Micro Electrostatic Motor and Micro Mechanical Force Transfer Devices

A micro electrostatic motor comprises:

• a body having a first and a second face, the body having at least an outer wall and an interior wall, the interior wall defining a circular chamber;
• a disk disposed in the circular chamber, the disk physically spaced from the interior wall of the chamber, the disk having
• a central member portion;
• a set of three mutually electrically isolated electrodes supported on a first surface of the disk, with each of the electrodes having a tab portion and being electrically isolated from the central member portion;
• a first membrane over the first face of the body, the first membrane in contact with surface portions of the body defined between the at least outer wall and interior wall and a surface of the central member portion, with the first membrane having
• an annular void defined around the portion of the first membrane in contact with the central member;
• a second membrane in contact with opposing surface portions of the body defined between the at least outer wall and interior wall;
• and
• a pair of spaced electrodes on portions of either the first or the second membrane, the pair of spaced electrodes being isolated by a gap.

A micro electrostatic motor comprises:

• a body having a first and a second face, the body having at least an outer wall and an interior wall, the interior wall defining a circular chamber;
• a disk disposed in the circular chamber, the disk physically spaced from the interior wall of the chamber, the disk having
• a first membrane layer having a central region that is adhered to the central member portion and having a first annular gap in alignment with the annular gap that spaces central member portion from the disk portion, and a second annular gap about an outer periphery of the first annular gap;
• and
• a spacer layer having a central region that is adhered to the central region of the membrane layer, and having a first annular gap in alignment with the annular gap that spaces the central member portion from the disk and further in alignment with the first annular gap in the membrane;
• a second membrane in contact with opposing surface portions of the body defined between the at least outer wall and interior wall;
• and
• a pair of spaced electrodes on portions of either the first or the second membrane, the pair of spaced electrodes being isolated by a gap.

A micro electrostatic motor comprises:

• a first motor stack comprising:
• a first body having a first chamber;
• a first membrane over a first face of the first body;
• and
• a first disk rotatably disposed in the first chamber having on a first surface thereof a first set of three mutually electrically isolated electrodes, with each of the electrodes having a tab portion;
• a second motor stack comprising:
• a second body having a second chamber;
• a second membrane over a first face of the second body;
• and
• a second disk rotatably disposed in the second chamber having on a first surface thereof a second set of three mutually electrically isolated electrodes, with each of the electrodes having a tab portion;
• and
• an interface between the first motor stack and the second motor stack.

A method of producing a micro electrostatic device having a rotatable element, the method comprising:

• patterning a sheet of material having an electrically conductive layer to provide from the sheet a frame having walls, with an interior wall defining a chamber, a disk in the chamber with at least three electrode layers each having tabs to form a rotor element, and a central member;
• adhering a first membrane supporting a pair of spaced electrodes on the first membrane to form spaced stator electrodes;
• patterning the first membrane to provide a first annular void defined around the portion of the first membrane in contact with the central member;
• and
• forming vias for electrical connections in the sheet and membrane.