Patent ID: 7589921

Claim:
An optical element unit, comprising: an optical element; and a support structure supporting the optical element, the support structure comprising: at least one actuator device connected to the optical element and configured to exert an actuation force onto the optical element along a direction of actuation, the at least one actuator device comprising: an actuation unit defining an actuator axis and a direction of actuation along the actuator axis, the actuation unit being adapted to receive an actuation energy defining an actuation force exerted by the actuator device along the direction of actuation, the actuation unit comprising: a first section which, in a neutral state of the actuation unit, has a first axial rigidity along the direction of actuation and a first transverse rigidity transverse to the direction of actuation; a second section which, in the neutral state, has a second axial rigidity along the direction of actuation and a second transverse rigidity transverse to the direction of actuation; and a linking section that links the first and second sections, the linking section, in the neutral state, having a third axial rigidity along the direction of actuation and a third transverse rigidity transverse to the direction of actuation, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: the third axial rigidity being smaller than at least one of the first axial rigidity and the second axial rigidity; and the third transverse rigidity being smaller than at least one of the first transverse rigidity and the second transverse rigidity.