Balanced microdevice and rotary electrostatic microactuator use therewith
First Claim
1. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlying the substrate, at least one spring member having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member, the first comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being movable in a direction of travel between a first position to a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are substantially interdigitated, a counterbalance carried by the substrate and coupled to the second comb drive member for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A balanced microdevice that includes a substrate and at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members. The first comb drive member is mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlies the substrate. At least one spring member is provided that has a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member. The first comb drive member has a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member has a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers. The second comb drive member is movable between a first position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are not substantially fully interdigitated and a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are substantially fully interdigitated. A counterbalance is carried by the substrate and coupled to the second comb drive member for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in response to externally applied accelerations to the microdevice.
34 Citations
41 Claims
- 1. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlying the substrate, at least one spring member having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member, the first comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being movable in a direction of travel between a first position to a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are substantially interdigitated, a counterbalance carried by the substrate and coupled to the second comb drive member for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
- 4. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlying the substrate, the at least one comb drive assembly forming a rotary electrostatic microactuator that is fan-shaped in plan and has a base and a radial extremity, the first comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being rotatable about an axis of rotation disposed adjacent the base from a first position to a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers become substantially interdigitated, a counterbalancing weight coupled to the second comb drive member between the base and the radial extremity for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in response to the external forces.
- 7. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlying the substrate, the first comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being part of a movable structure rotatable about an axis of rotation from a first position to a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers become substantially interdigitated, the movable structure extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation and having the shape of a truncated sector of a circle when viewed in plan, the axis of rotation intersecting the plane of the substrate at a location spaced radially inwardly from the movable structure, a counterbalance for inhibiting undesirable movement of the movable structure in response to the external forces, the counterbalance including at least one additional comb drive assembly having such first and second comb drive members and a link for coupling the second comb drive member of the at least one additional comb drive assembly to the second comb drive member of the at least one first-named comb drive assembly, the second comb drive member of the at least one additional comb drive assembly being part of an additional movable structure rotatable about an additional axis of rotation, the additional movable structure extending radially outwardly from the additional axis of rotation and having the shape of a truncated sector of a circle when viewed in plan, the additional axis of rotation intersecting the plane of the substrate at a location spaced radially inwardly from the additional movable structure.
- 11. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlying the substrate, the at least one comb drive assembly forming a linear electrostatic microactuator, the first comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member having a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being movable from a first position to a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers become substantially interdigitated, a counterbalance for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in response to the external forces and including a movable element and a lever assembly, the lever assembly being provided with an anchor mounted on the substrate and a lever arm pivotably carried by the anchor, the lever arm having a first end portion coupled to the second comb drive member and a second end portion coupled to the movable element whereby movement of the first end portion by the second comb drive member in a first direction causes the movable element to move in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.
- 13. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, an element, an electrostatic microactuator carried by the substrate and having a movable portion overlying the substrate, a coupler for connecting the movable portion to the element for moving the element in a direction of travel relative to the substrate and a counterbalance coupled to the element for inhibiting undesirable movements of the element in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
- 19. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, an element, an electrostatic microactuator carried by the substrate, a coupler for connecting the electrostatic microactuator to the element to move the element in a direction of travel relative to the substrate and counterbalancing means carried by the substrate and coupled to the electrostatic microactuator for mechanically balancing the electrostatic microactuator in the direction of travel so as to inhibit undesirable movements of the element in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
- 24. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, first and second electrostatic microactuators carried by the substrate, the first electrostatic microactuator having a portion overlying the substrate movable in a direction of travel between a rest position and an actuated position, the second electrostatic microactuator having a portion overlying the substrate movable between first and second positions, the portion of the second electrostatic microactuator serving as a counterbalance, and a link coupling the portion of the second electrostatic microactuator to the portion of the first electrostatic microactuator to inhibit movement of the portion of the first electrostatic microactuator in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
- 35. A balanced microdevice subjectable to external forces comprising a substrate, a microactuator carried by the substrate and having a portion movable in a direction of travel relative to the substrate and at least one flexural suspension for coupling the portion to the substrate and a counterbalance coupled to the portion for inhibiting undesirable movements of the portion in the direction of travel in response to the external forces.
- 40. A microdevice comprising a substrate, a movable member overlying the substrate, at least one flexural suspension for supporting the movable member over the substrate, a lever overlying the substrate and having first and second extremities, a pivot assembly for supporting the lever over the substrate, a coupling member for coupling the first extremity of the lever to the movable member, an actuator coupled to the second extremity of the lever whereby the actuator causes the lever to pivot about the pivot assembly so as to move the movable member in a direction of travel, a counterbalance coupled to the movable member for inhibiting undesirable movement of the movable member in the direction of travel in response to external forces.
Specification