Bidirectional MEMS Driving Arrangement

A method of driving a driven wheel in a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) driving arrangement for an electronic device, wherein the micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) driving arrangement comprises a driven wheel having a diameter, comprising (n) teeth about an outer periphery thereof, wherein (n) is a positive integer;

• an actuator ring having an inner diameter that is greater than the diameter of the driven wheel, comprising (n)+(x) teeth about an inner periphery thereof and wherein (x) is an integer of at least 1;
• wherein the (n)+(x) teeth of the actuator ring progressively engage and disengage subsets of (n) teeth of the driven wheel;
• a driving actuation assembly, coupled to the actuator ring, for driving the actuator ring in a hysteresis-type motion so as to cause rotation of the driven wheel, wherein the driving actuation assembly comprises a first driving actuator coupled to the actuator ring and a second driving actuator coupled to the actuator ring, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• selectively pulling the actuator ring in a first direction and selectively pushing the actuator ring in a direction opposite the first direction with the first driving actuator thereby causing selected subsets of (n)+(x) teeth of the actuator ring to engage and disengage subsets of the (n) teeth of the driven wheel;
• selectively pulling the actuator ring in a second direction and selectively pushing the actuator ring in a direction opposite the second direction with the second driving actuator thereby causing selected subsets of (n)+(x) teeth of the actuator ring to engage and disengage subsets of the (n) teeth of the driven wheel;
• wherein:
• the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;
• and
• after a full cycle of engagements and disengagements between selective subsets of the (n) teeth of the driven wheel with selective subsets of the (n)+(x) teeth of the actuator ring, the driven wheel rotates [(360)(x)/(n)]°.