Patent ID: 7182262

Claim:
A light scanning arrangement, comprising: a) an oscillatable scan element for reflecting light incident thereon; b) a movable frame for supporting the scan element; c) a hinge extending along a hinge axis and connected between the frame and the scan element; d) a planar support structure; and e) an inertial drive for directly moving the frame and, by inertia, for indirectly oscillating the scan element about the hinge axis to scan the incident light, the inertial drive including a pair of elongated piezoelectric devices extending generally perpendicularly of the planar support structure and having first end regions connected to the planar support structure and opposite, second end regions connected to the frame at opposite sides of the hinge axis, the piezoelectric devices being operative for mechanically supporting the frame, and for pushing and pulling, respectively, on opposite sides of the frame to oscillate the scan element in opposite circumferential directions about the hinge axis when electrically energized by a periodic drive signal.