Micromechanical device
First Claim
1. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate, first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member for suspending the second comb drive member over the substrate, each of the first and second comb drive members being provided with a plurality of comb drive fingers, each of the comb drive fingers having a proximal portion with a width and a distal portion with a width less than the width of the proximal portion, the second comb drive member being movable relative to the first comb drive member from a rest position in which the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are interdigitated to an actuated position in which the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the second comb drive member are interdigitated with the proximal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first comb drive member and the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first comb drive member are interdigitated with the proximal portions of the comb drive fingers of the second comb drive member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rotary electrostatic microactuator that includes a substantially planar substrate and a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the planar substrate. First and second spaced-apart springs and a plurality of comb drive assemblies are included. Each of the comb drive assemblies has a first comb drive member mounted on the substrate and a second comb drive member. Each of the first and second comb drive members are provided with arcuate comb drive fingers. Each of the first and second springs has a first end portion secured to the substrate and a second end portion secured to at least one of the second comb drive members for suspending the second comb drive members and the rotatable member over the substrate. The second comb drive members are movable in a direction of travel about the axis of rotation between a first position in which the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are not substantially fully interdigitated and a second position in which the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are substantially fully interdigitated.
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Citations
58 Claims
- 1. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate, first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member for suspending the second comb drive member over the substrate, each of the first and second comb drive members being provided with a plurality of comb drive fingers, each of the comb drive fingers having a proximal portion with a width and a distal portion with a width less than the width of the proximal portion, the second comb drive member being movable relative to the first comb drive member from a rest position in which the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are interdigitated to an actuated position in which the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the second comb drive member are interdigitated with the proximal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first comb drive member and the distal portions of the comb drive fingers of the first comb drive member are interdigitated with the proximal portions of the comb drive fingers of the second comb drive member.
- 6. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, at least one electrostatic drive assembly extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation and having first and second electrostatic drive members, the first electrostatic drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second electrostatic drive member being coupled to the rotatable member, and not more than first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second electrostatic drive member for suspending the second electrostatic drive member and the rotatable member over the substrate, the second electrostatic drive member being movable in a direction of travel about the axis of rotation between first and second positions relative to the first electrostatic drive member.
- 12. A micromechanical device comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, not more than first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the rotatable member for suspending the rotatable member over the substrate, and a micromotor carried by the substrate and coupled to the rotatable member for driving the rotatable member about the axis of rotation between first and second positions relative to the substrate.
- 15. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, a plurality of electrostatic drive assemblies extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation, each of the plurality of electrostatic drive assemblies having a first electrostatic drive member mounted on the substrate and a second electrostatic drive member coupled to the rotatable member, and first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second electrostatic drive member for suspending the second electrostatic drive member and the rotatable member over the substrate, each second electrostatic drive member being movable in a direction of travel about the axis of rotation between first and second positions relative to the respective first electrostatic drive member, the rotatable member, the plurality of electrostatic drive assemblies and the first and second springs when viewed together in plan having the shape of a sector of a circle.
- 21. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, a plurality of comb drive assemblies extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation, each of the plurality of comb drive assemblies having a first comb drive member mounted on the substrate and a second comb drive member coupled to the rotatable member and having the shape of a truncated sector of a circle, and first and second spaced-apart springs, each spring having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member for suspending the second comb drive member and the rotatable member over the substrate, each of the first and second comb drive members being provided with comb drive fingers, the comb drive fingers of the second comb drive member having respective distal ends which extend along an imaginary line that does not intersect the axis of rotation.
- 27. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, first and second linear micromotors for imparting substantially linear motion and a first coupler for connecting the first linear micromotor to the rotatable member and a second coupler for connecting the second micromotor to the rotatable member so as to utilize the substantially linear motion of the first and second micromotors for rotating the rotatable member about the axis of rotation.
- 34. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, at least one electrostatic drive assembly having first and second electrostatic drive members, the first electrostatic drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second electrostatic drive member being coupled to the rotatable member, first and second spaced-apart folded springs, each folded spring having a first spring member coupled to a second spring member, each of the first and second spring members extending radially of the axis of rotation, each first spring member having an end portion coupled to the substrate and each second spring member having an end portion coupled to the second electrostatic drive member for suspending the second electrostatic drive member and the rotatable member over the substrate, the second electrostatic drive member being movable about the axis of rotation between first and second positions relative to the first electrostatic drive member.
- 40. An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substantially planar substrate, a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, a plurality of first spring members extending radially of the axis of rotation and a plurality of second spring members extending radially of the axis of rotation, a connector overlying the substrate, each first spring member having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the connector, each second spring member having a first end portion coupled to the connector and a second end portion coupled to the rotatable member for suspending the rotatable member over the substrate, the rotatable member being movable about the axis of rotation between first and second positions relative to the substrate.
- 46. A micromechanical device comprising a substrate, at least one connector overlying the substrate, a plurality of first beam-like springs coupling the at least one connector to the substrate, a movable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the substrate, a plurality of second beam-like springs coupling the movable member to the at least one connector, each of the first and second beam-like springs extending substantially radially of the axis of rotation.
- 50. A micromechanical device comprising a substrate, a movable structure overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation, a stationary structure formed on the substrate, a connector overlying the substrate, a first flexure member coupling the connector to the stationary structure and a second flexure member coupling the movable structure to the connector, each of the first and second flexure members extending substantially radially from the center of rotation.
- 54. A micromechanical device comprising a substantially planar substrate, a stationary structure mounted on the substrate, a movable structure overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation and not more that first and second flexure members extending substantially radially of the axis of rotation, each of the first and second flexure members having a first end portion coupled to the stationary structure at the axis of rotation and a second end portion coupled to the movable structure.
Specification