Method to create a reduced stiffness microstructure

• US 10,366,849 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duality Reality Energy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Duality Reality Energy, LLC
• Inventors: Baugher, Jeffrey Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US14/737,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20150279587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/007 For controlling stiffness, e.g. ribs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0063 having electrostatic latches, i.e. the activated position is kept by electrostatic forces other than the activation force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2059/009 using permanently polarised dielectric layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/034 Positioning of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

Methods are described to create a reduced stiffness microstructure (RSM). A RSM is made by forming a first buckled membrane along a first buckling direction and forming a second buckled membrane along a second buckling direction. The second buckling direction is opposite to the first buckling direction and the first buckled membrane is in contact with the second buckled membrane over a contact area. Within an operating zone, a stiffness of the reduced stiffness microstructure during contact is less than an absolute value of a stiffness of at least one of the first buckled membrane, before contact, and the second buckled membrane, before contact, when the contact area translates along either one of the first buckling direction and the second buckling direction. In the operating zone the stiffness can approach or equal zero.

Claims

1. A method to create a reduced stiffness microstructure, comprising:

forming a first buckled membrane along a first buckling direction; and

forming a second buckled membrane along a second buckling direction, the second buckling direction is opposite to the first buckling direction, the first buckled membrane is in contact with the second buckled membrane over a contact area, within an operating zone a stiffness of the reduced stiffness microstructure during contact is less than an absolute value of a stiffness of at least one of the first buckled membrane, before contact, and the second buckled membrane, before contact, when the contact area translates along either one of the first buckling directions and the second buckling direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning a force-displacement response of the first buckled membrane to a force-displacement response of the second buckled membrane.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the aligning is performed to minimize a stiffness of the reduced stiffness microstructure by adjusting a mutual preload between the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane until a resulting displacement of the first and second buckled membranes places the first and second buckled membranes in their zero stiffness zone.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the aligning is accomplished with a mass placed between the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the aligning is accomplished by adjusting a distance between the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the aligning is accomplished by spacing apart the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the aligning is accomplished by adjusting a composition of one of the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact between the first buckled membrane and the second buckled membrane causes the membranes to be under a preload.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first buckled membrane is bonded to the second buckled membrane over the contact area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an area of the first buckled membrane is substantially equal to an area of the second buckled membrane.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an area of the first buckled membrane is different from an area of the second buckled membrane.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restraining translation along either one of the first buckling direction and the second buckling direction.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

locating a first substrate relative to a second substrate, wherein the first buckled membrane is part of the first substrate, the second buckled membrane is part of the second substrate and the locating causes a center of the first buckled membrane and a center of the second buckled membrane to be on a same axis.