THERMOMECHANICAL IN-PLANE MICROACTUATOR
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
- a base member;
a shuttle; and
a substantially straight expansion member attached to the base member and the shuttle, such that the base member, the shuttle, and the expansion member substantially form an “
I”
shape, wherein the expansion member is configured to elongate in an elongation direction to drive a shuttle in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microactuator (10) providing an output force and displacement in response to an increase in thermal energy is disposed. The microactuator (10) may have a substantially straight expansion member (20, 22) with a first and a second end. The first end may be coupled to a base (12, 16) and a second end may be coupled to a shuttle (24). The expansion member is capable of elongating in a elongation direction. Elongation of the expansion member may urge the shuttle to translate in an output than the elongation direction. In certain embodiments, multiple expansion members are arrayed along one side of the shuttle to drive the shuttle against a surface. Alternatively, expansion members may be disposed on both sides of the shuttle to provide balanced output force. If desired, multiple microactuators may be linked together to multiply the output displacement and/or output force.
18 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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a base member;
a shuttle; and
a substantially straight expansion member attached to the base member and the shuttle, such that the base member, the shuttle, and the expansion member substantially form an “
I”
shape, wherein the expansion member is configured to elongate in an elongation direction to drive a shuttle in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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10. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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a substantially straight expansion member comprising a first and a second end;
a base member attached to the first end of the substantially straight expansion member; and
a shuttle attached to the second end of the substantially straight expansion member, such that the expansion member is able to elongate in an elongation direction to bias the shuttle in an output direction substantially different from the elongation direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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an expansion member comprising a first end and a second end;
a base member attached to the first end of the expansion member; and
a shuttle attached to the second end of the expansion member, such that elongation of the expansion member in an expansion direction induces motion of the shuttle in an output direction, wherein elongation of the expansion member further induces buckling of the expansion member. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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an expansion member comprising a first end configured to be attached to a structure and a second end configured to travel in a substantially linear path during elongation of the expansion member in an expansion direction; and
a shuttle connected to the second end such that the second end is able to bias the shuttle in an output direction in response to elongation of the expansion member. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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a base member;
a shuttle; and
an expansion member comprising a first end and a second end, the first end substantially perpendicularly attached to the base member and the second end substantially perpendicularly attached to the shuttle, the expansion member is able to elongate in an elongation direction to bias the shuttle in an output direction substantially different from the elongation direction. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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62. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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an expansion member comprising a first and a second end;
a base member coupled to the first end of the expansion member; and
a shuttle coupled to the second end of the expansion member such that the expansion member is able to elongate a first distance, wherein the elongation of the expansion member biases the shuttle a second distance in an output direction, and wherein the second distance is at least 1.5 times larger then the first distance.
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63. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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a generally linear expansion member comprising a first end and a second end;
a base member substantially perpendicularly coupled to the first end of the expansion member; and
a shuttle substantially perpendicularly coupled to the second end of the expansion member, wherein the shuttle is configured to move in an output direction with a displacement substantially characterized by the function; Δ
={square root}{square root over ((L2)2−
(L1)2)}wherein;
Δ
is the displacement of the shuttle in the output direction;
L1 is the unelongated length of the expansion member; and
L2 is the elongated length of the expansion member.
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64. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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an expansion member comprising a first end and a second end;
a base member coupled to the first end of the expansion member; and
a shuttle coupled to the second end of the expansion member, wherein the shuttle is configured to move in an output direction with a displacement substantially characterized by the function;
wherein;
Δ
is the displacement of the shuttle in the output direction;
L0 is the fixed lateral distance between the base member and the shuttle;
L1 is the unelongated length of the expansion member; and
L2 is the elongated length of the expansion member.
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65. A microelectromechanical mechanism comprising:
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a first base member;
a second base member;
a third base member;
a fourth base member;
a plurality of primary expansion members each of which is configured to elongate in an elongation direction in response to an increase of internal thermal energy;
a first transient shuttle configured such that at least one primary expansion member is coupled between the first base member and the first transient shuttle and at least one primary expansion member is coupled between the second base member and the first transient shuttle, the primary expansion members are positioned to bias the first transient shuttle to translate in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction of the primary expansion members;
a second transient shuttle configured such that at least one primary expansion member is coupled between the third base member and the second transient shuttle and at least one primary expansion member is coupled between the fourth base member and the second transient shuttle, the primary expansion members are positioned to bias the second transient shuttle to translate in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction of the primary expansion members;
a plurality of secondary expansion members each of which is configured to elongate in an elongation direction in response to an increase of internal thermal energy; and
an actuating shuttle configured such that at least one secondary expansion member is coupled between the actuating shuttle and the first transient shuttle and at least one secondary expansion member is coupled between the actuating shuttle and the second transient shuttle, the secondary expansion members are positioned to bias the second transient shuttle to translate in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction of the primary expansion members;
- View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method for actuating a micromechanism, the micromechanism comprising an expansion member having a first end coupled to a base member and a second end coupled to a drivable shuttle, the method comprising:
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elongating the expansion member in an elongation direction;
elastically buckling the expansion member against the shuttle;
applying a biasing force resulting from buckling of the expansion member to the shuttle, a portion of the biasing force urging the shuttle in a direction substantially different from the elongation direction.
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74. A method for actuating a micromechanism, the micromechanism comprising an expansion member having a first end coupled to a base member and a second end coupled to a drivable shuttle, the method comprising:
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providing an energy source; and
disposing the energy source in communication with the expansion member to elongate the expansion member such that the expansion member buckles to bias the shuttle in an output direction substantially different from the elongation direction.
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75. A method for actuating a micromechanism, the micromechanism comprising an expansion member having a first end coupled to a base member and a second end coupled to a drivable shuttle, the method comprising:
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disposing the base member and shuttle such that a lateral distance between the base member and the shuttle remains substantially fixed;
elongating the expansion member in an elongation direction a first distance; and
biasing the shuttle a second distance in an output direction, the second distance being 1.5 times larger than the first distance.
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76. A method for actuating a micromechanism, the micromechanism comprising an expansion member, a base member, and a drivable shuttle, the method comprising:
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fixing a lateral distance between the base member and the shuttle;
disposing the expansion member substantially perpendicular to the base member and the shuttle; and
elongating the expansion member such that the expansion member presses against the shuttle, the expansion member moving from a substantially perpendicular disposition to displace the shuttle.
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Specification