular to the substrate from the VCSEL is reflected by the mirror thereby to be incident on the micromirror on the same substrate. The mirror directly above the micromirror is a half mirror, and the light emitted from the micromirror travels straight without being reflected by the half mirror and is emitted to the outside.

<CIT> discloses a scanner subassembly, having a surface emitting laser emitting toward the top mounted on a substrate, an oscillating micromirror mounted on the substrate and a plastic cap with a reflective element.

<CIT> discloses a laser projector having a surface emitting laser mounted on a substrate, a micro scanner on the substrate, a cover, a dichroic mirror and a prism.

<CIT> discloses a system for laser scanning having a surface emitting laser bonded on a Si substrate and a torsional mirror bonded on the Si substrate, a SCS substrate bonded on the Si substrate, a deflecting mirror attached to SCS substrate by a hinge, a latch fixing the angle of the deflecting mirror.

The diameter of a rotating mirror of a MEMS optical deflector is small. Therefore, in an optical scanning device such as the one disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM>, it is required to accurately adjust the direction of a mirror disposed on a substrate at the time of manufacture in order to direct the light emitted from a laser light source to be accurately incident on the rotating mirror of the MEMS optical deflector. However, Patent Literature <NUM> refers to nothing about such a configuration.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact optical scanning device having a structure in which a laser light source and a MEMS optical deflector are mounted on the same substrate, and a mirror installed above the substrate is used to make light emitted from the laser light source adjustable such that the emitted light is accurately incident on a mirror of the MEMS optical deflector.

An optical scanning device in accordance with the present invention includes:.

According to the present invention, one mirror out of the first mirror and the second mirror installed above the substrate permits accurate irradiation of the light emitted from the surface-emitting laser element installed on the substrate to the rotating mirror of the MEMS optical deflector by adjusting the direction of emission with the mirror, thus making it possible to provide a compact optical scanning device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a plurality of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition to the following embodiments, the present invention includes a variety of configuration modes.

<FIG> is a plan view of an optical scanning device <NUM>, <FIG> is a view on arrow 1B of <FIG>, <FIG> is a view on arrow 1C of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a view on arrow 1D of <FIG>. <FIG> illustrate the optical scanning device <NUM> with a cover <NUM> (indicated by one-dot chain line of <FIG>) removed.

The optical scanning device <NUM> includes a support frame body <NUM>. The support frame body <NUM> has an L-shaped cross-sectional contour, and has a bottom plate part 13a and a standing plate part 13b that are vertically connected. The substrate <NUM> has a rectangular shape and is placed on and fixed to the upper surface of the bottom plate part 13a.

For the convenience of explanation, a three-axis Cartesian coordinate system will be defined. An X-axis and a Y-axis are defined as axes in directions parallel to the longitudinal direction (direction parallel to the long sides) and the lateral direction (direction parallel to the short sides), respectively, of the substrate <NUM>. A Z-axis is defined as an axis parallel to the standing direction of the standing plate part 13b from the substrate <NUM>.

In the optical scanning device <NUM>, the scanning light is emitted from the left side in <FIG>, i.e., from the end on the negative side of the optical scanning device <NUM> in the X-axis direction, so that the negative side and the positive side in the X-axis will be referred to as the front and the back, respectively, of the optical scanning device <NUM>, as appropriate. Further, in the substrate <NUM>, the positive side and the negative side in the Z-axis direction are the upper surface and the lower surface, respectively, so that the positive side and the negative side in the Z-axis are defined as the upper side and the lower side, respectively, of the optical scanning device <NUM>, as appropriate.

A VCSEL <NUM> and a MEMS optical deflector <NUM> are mounted on the upper surface of the substrate <NUM> with the X-axis direction as the arrangement direction. The VCSEL <NUM> has an emitting part <NUM> on the upper surface thereof, and emits laser light upward in parallel to the Z-axis direction from the emitting part <NUM>. The MEMS optical deflector <NUM> directs the mirror surface of a rotating mirror <NUM> upward in the Z-axis direction.

The MEMS optical deflector <NUM> in this embodiment is a two-dimensional scanning type MEMS optical deflector, but may alternatively be a one-dimensional scanning type MEMS optical deflector. The configuration itself of the MEMS optical deflector is known in various forms. For example, the MEMS optical deflector described in <CIT> (two-dimensional scanning type MEMS optical deflector) or <CIT> (one-dimensional scanning type MEMS optical deflector) is selected.

<FIG> is a side view of the support frame body <NUM>. Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the support frame body <NUM>, a plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, and a rotary mirror <NUM> will be described.

The standing plate part 13b of the support frame body <NUM> has an inclined groove <NUM> and a through hole <NUM>. The inclined groove <NUM> has a rectangular shape in the side view of <FIG>, and opens obliquely rearward upward along the side contour of the standing plate part 13b. The bottom surface of the inclined groove <NUM> is formed of an inclined surface inclined at <NUM>° with respect to the substrate <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> is formed as a cylindrical hole penetrating through the standing plate part 13b in the Y-axis direction.

In the X-axis direction, the center of the width (the length when viewed from side in <FIG>) of the inclined surface (the bottom surface) of the inclined groove <NUM> is located at the same position as that of the emitting part <NUM> of the VCSEL <NUM>. In the X-axis direction, a centerline C of the cylindrical hole of the through hole <NUM> is positioned between the VCSEL <NUM> and the rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> in the X-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, the center of the length of the inclined surface of the inclined groove <NUM> and the centerline of the cylindrical hole of the through hole <NUM> are located at the same position, i.e., at the same height from the substrate <NUM>.

The plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped member, and one end portion thereof is bonded to the inclined surface of the inclined groove <NUM> in a cantilevered state by an adhesive material such as a resin, with the lower plate surface thereof as a mirror surface. The plate thickness of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is set substantially equal to the depth of the inclined groove <NUM>.

The plate width of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> (the length when viewed from side in <FIG>) is set to be slightly shorter than the width of the inclined groove <NUM> (the length when viewed from side in <FIG>). Consequently, in the state before one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is bonded to the inclined groove <NUM>, i.e., before the one end portion is fixed, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> can be slightly displaced in the inclined surface direction of the bottom surface in the inclined groove <NUM>, and the angle of rotation about the axis parallel to the Y-axis can be changed. Such a change makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the mirror surface of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> at the time of manufacturing the optical scanning device <NUM>.

The rotary mirror <NUM> has a mirror part <NUM> shaped like a flat plate and a cylindrical fitting end part <NUM> connected to one end portion of the mirror part <NUM> and fitted into the through hole <NUM>. The diameter of the fitting end part <NUM> is slightly smaller than the diameter of the through hole <NUM>. Therefore, in the state before the fitting end part <NUM> is bonded into the through hole <NUM>, i.e., before being fixed, the rotary mirror <NUM> can be rotated about the centerline of the through hole <NUM> while the fitting end part <NUM> is being fitted into the through hole <NUM>, and can be tilted within a predetermined tilt angle range from a state in which the centerline of the rotary mirror <NUM> coincides with the centerline of the through hole <NUM>. This permits rotational displacement in a wider angle range than that of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>. The rotatable and tiltable configuration described above makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the mirror surface of the mirror part <NUM> when the optical scanning device <NUM> is manufactured. After making the adjustment, the fitting end part <NUM> is bonded to be fixed using an adhesive material such as a resin.

The rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> is positioned, with respect to the rotary mirror <NUM>, on the front side, i.e., on the negative side with respect to the rotary mirror <NUM> in the X-axis direction rather than being positioned directly below the rotary mirror <NUM>. This configuration contributes to emitting light Lp from the optical scanning device <NUM> in a direction diagonally forward rather than in the vertical direction with respect to the substrate <NUM>, as will be described later. This configuration also ensures that, when the optical scanning device <NUM> is attached to a temple of a glasses body as a video scanning device for smart glasses, the light emitted from the optical scanning device <NUM> reaches the inner surface of a lens of the glasses body without being interfered with by the face of a user through a small gap between a video device and the face of the user (<FIG>).

The plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the rotary mirror <NUM> correspond to a first mirror and a second mirror, respectively, of the optical scanning device in accordance with the present invention. Regarding the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the rotary mirror <NUM>, the support positions in the standing plate part 13b can be reversed to make the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the rotary mirror <NUM> correspond to the second mirror and the first mirror, respectively, of the optical scanning device in accordance with the present invention. In such a case, according to changes of the support positions, the positions of the inclined groove <NUM> and the through hole <NUM> in the X-axis direction are reversed. The plate-shaped mirror <NUM> as the second mirror applies the reflected light thereof to the rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM>, so that the tilt angle of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is changed from <NUM>° for the first mirror to approximately <NUM>°.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a glasses video display device <NUM> as an application example of the optical scanning device <NUM>. The glasses video display device <NUM> will be briefly described. The glasses video display device <NUM> includes a glasses main body <NUM> and a video generator <NUM> detachably attached to the glasses main body <NUM> by a clip <NUM>. The glasses main body <NUM> includes left and right temples 161a and 161b and a front frame <NUM> connected to the front ends of the left and right temples 161a and 161b at both left and right ends. The front frame <NUM> further includes left and right lens frames 164a and 164b, and a bridge <NUM> connecting the left and right lens frames 164a and 164b.

The optical scanning device <NUM> is incorporated in the video generator <NUM> along the extension direction of the temple 161b of the glasses main body <NUM> along with other elements (e.g., a MEMS sensor buffer amplifier and an LDD (laser driver)) arranged in a single row. In this single row arrangement, the optical scanning device <NUM> is placed at the forefront, i.e., closest to a lens <NUM>. Thus, the light Lp (<FIG>) emitted from the optical scanning device <NUM> irradiates the inner surface of the lens <NUM> to generate video in a scanning area <NUM>.

The cover <NUM> (<FIG>) extends along the contour of the standing plate part 13b above the substrate <NUM> to cover the standing plate part 13b from above, and has the peripheral edge of the lower end thereof secured to the peripheral edge of the bottom plate part 13a. The cover <NUM> has a transparent portion <NUM> in a portion thereof through which at least the light Lp, which will be described later, turns into scanning light and is emitted from the optical scanning device <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a configuration in which a correction prism <NUM> has been attached to the inner surface of the transparent portion <NUM>. Reference numeral <NUM> indicates the scanning area generated at an irradiation destination by the light Lp emitted as the scanning light through the transparent portion <NUM> of the optical scanning device <NUM> in the case where the correction prism <NUM> is absent. Reference numeral <NUM> indicates a scanning area generated at the irradiation destination by the light Lp emitted as the scanning light through the transparent portion <NUM> of the optical scanning device <NUM> in the case where the correction prism <NUM> is present.

The rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> rotates resonantly and non-resonantly about the X-axis and about the Y-axis, respectively. As a result, the light Lp emitted from the rotating mirror <NUM> becomes scanning light for two-dimensional scanning. The resonant frequencies and the non-resonant frequencies are, for example, <NUM> to <NUM> and <NUM> to <NUM>, respectively. Further, the reciprocating rotation angle of the rotating mirror <NUM> about the X-axis is larger than the reciprocating rotation angle of the rotating mirror <NUM> about the Y axis.

The reciprocating rotation of the rotating mirror <NUM> about the X-axis in the optical scanning device <NUM> causes the light Lp to perform reciprocating scanning in an Sx-axis direction in a pre-correction scanning area <NUM> or a post-correction scanning area <NUM>. The reciprocating rotation of the rotating mirror <NUM> about the Y-axis in the optical scanning device <NUM> causes the light Lp to perform reciprocating scanning in an Sy-axis direction in the pre-correction scanning area <NUM> or the post-correction scanning area <NUM>.

When the correction prism <NUM> is not provided, the light Lp generates the pre-correction scanning area <NUM> at a scanning destination. The pre-correction scanning area <NUM> has a distorted shape with respect to a rectangle. On the other hand, when the correction prism <NUM> is provided, the light Lp generates a rectangular post-correction scanning area <NUM> in which the distortion has been corrected. The post-correction scanning area <NUM> corresponds to the inscribed rectangle of the pre-correction scanning area <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the dashed line along which the light Lp is drawn out indicates the optical path of the light Lp. The light Lp emitted from the emitting part <NUM> of the VCSEL <NUM> is laser light sufficiently weakened so as not to harm human eyes.

The light Lp is emitted from the emitting part <NUM> of the VCSEL <NUM> perpendicularly to the substrate <NUM> and upward (the positive direction in the Z-axis direction). When the light Lp is incident on the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, the light Lp is reflected by the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, and changes the direction thereof to be parallel to the X-axis as the arrangement direction of the VCSEL <NUM> and the emitting part <NUM> on the upper surface of the substrate <NUM>, and to be on the negative side of the X-axis. Then, after traveling forward parallel to the X-axis (to the negative side of the X-axis), the light Lp is incident on the obliquely downward mirror surface of the mirror part <NUM> of the rotary mirror <NUM>.

The tilt angle of the mirror part <NUM> with respect to the substrate <NUM> is smaller than <NUM>°. Consequently, the light Lp reflected on the mirror part <NUM> travels in parallel to the Z-axis direction, i.e., descends obliquely forward without descending to the substrate <NUM> in the vertical direction with respect to the substrate <NUM>, and strikes the center of the rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM>.

The rotating mirror <NUM> is rotated two-dimensionally. Consequently, the light Lp incident on the rotating mirror <NUM> turns into scanning light for two-dimensional scanning, and travels obliquely forward and upward from the rotating mirror <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a description will be given of how to install the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the rotary mirror <NUM> at the time of manufacturing the optical scanning device <NUM>.

<FIG> are explanatory diagrams illustrating the process of attaching one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> to the bottom surface of the inclined groove <NUM>, which is an inclined surface part. <FIG> is a side view illustrating the process of adjusting the position of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> by using a jig <NUM> for adjusting the angle of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, <FIG> is a see-through view of the jig <NUM> in <FIG>, <FIG> is a view of the optical scanning device <NUM> viewed from above in <FIG>, and <FIG> is a see-through view of the jig <NUM> in <FIG>.

The plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is installed to the inclined groove <NUM> by an operator watching the position of a light spot Sp on a screen <NUM> such that the angles in the directions of the three axes (the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis) of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> are appropriate, i.e., the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is properly oriented.

The optical scanning device <NUM> is mounted on a predetermined installation work device in a state before the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is installed. In the mounted state, the support frame body <NUM> is fixed together with the substrate <NUM> to the installation work device.

Then, one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is inserted into the inclined groove <NUM>, and the jig <NUM> is inserted into the lower surface side of the other end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, i.e., into the mirror surface side, from the other end side of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>.

The jig <NUM> has an inclined surface <NUM> and an upper surface <NUM>. The inclined surface <NUM> of the jig <NUM> is applied to the other end portion of the mirror surface of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, the other end portion is rotated about an axis parallel to the Y-axis, and the other end portion is displaced in the X-axis direction (the longitudinal direction of the optical scanning device <NUM>) and the Z-axis direction (the height direction of the optical scanning device <NUM>).

While the position of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is being adjusted using the jig <NUM>, the VCSEL <NUM> is in an ON state. Therefore, the light spot Sp is generated on the screen <NUM>, and the position of the light spot Sp on the screen <NUM> two-dimensionally changes as the jig <NUM> moves.

The operator operates the jig <NUM> to move one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> within the inclined groove <NUM> while watching the position of the light spot Sp on the screen <NUM>. Then, when the light spot Sp reaches a set position on the screen <NUM>, the operator operates the jig <NUM> to hold the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> in the orientation (posture and position) at that time.

Next, while holding the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> in the orientation at that time, the operator applies droplets of an adhesive to a plurality of locations across one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the inclined groove <NUM>. Thus, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is fixed to the inclined surface of the bottom wall of the inclined groove <NUM> in the orientation obtained when the light spot Sp is at the set position on the screen <NUM>. At this time, the mirror surface of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> reflects the light Lp emitted from the emitting part <NUM> of the VCSEL <NUM> toward the rotary mirror <NUM> in parallel to the X-axis.

In other words, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is fixed in any orientation by holding the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> stationary in an arbitrary orientation with one end portion thereof placed against the inclined surface of the bottom wall of the inclined groove <NUM>, applying the droplets of the adhesive to the plurality of locations across the one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the inclined groove <NUM>, and letting the adhesive dry.

<FIG> and <FIG> are explanatory diagrams illustrating the process of installing one end portion of the rotary mirror <NUM> into the through hole <NUM>. <FIG> is a side view illustrating the rotary mirror <NUM> when the position thereof is being adjusted using a jig <NUM> for adjusting the orientation of the rotary mirror <NUM>, and <FIG> is a see-through view of the jig <NUM> in <FIG>.

The jig <NUM> grips the other end portion of the mirror part <NUM>, travels to the positive side in the Y-axis direction, and fits the fitting end part <NUM> into the through hole <NUM>.

Then, the VCSEL <NUM> is turned on again. No driving voltage is supplied to the actuator of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM>, the rotating mirror <NUM> is in a stationary state, and the normal line of the reflecting surface of the rotating mirror <NUM> is directed in parallel to the Z-axis. The screen <NUM> is located obliquely in front of the optical scanning device <NUM> and above the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> in the Z-axis direction. The light Lp emitted from the rotary mirror <NUM> strikes the screen <NUM>, generating the light spot Sp.

The jig <NUM> rotates the rotary mirror <NUM> about the centerline of the through hole <NUM>, and adjusts the rotation angle of the rotary mirror <NUM> about the centerline such that the light spot Sp reaches the set position on the screen <NUM>. When the light spot Sp reaches the set position, the rotation of the rotary mirror <NUM> by the jig <NUM> is stopped.

The operator stops moving the rotary mirror <NUM> when the light spot Sp reaches the set position on the screen <NUM>, and applies droplets of the adhesive to a plurality of locations across the through hole <NUM> and the fitting end part <NUM>, as with the case of bonding one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> in the inclined surface of the bottom surface of the inclined groove <NUM>. Thus, the orientation of the rotary mirror <NUM> is adjusted to an orientation ensuring that the light Lp to be emitted from the rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> is emitted in a proper direction.

<FIG> and <FIG> are a side view and a perspective view, respectively, of an optical scanning device <NUM>, which is another embodiment of the present invention. In the optical scanning device <NUM>, the same elements as those of the optical scanning device <NUM>, which is the above-described embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals as those of the elements of the optical scanning device <NUM>, and the descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The optical scanning device <NUM> and the optical scanning device <NUM> differ in the rotation mechanism of a second mirror in the optical scanning device. More specifically, in the rotary mirror <NUM> as the second mirror in the optical scanning device <NUM>, the end portion thereof adjacent to the standing plate part 13b fits in the through hole <NUM> of the support frame body <NUM>, and the angle of rotation about the centerline C is adjusted before the end portion thereof is fixed using the adhesive. On the other hand, a plate-shaped mirror <NUM> as the second mirror of the optical scanning device <NUM> is fixed to points <NUM> by adhesion while being pressed between the points <NUM> of a pair of edge members 78a and 78b from both surfaces.

The fixing structure of the optical scanning device <NUM> is as described in detail below. The edge members 78a and 78b are composed of bar pieces having fan-shaped cross sections, and have their bases fixed to the standing plate part 13b, and protrude in parallel to a substrate <NUM> from the standing plate part 13b. The edge-like points <NUM> of the edge members 78a and 78b form edge lines as protruding ends of the fan-shaped cross sections, and are opposed to each other with a gap equivalent to the plate thickness of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>.

The plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is inserted into the gap between the two points <NUM> with the mirror surface side as the lower surface, and before being fixed to the two points <NUM> by adhesion, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is pressed between the two points <NUM> from both sides with a predetermined pressing pressure while being maintained rotatable about the centerline of the gap between the two points <NUM>. After that, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> has the rotation angle thereof adjusted by the method described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. More specifically, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is adjusted to a rotation angle at which the light spot Sp is formed at a target position on the screen <NUM> when the light Lp from the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is reflected on the mirror surface of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>. After the adjustment, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> is fixed to the two points <NUM> by adhesion so as to fix the rotation angle.

The through hole <NUM> of the standing plate part 13b as the second support part, into which the fitting end part <NUM> as one end portion of the rotary mirror <NUM> is fitted, has a cylindrical hole as a rotating body having the centerline of the through hole <NUM> as the centerline thereof. As a result, at the time of manufacturing the optical scanning device <NUM>, the position of rotation of the rotary mirror <NUM> about the center of the through hole <NUM>, which serves as one of the positioning means for the rotary mirror <NUM>, can be accurately set.

The through hole <NUM> has a cylindrical shape. Further, the fitting end part <NUM> as one end portion of the rotary mirror <NUM> is fixed to the through hole <NUM> by adhesion. The adhesion allows the adhesion positions of an adhesive at adhesion portions to be adjusted and the distribution of an adhesive amount to be changed. Therefore, in the manufacture, not only the position of rotation of the mirror part <NUM> of the rotary mirror <NUM> about the axis of the through hole <NUM> but various other positions can be adjusted, thus making it possible for the rotary mirror <NUM> to be properly oriented before being fixed to the standing plate part 13b.

Forming the through hole <NUM> in a truncated cone that gradually narrows toward the end of insertion of the fitting end part <NUM> into the through hole <NUM> makes it possible to simplify the positioning of the through hole <NUM> in the direction of the centerline C of the cylindrical hole at the time of manufacture.

According to the optical scanning device <NUM>, one end portion of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM>, which reflects the light Lp emitted from the VCSEL <NUM> perpendicularly with respect to the substrate <NUM> in the direction parallel to the direction in which the VCSEL <NUM> and the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> are arranged in the substrate <NUM>, is bonded to the inclined surface, which is the bottom portion of the inclined groove <NUM>. The adhesion allows not only the tilt angle of the inclined surface to be easily changed but also the orientation of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> to be easily changed in various orientations although within a small range by adjusting an adhesion position and the adhesion amount (uplift amount) at the adhesion position. This makes it possible to accurately adjust the orientation of the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> to a desired orientation.

The rotating mirror <NUM> of the MEMS optical deflector <NUM> is placed apart from the rotary mirror <NUM> in the X-axis direction rather than directly below the rotary mirror <NUM>, thus enabling the light Lp as the scanning light to be obliquely emitted rather than perpendicularly with respect to the substrate <NUM>. Advantageously, such an emitting direction advantageously makes it possible to form a scanning area of the scanning light on the inner surface of a lens of glasses through a small gap between the face of a user and a temple of the glasses when the optical scanning device <NUM> is attached to the temple of the glasses to use the glasses as smart glasses.

The fitting end part <NUM> and the through hole <NUM> in the optical scanning device <NUM> and the pair of edge members <NUM> in the optical scanning device <NUM> correspond to the rotating mechanism of the present invention. In the embodiments, the fixing members serve as the adhesive members; however, fastening members other than adhesive members, such as screws, can be selected as appropriate.

The optical scanning device <NUM> includes the VCSEL <NUM>. The VCSEL <NUM> is an example of a surface-emitting laser element. The present invention can employ a laser light source other than a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) as long as the laser light source is a surface-emitting laser element.

The standing plate part 13b of the support frame body <NUM> is an example of a plate-shaped support member fixed to the substrate <NUM>. The standing plate part 13b is fixed to the substrate <NUM> through the intermediary of the bottom plate part 13a; however, the plate-shaped support member of the present invention can be fixed directly to a substrate.

In the optical scanning devices <NUM> and <NUM>, the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> and the rotary mirror <NUM> or the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> as the first mirror and the second mirror have one end portion thereof supported by the standing plate part 13b in the Y-axis direction as the second axial direction and the other end thereof remaining a free end, thus being fixed in a cantilever support state. The first mirror and the second mirror of the present invention may be supported at both ends when the optical scanning devices <NUM> and <NUM> are completed.

In the optical scanning device <NUM>, only the through hole <NUM> as the second support part has the shape of a rotating body. In the present invention, the inclined groove <NUM> having the bottom surface as the first support part may also be a through hole having the shape of a rotating body. Inversely, the first support part can be a through hole having the shape of a rotating body, and the second support part can be an inclined surface part.

In the drawings, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are defined as corresponding to the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, respectively, of the present invention. This definition, however, is only for convenience in describing the optical scanning device <NUM> of the embodiment.

The optical scanning device <NUM> can be applied as a video generation device in smart glasses, and can also be applied as a video generation device in an ultra-small projector or interactive projector.

The optical scanning device <NUM> is capable of controlling the intensity of the light Lp emitted from the VCSEL <NUM> to generate video in a scanning area. However, the optical scanning device <NUM> of the embodiment is equipped with only one VCSEL <NUM>, and is therefore capable of generating only monochrome video. To generate color video, the optical scanning device <NUM> has to be equipped with a total of three VCSELs <NUM> outputting light corresponding to three primary colors. The VCSELs <NUM> of the three different colors are mounted on the substrate <NUM> in such a manner as to be arranged in a row in the X-axis direction together with the MEMS optical deflector <NUM>, and the three plate-shaped mirrors <NUM> are arranged in a row in the X direction at the same height immediately above the three VCSELs <NUM>. Then, of these three plate-shaped mirrors <NUM>, the first and the second plate-shaped mirrors <NUM> from the side closer to the rotary mirror <NUM> serve as half mirrors, so that the light Lp coming in from the second and the third plate-shaped mirrors <NUM> is allowed to directly travel straight to the rotary mirror <NUM>.

In the above-described embodiment, the rotating mirror <NUM> and the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> are each cantilever-supported by the single standing plate part 13b; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. The rotating mirror <NUM> and the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> may be supported at both ends by two opposing standing plate parts 13b, or the rotating mirror <NUM> and the plate-shaped mirror <NUM> may be each supported by each of the opposing standing plate parts 13b. Further, the standing plate part 13b may be a wall surface of the housing of the optical scanning device <NUM> instead of an independent plate part.

Claim 1:
An optical scanning device comprising:
a substrate (<NUM>);
a surface-emitting laser element (<NUM>) mounted on the substrate with an emitting direction thereof facing upward with respect to the substrate;
a MEMS optical deflector (<NUM>) mounted on the substrate with a rotating mirror facing upward with respect to the substrate;
a plate-shaped support member (13b) fixed to the substrate;
a first mirror (<NUM>) extending in a second axial direction which is perpendicular to a first axial direction as an arrangement direction of the surface-emitting laser element and the MEMS optical deflector on the substrate and which is parallel to the substrate, and being supported by a first support part of the plate-shaped support member (13b) so as to reflect emitted light from the surface-emitting laser element in the first axial direction; and
a second mirror (<NUM>) extending in the second axial direction, and being supported by a second support part of the plate-shaped support member such that light from the first mirror is reflected toward the rotating mirror of the MEMS optical deflector (<NUM>);
wherein at least one support part out of the first support part and the second support part includes a rotating mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>, 78a, 78b) which rotatably supports one mirror out of the first mirror and the second mirror supported by the one support part, and a fixing member which fixes a rotational position of the one mirror in the rotating mechanism.