Electro-thermal scratch drive actuator
First Claim
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1. A scratch drive actuator (SDA) device, comprising:
- a drive shoe having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position and configured to urge a shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position; and
an actuator coupled to the drive shoe and configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards one of the first and second drive shoe positions.
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Abstract
A scratch drive actuator (SDA) device comprising a drive shoe and an actuator. The drive shoe has a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position and is configured to urge a shuttle from a first shuttle position to a second shuttle position. The actuator is coupled to the drive shoe and is configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards a corresponding one of the first and second drive shoe positions.
16 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A scratch drive actuator (SDA) device, comprising:
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a drive shoe having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position and configured to urge a shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position; and
an actuator coupled to the drive shoe and configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards one of the first and second drive shoe positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A scratch drive actuator (SDA) system, comprising:
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a shuttle;
a drive shoe having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position, wherein the drive shoe is biased against the shuttle in at least one of the first and second drive shoe positions; and
an actuator coupled to the drive shoe and configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards a corresponding one of the first and second drive shoe positions, the drive shoe thereby urging the shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of manufacturing a scratch drive actuator (SDA) system, comprising:
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providing a substrate having an insulating layer and a conductive layer located over the insulating layer;
providing a shuttle over the substrate;
forming a drive shoe from the conductive layer, the drive shoe having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position and configured to urge the shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position;
forming an actuator from the conductive layer, the actuator being coupled to the drive shoe and configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards a corresponding one of the first and second drive shoe positions; and
removing at least a portion of the insulating layer to release at least portions of the drive shoe and the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A scratch drive actuator (SDA) system, comprising:
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a shuttle;
a plurality of drive shoes each having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position, wherein at least one of the drive shoes is biased against the shuttle when in at least one of the first and second drive shoe positions; and
a plurality of actuators each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of drive shoes and each configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein each of the expansion and contraction of each of the plurality of actuators urges the corresponding one of the plurality of drive shoes towards one of the first and second drive shoe positions, the corresponding one of the plurality of drive shoes thereby urging the shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A scratch drive actuator (SDA) system, comprising:
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a shuttle;
a drive shoe coupled to the shuttle and having a first drive shoe position and a second drive shoe position; and
an actuator configured to expand and contract in response to exposure to thermal energy, wherein the drive shoe is biased against the actuator in at least one of the first and second drive shoe positions, and wherein the expansion and contraction of the actuator each urge the drive shoe towards a corresponding one of the first and second drive shoe positions, the drive shoe thereby urging the shuttle from a first shuttle position towards a second shuttle position.
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Specification