852results about "Electrostatic motors" patented technology

A bistable electrostatic actuator with pneumatic or liquid coupling. The actuator has enclosed metallic electrodes. It can be used for a microvalve or micropump. The actuator has buckled membrane sections in pairs and curved substrate electrodes, locally associated with said membrane sections.

An optical data storage and retrieval system uses a flying head. The flying head is supported on a moving media having information stored in a plurality of stored data locations thereon. Information is stored in each of the plurality of media locations as physical structures capable of modulating the polarization state of incident light into one of two output polarization states. The flying head includes an optical processing assembly which directs an incident light beam having a source polarization state onto the moving media, accessing successive data locations. A reflected light beam having the source polarization state of the incident light beam modulated by a respective polarization modifying data location into one of the output polarization states is received by the flying head. The optical processing assembly optically transforms the modulated output polarization state of the reflected light beam into two return light beams having differentially modulated intensity related to the output polarization state of the reflected light beam. The two intensity modulated return light beams are optically coupled to a distal differential detector which outputs digital data representing the stored data information for the subject data location. A preferred embodiment includes optical fibers for coupling the incident and return light beams between the detector and the flying head. The optical assembly of a preferred embodiment includes an optical plate having pre-shaped and dimensioned recesses for automatically locating and aligning multiple optical components comprising the assembly. The flying head may also include a servo-controlled micro machined mirror for directing the incident and reflected light beams to and from the media.

The present invention provides meta-materials with an actively controllable mechanical property. The meta-material includes a deformable structure and a set of activation elements. The activation elements are controllable between multiple states. The meta-material includes a first value for a mechanical property when one or more of the activation elements is in the first activation state and includes a second value for the mechanical property when the activation elements have been activated to the second activation state. In one aspect, the meta-material resembles a composite material where the connectivity between the component materials or shape and arrangement of the component materials is dynamically controllable so as to affect a mechanical property of the meta-material.

A capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array connected to a separate electronic unit is provided. The CMUT array includes at least two active elements, a ground element at the array end, and a non-active element having isolation trenches disposed between the active and ground elements. The active element includes a doped first silicon layer, a doped second silicon layer, and a first insulating layer disposed there between. A cavity is in the first silicon layer having a cross section that includes vertical portions disposed at each end of a horizontal portion, and the vertical portion spans from the first insulating layer through the first silicon layer such that a portion of the first silicon layer is isolated by the first insulating layer and the cavity. A membrane layer on the first silicon layer spans the cavity. A bottom electrode is disposed on the bottom of the second silicon layer.

A micromachined ultrasonic transducer array comprising a multiplicity of cMUT cells built on a substrate. Each cMUT cell comprises a compliant support structure built on the substrate, a membrane supported over a cavity by the compliant support structure, a first electrode supported by the membrane, and a second electrode that forms a capacitor with the first electrode, the cavity being disposed between the first and second electrodes. The compliant support structure uncouples the non-membrane outer surface of each cMUT cell from the supporting substrate.

A MEMS scanning device includes more than one type of actuation. In one approach capacitive and magnetic drives combine to move a portion of the device along a common path. In one such structure, the capacitive drive comes from interleaved combs. In another approach, a comb drive combines with a pair of planar electrodes to produce rotation of a central body relative to a substrate. In an optical scanning application, the central body is a mirror. In a biaxial structure, a gimbal ring carries the central body. The gimbal ring may be driven by more than one type of actuation to produce motion about an axis orthogonal to that of the central body. In another aspect, a MEMS scanning device is constructed with a reduced footprint.

MEMS Device Having A Trilayered Beam And Related Methods. According to one embodiment, a movable, trilayered microcomponent suspended over a substrate is provided and includes a first electrically conductive layer patterned to define a movable electrode. The first metal layer is separated from the substrate by a gap. The microcomponent further includes a dielectric layer formed on the first metal layer and having an end fixed with respect to the substrate. Furthermore, the microcomponent includes a second electrically conductive layer formed on the dielectric layer and patterned to define an electrode interconnect for electrically communicating with the movable electrode.

A transducer compressible in response to electric power, including a flexible, conductive plastic layer microimprinted with a pattern and a stiff plastic layer containing a conductive embedded sheet.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a stepping actuator, comprising a suspended membrane comprising a plurality of movable electrodes connected by plurality of spring hinges to a payload platform; and anchors connecting said membrane to a substrate, said substrate comprising a plurality of fixed electrodes; wherein said movable electrodes of said suspended membrane and said fixed electrodes from said substrate form parallel-plate electrostatic sub-actuators.

An airway implant device for maintaining and / or creating an opening in air passageways is disclosed. Methods of using the device are also disclosed. The airway implant device includes a deformable element to control the opening of an air passageway and a tether. Preferably the deformable element is an electroactive polymer element. Energizing of the electroactive polymer element provides support for the walls of an air passageway, when the walls collapse, and thus, completely or partially opens the air passageway. Also disclosed is an implant for stabilizing the tongue, the implant having an anchoring portion for securing a first end of the implant with the mandibula; a control portion connected with the anchoring portion, configured for selectively activating the implant; a flexible portion connected at its proximal end with the control portion, where the flexible portion has three-dimensional flexibility in a first state and where the flexible portion has a lesser three-dimensional flexibility in a second state, and where the flexible portion is selectively switchable between the first and second state by the control portion; and an anchoring portion for connecting the implant with the base of the tongue connected with the distal end of the flexible portion. Methods of treating airway disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring with the airway implant device are disclosed herein.

An electrostatic interaction system includes a first structure having a first fixed electrostatic charge and a second structure having a second fixed electrostatic charge. The polarity of the first and second fixed electrostatic charges determines a positional relationship of the first structure to the second structure.

A rotary electrostatic microactuator that includes a substantially planar substrate and a rotatable member overlying the substrate for rotation about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the planar substrate. First and second spaced-apart springs and a plurality of comb drive assemblies are included. Each of the comb drive assemblies has a first comb drive member mounted on the substrate and a second comb drive member. Each of the first and second comb drive members are provided with arcuate comb drive fingers. Each of the first and second springs has a first end portion secured to the substrate and a second end portion secured to at least one of the second comb drive members for suspending the second comb drive members and the rotatable member over the substrate. The second comb drive members are movable in a direction of travel about the axis of rotation between a first position in which the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are not substantially fully interdigitated and a second position in which the comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive members are substantially fully interdigitated.

Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer.

A micromechanical element described includes a vibrating system having a vibrating body and an elastic suspension by means of which the vibrating body is suspended to be able to vibrate, and an adjuster for adjusting a resonant frequency of the vibrating system by applying a voltage difference between at least one part of the vibrating body and at least one stationary electrode.

A microvalve for controlling fluid flow, including a body portion having a plurality of spaced openings formed therein, a shutter located adjacent to and substantially parallel with the body portion having a plurality of spaced openings formed therein, a drive mechanism for causing the shutter to move laterally with respect to the body portion so that the spaced openings of the shutter are brought into and out of alignment with the spaced openings of the body portion, wherein the microvalve is in an open position and a closed position, respectively, and, a latching mechanism for preventing the shutter from moving laterally with respect to the body portion.

A number of methods and systems for overcoming stiction are provided. The systems include electro-mechanical systems capable of exerting a variety of forces upon areas prone to stiction. The systems can be MEMS arrays or other types of devices where stiction related forces occur. The methods include a variety of ways of causing movement in areas prone to stiction forces. Such movement can be vibrational in nature and is sufficient to overcome stiction, allowing a trapped element to be moved to a desired location.

An optical scanning apparatus includes an in-plane vibratory mass platform having at least one diffraction grating formed thereon as the scanning element, at least one flexure structure that connects the mass platform to at least one fixed support, and at least one driving actuator that drives the mass platform into an in-plane vibratory motion which can be rotational and / or translational. The apparatus may also be formed by a mass platform having at least one diffraction grating formed thereon as the scanning element, at least one driving actuator connected to the mass platform through at least one flexure structure. The driving actuator drives the mass platform into an in-plane vibratory motion.

Provided are a biaxial actuator and a method of manufacturing the same. The biaxial actuator includes: a stage unit seesawing in a first direction; a first support unit supporting the stage unit; a stage unit driving unit including first driving comb electrodes outwardly extending from opposite sides of the stage unit in the first direction, and first fixed comb electrodes extending from the first support unit facing the first driving comb electrodes such that the first driving and fixed comb electrodes alternate with each other; a second support unit supporting the first support unit such that the first support unit seesaws in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a first support unit driving unit including second driving comb electrodes installed at the first support unit, and second fixed comb electrodes corresponding to the second driving comb electrodes, wherein the first and second driving comb electrodes and the stage unit are formed at a first level, and the first and second fixed comb electrodes are formed at a second level lower than the first level such that the first and second fixed comb electrodes do not overlap with the first and second driving comb electrodes at a vertical plane.

An airway implant device for maintaining and / or creating an opening in air passageways is disclosed. Methods of using the device are also disclosed. The airway implant device includes a deformable element to control the opening of an air passageway and a tether. Preferably the deformable element is an electroactive polymer element. Energizing of the electroactive polymer element provides support for the walls of an air passageway, when the walls collapse, and thus, completely or partially opens the air passageway. Also disclosed is an implant for stabilizing the tongue, the implant having an anchoring portion for securing a first end of the implant with the mandibula; a control portion connected with the anchoring portion, configured for selectively activating the implant; a flexible portion connected at its proximal end with the control portion, where the flexible portion has three-dimensional flexibility in a first state and where the flexible portion has a lesser three-dimensional flexibility in a second state, and where the flexible portion is selectively switchable between the first and second state by the control portion; and an anchoring portion for connecting the implant with the base of the tongue connected with the distal end of the flexible portion. Methods of treating airway disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring with the airway implant device are disclosed herein.

An electrostatic actuator with inter-digital rotor and stator fingers formed in a the insulating and conductive layers of a wafer. The actuator is used to drive MicroElectroMechanical (MEMS) components, specifically micro-optical components such as mirrors, attenuators, switches, and tunable filters.

A capacitive sensor and a capacitive actuator having at least one seismic mass deflectably mounted on a substrate. A comb electrode having comb fingers is mounted on the seismic mass, and a comb electrode having comb fingers is mounted on the substrate in such a way that the comb fingers are situated parallel to a deflection direction of the seismic mass and interlock in a comb-like manner. The characteristic curve of the sensor or actuator is adjusted by optimizing the geometry of at least one comb electrode, in particular of at least one comb finger.

A microelectromechanical system is disclosed that uses a stiff tether between an actuator assembly and a lever that is interconnected with an appropriate substrate such that a first end of the lever may move relative to the substrate, depending upon the direction of motion of the actuator assembly. Any appropriate load may be interconnected with the lever, including a mirror for any optical application.

An electrostatic comb drive suitable for micro-electro-mechanical systems ("MEMS") application uses shaped fingers to achieve bi-directional actuation from a uni-polar actuation pulse. The finger shape also provides auto-braking of the movable member of the drive using a simple actuating pulse. In a further embodiment, an end stop inhibits overshoot and a back spring pushes the movable portion of the device back toward an operating position. In yet a further embodiment, a Vernier scale is provided on the movable portion of the drive relative to the fixed portion of the drive to indicate relative shift of these portions after the device is fabricated.