# US 11,909,332 B2 · Bipolar staggered comb drive for bidirectional MEMS actuation

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- Number: US 11,909,332 B2
- Document ID: US11909332B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/395,314
- Filed: 2021-08-05
- Published: 2021-11-25
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-13
- Assignees: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Qin Zhou; Youmin Wang; Yue Lu; Lingkai Kong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909332B2

## CPC

- H02N 1/008: {Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type}
- B81B 3/0021: {Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa (dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00)}
- B81B 3/0043: {Increasing angular deflection}
- B81B 7/008: {MEMS characterised by an electronic circuit specially adapted for controlling or driving the same (B81B7/0087 takes precedence; arrangements for starting, regulating, braking, or otherwise controlling an actuator H02N; control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators G09G3/00)}
- H02P 25/00: Arrangements or methods for the control of AC motors characterised by the kind of AC motor or by structural details
- B81B 2201/033: Comb drives
- H02N 1/08: with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00)
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS

## Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a comb drive, a comb drive system, and a method of operating the comb drive to rotate bi-directionally in a MEMS environment. An exemplary comb drive system may include a comb drive, at least one power source, and a controller. The comb drive may include a stator comb having a first electrically conductive layer spaced apart from a second electrically conductive layer. The comb drive may also include a rotor comb having a first electrically conductive layer spaced apart from a second electrically conductive layer. The controller may be configured to apply first and second voltage levels having opposite polarities to the first and second electrically conductive layers of the rotor comb, respectively. The controller may also be configured to apply an intermediate voltage level to one of the first or second electrically conductive layers of the stator comb.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A comb drive, comprising:
a stator comb having a first electrically conductive layer spaced apart from a second electrically conductive layer; and
a rotor comb having a first electrically conductive layer spaced apart from a second electrically conductive layer,
wherein:
the first electrically conductive layer of the rotor comb is configured to receive a first voltage from a first voltage source;
the second electrically conductive layer of the rotor comb is configured to receive a second voltage from a second voltage source; and
the first electrically conductive layer of the stator comb is configured to receive a third voltage at an intermediate level that is lower than the first voltage and higher than the second voltage from a third voltage source at substantially a same time as the first electrically conductive layer of the rotor comb receives the first voltage and the second electrically conductive layer of the rotor comb receives the second voltage to initiate a motion of the rotor comb along a first direction, wherein the third voltage is changed from the intermediate level to being equal to one of the first or second voltage after the motion of the rotor comb is initiated but before the motion of the rotor comb changes to a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, further comprising:
a first insulating layer disposed between the first and second electrically conductive layers of the stator comb; and
a second insulating layer disposed between the first and second electrically conductive layers of the rotor comb.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The comb drive of claim 2, wherein, when the rotor comb is in a neutral position, the first insulating layer is co-planar with the second insulating layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The comb drive of claim 2, wherein:
the first and second electrically conductive layers of the stator comb are substantially identical to the first and second electrically conductive layers of the rotor comb, respectively; and
the first insulating layer is substantially identical to the second insulating layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein:
the rotor comb comprises a first spine and a plurality of fingers extended in parallel away from the first spine; and
the stator comb comprises a second spine and a plurality of fingers extended in parallel away from the second spine and interdigitated with the fingers of the rotor comb.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The comb drive of claim 5, wherein:
the first spine is located on one end of the rotor comb; and
the second spine is located on one end of the stator comb and opposite to the first spine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein the second electrically conductive layer of the stator comb is configured to receive a fourth voltage from a fourth voltage source, the fourth voltage having an opposite polarity to the third voltage.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein the rotor comb is configured to bi-directionally rotate from a neutral position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third voltage sources are parts of a same power source.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein at least two of the first, second, and third voltage sources belong to different power sources.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The comb drive of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is positive and the second voltage is negative.