Patent ID: 7310176

Claim:
A light deflector for scanning light from a light source, comprising: the light deflector comprising a support body, an oscillation system and drive means for driving the oscillation system, the oscillation system comprising a first movable element and a second movable element having a light deflecting body, the first movable element being supported by the support body by means of a single first torsion spring so as to be able to give rise to torsional oscillation around a first axis of torsion, and the second movable element being supported by the first movable element by means of a plurality of second torsion springs located opposite each other with the second movable element interposed between them so as to be able to give rise to torsional oscillation around a second axis of torsion, wherein the first axis of torsion and the second axis of torsion are arranged substantially in parallel with each other or on a same straight line, the first movable element is connected in series with the second movable element along the first axis of torsion, the oscillation system has at least two natural oscillation modes of different frequencies around the second axis of torsion and the first axis of torsion, and the drive means drives the oscillation system so as to give rise to torsional oscillation in the at least two natural oscillation modes.