MEMS actuator with lower power consumption and lower cost simplified fabrication
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsRobert Horning, Burgess Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microactuator device is disclosed that includes a plurality of generally parallel thin flexible sheets bonded together in a predetermined pattern to form an array of unit cells. Preferably, each of the sheets has only a single electrode layer located on one side of the sheet. Pairs of such sheets are then bonded together at spaced bonding locations with the electrode layers facing one another. Several sets of such sheet pairs can then be bonded together to form a microactuator device.
Claims28
An actuator array device, comprising:
- a plurality of sheets bonded together in a predetermined pattern to form an array of unit cells;
- and
- selected sheets having a substrate with two opposing surfaces, a first one of the opposing surfaces having an electrode layer adjacent thereto and the other opposing surface being generally free from an electrode layer, wherein the electrode layer is one of a plurality of electrodes associated with said array of unit cells, selected sheets being bonded together with the first opposing surfaces facing one another.
An actuator, comprising:
- a plurality of sheet pairs having a sheet pair length;
- said sheet pairs including a first sheet and a second sheet each having a sheet length, wherein said first and second sheets have a front surface and a back surface;
- said first and second sheets have a substrate layer disposed toward said back surface, a dielectric layer disposed toward said front surface, and a conductive layer disposed between said substrate layers and said dielectric layers;
- and
- said first and second sheet front surfaces being secured together at spaced bonding regions along said sheet length, such that said first and second sheets have non-bonded regions formed between said plurality of spaced bonded regions.
An actuator array device, comprising:
- a plurality of first sheets having sheet lengths;
- a plurality of second sheets having sheet lengths;
- wherein each of said first and second sheets having a front side and a back side with an electrode layer positioned adjacent the front side but generally free from an electrode layer on the back side;
- pairs of said first and second sheets are operably secured together at spaced bonding regions with their front sides facing one another to form a plurality of sheet pairs;
- and
- adjacent sheet pairs are operably secured together.
An actuator, comprising:
- a plurality of sheet pairs having a sheet pair length;
- said sheet pairs including a first sheet and a second sheet each having a sheet length, wherein said first and second sheets have a front surface and a back surface;
- said first and second sheets have a substrate layer disposed toward said back surface, a dielectric layer disposed toward said front surface, and a conductive layer disposed between said substrate layers and said dielectric layers;
- said first and second sheet front surfaces having one or more trenches defined therein at spaced bonding regions, and an adhesive disposed in selected trenches;
- and
- said first and second sheet front surfaces being secured together at the spaced bonding regions by the adhesive in the trenches, such that said first and second sheets have non-bonded regions formed between said plurality of spaced bonded regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.