MEMS actuator for piston and tilt motion
First Claim
1. A MEMS device, comprising:
- a first flexible beam coupled at a first end to a substrate and at a second end to a movable plate positioned at an offset distance from the substrate, said first and second ends separated by a prescribed distance at a rest position; and
one or more motion drives adapted to change the distance between the first and second ends from said prescribed distance, thereby changing the offset distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A MEMS device having a spring structure formed by two flexible beams attached between a substrate and a movable bar. When non-end sections of the beams are pulled in opposite directions, the beam ends attached to the movable bar pull that bar toward the substrate, thereby transforming in-plane motion of the non-end sections into out-of-plane motion of the movable bar. When the non-end sections are displaced symmetrically, the movable bar translates toward the substrate. Alternatively, when the non-end sections are displaced non-symmetrically, the movable bar rotates with respect to the substrate. In one embodiment, each flexible beam is attached to a comb-shaped portion of a motion actuator, which has two such portions, each portion interleaved with the other portion and adapted to move with respect to the substrate and that other portion. When a voltage differential is applied between the portions, they move substantially parallel to the substrate, thereby deforming the beams and translating/rotating the movable bar.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A MEMS device, comprising:
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a first flexible beam coupled at a first end to a substrate and at a second end to a movable plate positioned at an offset distance from the substrate, said first and second ends separated by a prescribed distance at a rest position; and one or more motion drives adapted to change the distance between the first and second ends from said prescribed distance, thereby changing the offset distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A MEMS device, comprising:
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a spring structure coupled between a substrate and a movable plate positioned at an offset distance from the substrate; and one or more motion drives having one or more movable portions supported on the substrate and mechanically coupled to the spring structure, wherein; the one or more movable portions are adapted to move substantially along a plane parallel to the substrate; and the spring structure is adapted to transfer motion of the one or more movable portions to the movable plate such that the offset distance is changed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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- 21. A MEMS device, comprising a motion drive supported on a substrate and having first and second movable portions, wherein, when a voltage differential is applied between the first and second portions, the first and second portions move with respect to the substrate and each other.
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27. A method of operating a MEMS device, the method comprising:
changing the distance between first and second ends of a flexible beam from a prescribed distance, wherein; the flexible beam is coupled at the first end to a substrate and at the second end to a movable plate positioned at an offset distance from the substrate, said first and second ends separated by the prescribed distance at a rest position; and said change from the prescribed distance causes a change of the offset distance. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A MEMS device, comprising:
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flexible means for supporting a movable plate positioned at an offset distance from a substrate, said flexible means having a first end coupled to the substrate and a second end coupled to the movable plate; and means for changing the distance between the first and second ends, wherein; the first and second ends are separated by a prescribed distance at a rest position; and change of the distance between the first and second ends from the prescribed distance causes a change of the offset distance.
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Specification