Hysteretic MEMS thermal device and method of manufacture
AssigneeInnovative Micro Technology
InventorPaul J. Rubel
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Abstract
A MEMS hysteretic thermal device may have a cantilevered beam which bends about one or more points in at least two substantially different directions. In one exemplary embodiment, the MEMS hysteretic thermal device is made from a first segment coupled to an anchor point, and also coupled to a second segment by a joint. Heating two respective drive beams causes the first segment to bend in a direction substantially about the anchor point and the second segment to bend in a direction substantially about the joint. By cooling the first drive beam faster than the second drive beam, the motion of the MEMS thermal device may be hysteretic. The MEMS hysteretic thermal device may be used for example, as an electrical switch or as a valve or piston.
Claims25
A hysteretic micromechanical device, comprising:
- a cantilever coupled to a fixed anchor point on a substrate, which moves in at least two substantially different directions during a single heating phase;
- and
- a driving means coupled to the cantilever, configured to move the cantilever in a first trajectory during the heating phase and a second, substantially different trajectory during a cooling phase, wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory pass through different points in space.
A hysteretic micromechanical device, comprising:
- a cantilever which moves in at least two substantially different directions;
- and
- a driving means coupled to the cantilever, configured to move the cantilever in a first trajectory along the different direction while engaging a latch and a second, substantially different trajectory while disengaging the latch, wherein the two substantially different directions are orthogonal.
A method of manufacturing a hysteretic micromechanical device comprising:
- forming a cantilever coupled to a fixed anchor point on a sub substrate which moves in at least two substantially different directions during a single heating phase;
- and
- forming a driving means coupled to the cantilever, which is configured to move in a first trajectory during the heating phase and a second, substantially different trajectory during a cooling phase, wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory pass through different points in space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.