MEMS devices with membrane having venting flaps hingedly attached to one another
First Claim
1. A MEMS transducer comprising:
- a membrane layer; and
at least one variable vent structure comprising;
a vent hole for venting fluid so as to reduce a pressure differential across the membrane layer; and
a moveable vent cover which, at an equilibrium position, at least partly blocks said vent hole;
wherein the vent cover is moveable from said equilibrium position in response to a pressure differential across the vent cover so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent hole; and
wherein the vent cover comprises at least a first flap section and a second flap section, the first flap section being hingedly coupled to the side of the vent hole and the second flap section being hingedly coupled to the first flap section so as to be moveable with respect to the first flap section.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This application relates to MEMS transducer having a membrane layer (101) and at least one variable vent structure (301). The variable vent structure has a vent hole for venting fluid so as to reduce a pressure differential across the membrane layer and a moveable vent cover (302a, 302b) which, at an equilibrium position, at least partly blocks the vent hole. The vent cover is moveable from its equilibrium position in response to a pressure differential across the vent cover so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent hole. In various embodiments the vent cover comprises at least a first flap section (302a) and a second flap section (302b), the first flap section being hingedly coupled to the side of the vent hole and the second flap section being hingedly coupled to the first flap section so as to be moveable with respect to the first flap section. In some embodiments the second flap section (302b) may be configured so that it deflects away from the first section (302a) more readily than the first section deflects away from its equilibrium position.
18 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A MEMS transducer comprising:
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a membrane layer; and at least one variable vent structure comprising; a vent hole for venting fluid so as to reduce a pressure differential across the membrane layer; and a moveable vent cover which, at an equilibrium position, at least partly blocks said vent hole; wherein the vent cover is moveable from said equilibrium position in response to a pressure differential across the vent cover so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent hole; and wherein the vent cover comprises at least a first flap section and a second flap section, the first flap section being hingedly coupled to the side of the vent hole and the second flap section being hingedly coupled to the first flap section so as to be moveable with respect to the first flap section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A MEMS transducer comprising:
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a flexible membrane; and at least one variable vent structure wherein said variable vent structure provides a flow path having a size that varies with pressure differential across the membrane; wherein said variable vent structure comprises at least one moveable portion which is moveable in response to a pressure differential across the moveable portion so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent structure; and wherein said moveable portion comprises; a first flap section; a first hinge connection coupling the first flap section to a side of the variable vent structure such that the first flap section may be deflected away from an equilibrium position; a second flap section; and a second hinge connection coupling the second flap section to the first flap section such that the second flap section may be deflected away from the first flap section.
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23. A MEMS transducer comprising:
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a flexible membrane; and at least one variable vent structure comprising a vent hole for venting fluid so as to reduce a pressure differential across the flexible membrane and a moveable vent cover which, at an equilibrium position, at least partly blocks said vent hole; wherein the vent cover is moveable from said equilibrium position in response to a pressure differential across the vent cover so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent hole; wherein the vent cover comprises a first flap section coupled to a side of the vent hole and at least one second flap section coupled to the first flap portion, the vent cover being configured such that the first flap section it is moveable from the equilibrium position and the second flap section is moveable with respect to the first flap section such that, for at least a first range of pressure differentials across the vent cover, the second flap section is deflected from its equilibrium position by a greater angle than the first flap section.
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24. A MEMS transducer comprising:
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a flexible membrane; and at least one variable vent structure comprising a vent hole for venting fluid so as to reduce a pressure differential across the flexible membrane and a moveable vent cover which, at an equilibrium position, at least partly blocks said vent hole; wherein the vent cover is moveable from said equilibrium position in response to a pressure differential across the vent cover so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent hole; wherein the vent cover comprises a first flap section coupled to a side of the vent hole so as to be moveable from the equilibrium position and at least one second flap section coupled to the first flap section so as to be moveable with respect to the first flap section, wherein the resistance to movement of the second flap portion with respect to the first flap section is lower than the resistance to movement of the first flap section from equilibrium position.
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Specification