MEMS dual comb drive
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A speaker device, comprising:
- a planar oscillation element configured to generate an ultrasonic acoustic signal;
a shutter element configured to cover an opening that is positioned to receive the ultrasonic acoustic signal to modulate the ultrasonic acoustic signal such that an audio signal is generated;
an electrostatically actuated first comb drive coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a first direction in response to a first electrical bias applied between a static comb of the first comb drive and a movable comb of the first comb drive;
an electrostatically actuated second comb drive coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in response to a second electrical bias applied between a static comb of the second comb drive and a movable comb of the second comb drive; and
a spring element coupled to the shutter element, wherein the spring element is configured to generate a spring force on the shutter element in response to the shutter element being displaced a distance in the first direction by the first comb drive, and wherein the spring force is less than a comb drive force generated by the first comb drive to displace the shutter element the distance.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques described herein generally include methods and systems related to a speaker device comprises a planar oscillation element configured to generate an ultrasonic acoustic signal, a shutter element, a first comb drive, and a second comb drive. The shutter element is configured to cover an opening that is positioned to receive the ultrasonic acoustic signal to modulate the ultrasonic acoustic signal such that an audio signal is generated. The first comb drive is coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a first direction and the second comb drive is coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a second direction.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A speaker device, comprising:
-
a planar oscillation element configured to generate an ultrasonic acoustic signal; a shutter element configured to cover an opening that is positioned to receive the ultrasonic acoustic signal to modulate the ultrasonic acoustic signal such that an audio signal is generated; an electrostatically actuated first comb drive coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a first direction in response to a first electrical bias applied between a static comb of the first comb drive and a movable comb of the first comb drive; an electrostatically actuated second comb drive coupled to the shutter element and configured to displace the shutter element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in response to a second electrical bias applied between a static comb of the second comb drive and a movable comb of the second comb drive; and a spring element coupled to the shutter element, wherein the spring element is configured to generate a spring force on the shutter element in response to the shutter element being displaced a distance in the first direction by the first comb drive, and wherein the spring force is less than a comb drive force generated by the first comb drive to displace the shutter element the distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator, comprising:
-
a body element; an electrostatically actuated first comb drive coupled to the body element and configured to displace the body element in a first direction in response to a first electrical bias applied between a static comb of the first comb drive and a movable comb of the first comb drive; an electrostatically actuated second comb drive coupled to the body element and configured to displace the body element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in response to a second electrical bias applied between a static comb of the second comb drive and a movable comb of the second comb drive; and a spring element coupled to the body element, wherein the spring element is configured to generate a spring force on the body element in response to the body element being displaced a distance in the first direction by the first comb drive, and wherein the spring force is less than a comb drive force generated by the first comb drive to displace the body element the distance. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method to operate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) speaker device, the method comprising:
-
generating an ultrasonic acoustic signal with a planar oscillation element; and modulating the ultrasonic acoustic signal to generate an audio signal by operating a shutter element to cover an opening that is positioned to receive the ultrasonic acoustic signal, wherein operating the shutter element includes; electrostatically actuating a first comb drive to displace the shutter element in a first direction in response to a first electrical bias applied between a static comb of the first comb drive and a movable comb of the first comb drive; and electrostatically actuating a second comb drive to displace the shutter element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in response to a second electrical bias applied between a static comb of the second comb drive and a movable comb of the second comb drive, and wherein at least one of; two or more fingers of the movable comb of the first comb drive have different lengths relative to each other, two or more fingers of the movable comb of the second comb drive have different lengths relative to each other, two or more fingers of the static comb of the first comb drive have different lengths relative to each other, and two or more fingers of the static comb of the second comb drive have different lengths relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification