Method and apparatus to reduce parasitic forces in electro-mechanical systems
First Claim
1. An electromechanical system comprising:
- a first surface;
an electrically activated electrode coupled to the first surface, the electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal;
a moveable structure suspended at a first height over the first surface, the moveable structure being attracted toward the electrically activated electrode based upon the first signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces; and
a landing post coupled to a lower side of the moveable structure, the landing post having a plurality of side surfaces defined by a height, a width, and a length and a lesser surface associated with a base, the landing post being adapted to contact the base of the landing post against the first surface when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure and the greater surface of the landing post free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing a magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromechanical system, the system comprising a first surface with an electrically activated electrode coupled to the first surface and to an electrical source to receive a first signal. The system further comprising a moveable structure suspended at a first height over the first surface, the moveable structure being attracted toward the electrode based upon the first signal, and the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces. The systems also provides a landing post coupled to the moveable structure, the landing post being adapted to contact the base of the landing post against the first surface when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing a magnitude of one or more parasitic forces.
82 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
an electrically activated electrode coupled to the first surface, the electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal;
a moveable structure suspended at a first height over the first surface, the moveable structure being attracted toward the electrically activated electrode based upon the first signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces; and
a landing post coupled to a lower side of the moveable structure, the landing post having a plurality of side surfaces defined by a height, a width, and a length and a lesser surface associated with a base, the landing post being adapted to contact the base of the landing post against the first surface when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure and the greater surface of the landing post free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing a magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
a mounting structure extending in a direction perpendicular to the first surface;
a flexible member coupled to an upper portion of the mounting structure;
an electrically activated electrode coupled to the first surface, the electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal;
a moveable structure coupled to the flexible member and suspended at a predetermined height over the first surface, the moveable structure being attracted toward the electrically activated electrode based upon the first electrical signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces; and
at least one extension arm coupled to the moveable structure in a plane substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the moveable structure, the extension arm being adapted to contact the first surface when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first electrical signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure free from contact with the first surface and reducing a magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
a mounting structure coupled to the first surface wherein the mounting structure extends to a first height above the first surface;
a flexible member coupled to the mounting structure;
a moveable structure suspended at a second height over the first surface, wherein the moveable structure is coupled to the flexible member;
at least one electrically activated electrode located opposite the moveable structure and coupled to the first surface, the at least one electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal, wherein the moveable structure is attracted toward the at least one electrically activated electrode based upon the first electrical signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces; and
a landing post coupled to a lower side of the moveable structure, the landing post being adapted to contact a portion of the mounting structure when the at least one electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first electrical signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing the magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
a mounting structure coupled to the first surface wherein the mounting structure extends to a first height above the first surface;
a flexible member coupled to the mounting structure;
a moveable structure coupled to the flexible member and suspended at a second height over the first surface;
an electrically activated electrode located below the moveable structure and coupled to the first surface, the electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal, wherein the moveable structure is attracted toward the electrically activated electrode based upon the first electrical signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces;
at least one landing pad coupled to the first surface; and
at least one landing post coupled to a lower side of the moveable structure, the landing post having a plurality of side surfaces defined by a height, a width, and a length and a lesser surface associated with a base, the landing post being adapted to contact the base of the landing post against the at least one landing pad when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first electrical signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing the magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
an electrically activated electrode coupled to the first surface, the electrically activated electrode being coupled to an electrical source to receive a first electrical signal;
a mounting structure coupled to the first surface;
a flexible member coupled to the mounting structure; and
a moveable structure coupled to the flexible member and suspended at a first height over the first surface, the moveable structure being attracted toward the electrically activated electrode based upon the first signal, the moveable structure being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces, the moveable structure being arrested in its motion toward the first surface by a portion of the flexible member interacting with the mounting structure when the electrically activated electrode receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first signal, thereby maintaining an outer portion of the moveable structure free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing a magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces.
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38. An electromechanical system comprising:
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a first surface;
a plurality of mounting structures coupled to the first surface wherein the mounting structures extend to at least a first height above the first surface;
a plurality of elastic members, at least one of the plurality of elastic members coupled to an associated one of the plurality of mounting structures;
a plurality of moveable structures suspended at a second height over the first surface, wherein at least one of the moveable structures is coupled to an associated one of the plurality of the elastic members;
a plurality of electrically activated electrodes coupled to the first surface, a first number of the plurality of electrically activated electrodes being coupled to a first electrical source to receive a first electrical signal, wherein a third number of the plurality of the moveable structures are attracted toward the first number of the plurality of electrically activated electrodes based upon the first electrical signal, and a second number of the plurality of electrically activated electrodes being coupled to a second electrical source to receive a second electrical signal, wherein a fourth number of the plurality of the moveable structures are repelled away from the second number of the plurality of electrically activated electrodes based upon the second electrical signal, the plurality of moveable structures being attracted toward the first surface through an interaction with one or more parasitic forces; and
a landing post coupled to a lower side of the plurality of moveable structures, the landing post being adapted to contact the first surface when the first number of electrically activated electrodes receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the first electrical signal and the second number of electrically activated electrodes receives a predetermined voltage bias associated with the second electrical signal, thereby maintaining an outer periphery of the moveable structure free from physical contact with the first surface and reducing the magnitude of the one or more parasitic forces. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of operating an electromechanical system comprising:
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electrically activating an electrode with a first electrical signal;
generating an electric field of a first magnitude in the vicinity of the electrode;
rotating a moveable member to arrive at a first state in response to the electric field in the vicinity of the electrode;
initiating contact between a first surface and a landing post coupled to a lower surface of the moveable member;
electrically activating the electrode with a second electrical signal;
generating an electric field of a second magnitude in the vicinity of the electrode;
bending the landing post in response to the electric field of the second magnitude and generating a restoring force present in the landing post;
electrically activating the electrode with a third electrical signal; and
rotating the moveable member to a third state wherein the restoring force present in the landing post assists the rotation of the moveable member to the third state. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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Specification