Electrostatic actuator

An electrostatic actuator comprising:

• a flat sheet-like first member having a plurality of belt-like electrodes insulated from one another;
• a second member consisting of a thin film member having a resistance body disposed so as to face said first member, and a holding member supporting both ends of said thin film member and having a recess permitting deflection of an intermediate portion of said thin film member;
• and
• control means for moving said first and second members relative to each other by switching a voltage to be applied to said belt-like electrodes.

An apparatus supplied with at least one voltage, comprising:

• a first member including substantially parallel electrodes extending in a first direction and having a predetermined spacing, and at least one insulating material arranged to insulate the electrodes from one another, the at least one insulating material having a surface;
• and
• a second member having a surface and including a resistance body, the surface of the second member being arranged to oppose the surface of the at least one insulating material.
• the second member being caused to move relative to the first member, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and along the surface of the at least one insulating material, by applying and changing the at least one voltage supplied to at least one of the electrodes, and
• a value of a time constant of the resistance body, determined primarily by volume resistivity and dielectric constant of a material constituting the resistance body, being predetermined so as to be twice or more of a time necessary for the second member to move, by supplying and changing the at least one voltage, a distance relative to the first member equal to the predetermined spacing of the electrodes.

An electrostatic actuator comprising:

• a flat sheet-like first member having a plurality of belt-like electrodes insulated from one another;
• a second member consisting a thin film member having a resistance body disposed so as to face said first member, and a holding member supporting both ends of said thin film member and having a recess permitting deflection of an intermediate portion of said thin film member, the resistance body of the second member being such that a value of a time constant of the resistance body, determined primarily by volume resistivity and dielectric constant of a material constituting the resistance body, is predetermined to be twice or more of the time necessary for the second member to move by switching a voltage applied to the belt-like electrodes, a distance relative to the first member equal to a predetermined spacing of the belt-like electrodes;
• and
• control means for moving said first and second members relative to each other by switching the voltage to be applied to said belt-like electrodes.