MEMS hinges with enhanced rotatability
OwnerRaviv Erlich, Yuval Gersoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical device includes a long, narrow element made of a rigid, elastic material. A rigid frame is configured to anchor at least one end of the element, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the element between the beam and the frame, so that the element is free to move within the gap. A solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, fills at least a part of the gap between the element and the frame so as to permit a first mode of movement of the element within the gap while inhibiting a different, second mode of movement.
Claims17
A mechanical device, comprising:
- a long, narrow beam made of a rigid, elastic material of a given length and transverse dimensions;
- a rigid frame configured to anchor at least one end of the beam, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the beam between the beam and the frame, so that the beam is configured as a hinge so as to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the beam relative to the frame and is free to rotate within the gap with an initial torsional spring constant Kφ determined by the length and transverse dimensions of the beam;
- and
- a solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, which fills at least a part of the gap between the beam and the frame so as to permit rotation of the beam about the longitudinal axis within the gap such that the torsional spring constant increases by no more than 20% relative to the initial torsional spring constant Kφ, while inhibiting a transverse deformation of the beam.
A method for producing a mechanical device, the method comprising:
- forming, from a rigid, elastic material, a long, narrow beam of a given length and transverse dimension, having at least one end attached to a rigid frame with a gap running longitudinally along the beam between the beam and the frame, so that the beam is configured as a hinge so as to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the beam relative to the frame and is free to rotate within the gap with an initial torsional spring constant Kφ determined by the length and transverse dimensions of the beam;
- and
- filling at least a part the gap with a solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, so as to permit rotation of the beam about the longitudinal axis within the gap such that the torsional spring constant increases by no more than 20% relative to the initial torsional spring constant Kφ, while inhibiting a transverse deformation of the beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.