Mems vertical to horizontal motion translation device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsGabriel L. Smith, Lawrence Fan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A micromechanical device that takes a vertical force to a micro substrate that results into a vertical motion and translates that vertical motion into horizontal motion. A pit is etched onto a micro substrate where the walls of the pit meet the floor of the pit at less than a 90° angle. A vertical force is applied to a structure to push it along the angled wall of the pit and as the structure reaches the bottom of the pit the vertical motion is translated into horizontal motion. By attaching a spring or similar mechanism to the structure, one can store the horizontal momentum for later use by latching the structure in some way before the spring can pull the structure back into its original position.
Claims20
A micromechanical device for translating vertical force to horizontal movement, comprising:
- a substrate having a surface;
- a recess formed within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the side wall;
- and,
- at least one structural member comprising:
- a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess;
- a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess;
- means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system;
- and,
- means for exerting a vertical force on the mass, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to force the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means.
A method for arming a warhead, comprising the steps of:
- inserting means for igniting the warhead within the warhead;
- inserting a micromechanical device that translates vertical movement to horizontal movement within the warhead comprising a substrate having a surface, a recess formed within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the first side wall, and, at least one structural member comprising a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess, a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess, means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system, sufficient to align the positioning system to engage the ignition means;
- and,
- launching the warhead wherein a vertical force is provided, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to move the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means wherein alignment of the positioning system results in ignition.
Micro horizontal movement translated from a vertical force applied to the surface of a substrate produced from the process comprising the steps of:
- forming a recess within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the side wall;
- placing at least one structural member proximate to the recess comprising a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess, a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess, and, means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system;
- and,
- exerting a vertical force on the mass, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to force the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.