Transient energy release microdevices and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A microdevice for providing motion at a high repetition rate, including in combination:
- a cell having a membrane separating the interior of said cell into two chambers, with at least a portion of said membrane movable;
a charge of gas in said cell; and
means for directly heating said gas selectively to increase the gas pressure in one of said chambers and move said membrane portion,said means for heating including pulse means for generating transient gas pressure increases in a chamber;
said cell including means for cooling said gas for reducing the gas pressure;
with said movable membrane portion being bistable and having first and second stable positions and movable from one of said positions to the other of said positions by change in gas pressure in said chambers of said cell.
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Abstract
A microdevice in the form of an electrical switch. A microdevice for providing switching at a high repetition rate, including a cell divided into two chambers by a bistable movable membrane. A charge of gas in the cell and a source for directly heating the gas to increase the gas pressure and move the membrane, the source for heating including a pulsed source for generating transient gas pressure increases, with the cell including an arrangement for cooling the gas for reducing the gas pressure after an increase.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microdevice for providing motion at a high repetition rate, including in combination:
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a cell having a membrane separating the interior of said cell into two chambers, with at least a portion of said membrane movable; a charge of gas in said cell; and means for directly heating said gas selectively to increase the gas pressure in one of said chambers and move said membrane portion, said means for heating including pulse means for generating transient gas pressure increases in a chamber; said cell including means for cooling said gas for reducing the gas pressure; with said movable membrane portion being bistable and having first and second stable positions and movable from one of said positions to the other of said positions by change in gas pressure in said chambers of said cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A switching circuit comprising a plurality of cells in a X-Y array having a plurality of X paths and a plurality of Y paths, with a separate cell connecting each X path to each Y path,
each of said cells comprising a microdevice having an electrical conducting membrane separating the interior of said cell into two chambers, with at least a portion of said membrane movable; -
a charge of gas in said cell; and means for directly heating said gas selectively to increase the gas pressure in one of said chambers and move said membrane portion, said means for heating including pulse means for generating transient gas pressure increases in a chamber; said cell including means for cooling said gas for reducing the gas pressure; with said movable membrane portion being bistable and having first and second stable positions and movable from one of said positions to the other of said positions by change in gas pressure in said chambers of said cell, and with said cell having an electrical conducting portion for contact by said membrane when said membrane is in one of said stable positions. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for providing switching motion at a high repetition rate with a microdevice having a cell with a membrane separating the interior of the cell into first and second chambers, with at least a portion of the membrane movable in response to change in pressure in the chambers of the cell, and a charge of gas in the cell,
including the steps of: -
directly heating the gas in the first chamber to increase the gas pressure in the first chamber and move the membrane portion in a first direction by generating a transient gas pressure increase in the first chamber; providing cooling of the gas for reducing the gas pressure in the first chamber; directly heating the gas in the second chamber to increase the gas pressure in the second chamber and move the membrane portion in the opposite direction by generating a transient gas pressure increase in the second chamber; and providing cooling of the gas for reducing the gas pressure in the second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification