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US 7,131,628 B2Granted
Vented MEMS structures and methods
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsKathleen A. Feinberg, Peter M. Gulvin, Nancy Y. Jia, Peter J. Nystrom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vent connects a chamber to the external atmosphere surrounding a device to equalize pressure within the chamber. The vent has a size and shape to allow pressure equalization to occur outside a normal operating cycle of the chamber and controls the pressure to prevent undesirable deflection of a membrane within the chamber and ensure proper operation of the device.
Claims14
A device comprising:
- a sealed actuator chamber comprising a flexible member and an actuator separate from said flexible member;
- and
- a vent connected to said sealed actuator chamber,
- wherein said vent includes a ruptured sacrificial membrane.
1 more element
A method of forming a device comprising:
- forming at least one sealed actuator chamber to have a flexible member and an actuator separate from said flexible member;
- and
- forming a vent connected to said sealed actuator chamber,
- wherein said process of forming said vent includes rupturing a sacrificial membrane to open said vent.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- a first chamber adapted to maintain a fluid;
- a sealed actuator chamber below said first chamber;
- an actuator within said sealed actuator chamber;
- a flexible member separating said first chamber from said sealed actuator chamber;
- and
- a vent connected to said sealed actuator chamber adapted to equalize pressure within said sealed actuator chamber,
- wherein said vent includes a ruptured sacrificial membrane.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.