Lateral snap acting mems micro switch
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorJoon Won Kang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A MEMS micro-switch with a lateral snap action includes a laterally bowed beam and an electro thermal actuator. The electro thermal actuator can be activated in response to the application of an actuation voltage and a push rod pushes the laterally bowed beam to a transition point through a push-pull connector. The bowed beam can be snapped to an opposite position at the transition point and a moving electrode makes strong contact to fixed electrodes, which makes the switch turn on with strong contact force. The actuator can be deactivated and the push rod pulls the bowed beam back to the transition point and snapped back to an original position, which makes the switch turn off. The switch can be fabricated utilizing glass and SOI wafer bonding technique.
Claims20
A MEMS micro switch, comprising:
- a lateral bowed beam associated with a push rod, wherein said push rod transits said lateral bowed beam from an original position to a transition point through a push-pull connector by activating an electro-thermal actuator with an actuation current;
- and
- an anchored electrode associated with an electrical contact wherein said electrical contact forms an electrical connection with a movable electrode associated with said push rod when said lateral bowed beam is snapped to an opposite position at said transition point, thereby turning said MEMS micro switch to an “ON” condition with a strong contact force thereon.
A MEMS micro switch, comprising:
- a lateral bowed beam associated with a push rod, wherein said push rod transits said lateral bowed beam from an original position to a transition point through a push-pull connector by activating an electro-thermal actuator with an actuation current;
- an anchored electrode associated with an electrical contact wherein said electrical contact forms an electrical connection with a movable electrode associated with said push rod when said lateral bowed beam is snapped to an opposite position at said transition point, thereby turning said MEMS micro switch to an “ON” condition with a strong contact force thereon;
- an SOI wafer;
- and
- a glass wafer etched to form a cavity utilizing a patterned masking layer, wherein said glass wafer is associated with said cavity being bonded to said SOI wafer, and wherein said glass wafer provides a final support structure for said MEMS micro switch and said SOI wafer provides a final device structure for said MEMS micro switch.
A method of providing a MEMS micro switch, comprising:
- providing a push rod;
- associating a lateral bowed beam associated with said push rod, wherein said push rod transits said lateral bowed beam from an original position to a transition point through a push-pull connector by activating an electro-thermal actuator with an actuation current;
- and
- connecting an anchored electrode associated to an electrical contact wherein said electrical contact forms an electrical connection with a movable electrode associated with said push rod when said lateral bowed beam is snapped to an opposite position at said transition point, thereby turning said MEMS micro switch to an “ON” condition with a strong contact force thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.