Microfabricated mechanical frequency multiplier
First Claim
1. A high-bandwidth micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuation system comprising:
- a stage;
at least two actuator pairs coupled in parallel to said stage;
said actuator pairs each including at least first and second controlled input bi-directional semiconductor actuators;
said actuators each being energizable to move in a drive direction against a bias from a rest position to an energized position, and each being movable by the bias to the rest position upon deenergization, wherein movement from the rest position to the energized position and back to the rest position defines an actuation cycle;
said actuators being asymmetric, wherein a maximum energization frequency of movement from the rest to the energized positions is greater than a maximum bias frequency of movement from the energized to the rest positions;
said first and second actuators being opposably coupled to one another, wherein drive directions of said actuators oppose one another;
a pulse generator coupled to said actuators of each actuator pair;
said pulse generator configured to alternately transmit energization pulses to said actuators of each actuator pair at an alternation frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement;
said pulse generator configured to transmit said energization pulses to each of said actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than a frequency of said actuation cycle;
wherein said actuators are each movable from their energized positions to their rest positions at a frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement, said actuator pairs are sequentially energizable at a sequence frequency greater than said cycle frequency, and said stage is movable in a single degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times said cycle frequency.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high-bandwidth MEMS actuation system includes actuator pairs coupled in parallel to a stage, each actuator energizable in a drive direction against a bias to an energized position, and movable upon deenergization, to the rest position to define an actuation cycle. The actuators are asymmetric, with an energization frequency greater than a bias frequency, and are opposably coupled to one another. A pulse generator alternately transmits pulses to the actuators, at an alternation frequency greater than the bias frequency. The pulse generator transmits the energization pulses to each of the actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than the cycle frequency. The actuators are each movable from energized to rest positions faster than the bias frequency, and the actuator pairs are sequentially energizable faster than the cycle frequency, wherein the stage is movable in one degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times the cycle frequency.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A high-bandwidth micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuation system comprising:
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a stage; at least two actuator pairs coupled in parallel to said stage; said actuator pairs each including at least first and second controlled input bi-directional semiconductor actuators; said actuators each being energizable to move in a drive direction against a bias from a rest position to an energized position, and each being movable by the bias to the rest position upon deenergization, wherein movement from the rest position to the energized position and back to the rest position defines an actuation cycle; said actuators being asymmetric, wherein a maximum energization frequency of movement from the rest to the energized positions is greater than a maximum bias frequency of movement from the energized to the rest positions; said first and second actuators being opposably coupled to one another, wherein drive directions of said actuators oppose one another; a pulse generator coupled to said actuators of each actuator pair; said pulse generator configured to alternately transmit energization pulses to said actuators of each actuator pair at an alternation frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement; said pulse generator configured to transmit said energization pulses to each of said actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than a frequency of said actuation cycle; wherein said actuators are each movable from their energized positions to their rest positions at a frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement, said actuator pairs are sequentially energizable at a sequence frequency greater than said cycle frequency, and said stage is movable in a single degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times said cycle frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 29)
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24. A method for actuation, comprising:
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(a) coupling at least two actuator pairs in parallel to a stage, the actuator pairs including at least first and second bi-directional micro- or nano-scale sized actuators, each energizable to move in a drive direction against a bias from a rest position to an energized position, and each being movable by the bias to the rest position upon deenergization, wherein movement from the rest position to the energized position and back to the rest position defines an actuation cycle, the actuators being asymmetric, wherein a maximum energization frequency of movement from the rest to the energized positions is greater than a maximum bias frequency of movement from the energized to the rest positions; (b) opposably coupling the first and second actuators to one another, wherein drive directions of said actuators oppose one another; (c) coupling a pulse generator to the actuators of each actuator pair; (d) with the pulse generator, alternately transmitting energization pulses to the actuators of each actuator pair at an alternation frequency greater than the bias frequency of movement; (e) with the pulse generator, transmitting said energization pulses to each of said actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than a frequency of the actuation cycle; wherein the actuators are each movable from their energized positions to their rest positions at a frequency greater than the bias frequency of movement, said actuator pairs are sequentially energizable at a sequence frequency greater than the cycle frequency, and the stage is movable in a single degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times the cycle frequency. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A high-bandwidth micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuation system comprising:
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stage means; at least two actuator pairs coupled in parallel to said stage means; said actuator pairs each including at least first and second controlled input bi-directional actuation means; said actuation means each being energizable to move in a drive direction against a bias from a rest position to an energized position, and each being movable by the bias to the rest position upon deenergization, wherein movement from the rest position to the energized position and back to the rest position defines an actuation cycle; said actuation means being asymmetric, wherein a maximum energization frequency of movement from the rest to the energized positions is greater than a maximum bias frequency of movement from the energized to the rest positions; said first and second actuation means being opposably coupled to one another, wherein drive directions of said actuators oppose one another; a pulse generation means coupled to said actuators of each actuator pair; said pulse generation means configured to alternately transmit energization pulses to said actuation means of each actuator pair at an alternation frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement; said pulse generation means configured to transmit said energization pulses to each of said actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than a frequency of said actuation cycle; wherein said actuation means are each movable from their energized positions to their rest positions at a frequency greater than said bias frequency of movement, said actuator pairs are sequentially energizable at a sequence frequency greater than said cycle frequency, and said stage means is movable in a single degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times said cycle frequency. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification