Direct acting vertical thermal actuator with controlled bending

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• at least one hot arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a grounding tab electrically coupling the hot arm to the substrate;
• a cold arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end, the cold arm being located above the hot arm relative to the surface;
• a reinforcing member formed along a first portion of the cold arm, a second portion of the cold arm without the reinforcing member adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• a member mechanically and electrically coupling the free ends of the hot and cold arms such that the member moves away from the substrate when current is applied to the hot arm.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• a first beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a second beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a grounding tab electrically coupling the first and second beams to the substrate;
• a member electrically and mechanically coupling the free end of the first beam to the free end of the second beam;
• a third beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end mechanically coupled to the member, the third beam being located above the first and second beams relative to the surface;
• a flexure formed in the third beam near the first end thereof adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the first ends of the first and second beams, respectively, such that current supplied to the first and second contacts causes the first and second beams to thermally expand and the member to move in an arc away from the substrate.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• a first beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a second beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a grounding tab electrically coupling the first and second beams to the substrate;
• a member electrically and mechanically coupling the free end of the first beam to the free end of the second beam;
• a third beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end mechanically coupled to the member, the third beam being located above the first and second beams relative to the surface;
• a reinforcing member formed in a first portion of the third beam, a second portion of the third beam without the reinforcing member adapted to provide the vertical thermal actuator with controlled bending;
• and
• first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the first ends of the first and second beams, respectively, such that current supplied to the first and second contacts causes the first and second beams to thermally expand and the member to move in an arc away from the substrate.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• at least one hot arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a cold arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end, the cold arm being located above the hot arm relative to the surface;
• a flexure formed in the cold arm near the first end thereof adapted to provide controlled bending, wherein the hot arm and the cold arm comprise a circuit through which electric current is passed;
• and
• a member mechanically and electrically coupling the free ends of the hot and cold arms such that the actuator bends generally at the flexure so that the member moves away from the substrate when current is applied to at least the hot arm.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• at least one hot arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a cold arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end, and a reinforcing member formed in the cold arm comprising one or more ridges extending longitudinally along the cold arm, the cold arm being located above the hot arm relative to the surface;
• a flexure formed in the cold arm near the first end thereof adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• a member mechanically and electrically coupling the free ends of the hot and cold arms such that the actuator bends generally at the flexure so that the member moves away from the substrate when current is applied to at least the hot arm.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• at least one hot arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a cold arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end, the cold arm being located above the hot arm relative to the surface, wherein the hot arm and the cold arm comprise a circuit through which electric current is passed;
• a reinforcing member formed along a first portion of the cold arm, a second portion of the cold arm without the reinforcing member adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• a member mechanically and electrically coupling the free ends of the hot and cold arms such that the member moves away from the substrate when current is applied to the hot arm.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• at least one hot arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a cold arm having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end, the cold arm being located above the hot arm relative to the surface;
• a reinforcing member formed along a first portion of the cold arm and comprising one or more ridges extending longitudinally along the first portion of the cold arm, a second portion of the cold arm without the reinforcing member adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• a member mechanically and electrically coupling the free ends of the hot and cold arms such that the member moves away from the substrate when current is applied to the hot arm.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• a first beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a second beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a member electrically and mechanically coupling the free end of the first beam to the free end of the second beam;
• a third beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end mechanically coupled to the, the third beam being located above the first and second beams relative to the surface;
• a reinforcing member in the third beam, wherein the reinforcing member comprises one or more ridges extending longitudinally along the third beam;
• a flexure formed in the third beam near the first end thereof adapted to provide controlled bending;
• and
• first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the first ends of the first and second beams, respectively, such that current supplied to the first and second contacts causes the first and second beams to thermally expand and the member to move in an arc away from the substrate.

A vertical thermal actuator constructed on a surface of a substrate comprising:

• a first beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a second beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end located above the surface;
• a member electrically and mechanically coupling the free end of the first beam to the free end of the second beam;
• a third beam having a first end anchored to the surface and a free end mechanically coupled to the member, the third beam being located above the first and second beams relative to the surface;
• a reinforcing member formed in a first portion of the third beam, a second portion of the third beam without the reinforcing member adapted to provide the vertical thermal actuator with controlled bending, wherein the reinforcing member comprises one or more ridges extending longitudinally along the third beam;
• and
• first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the first ends of the first and second beams, respectively, such that current supplied to the first and second contacts causes the first and second beams to thermally expand and the member to move in an arc away from the substrate.