Electrostatic parallel plate actuators whose moving elements are driven only by electrostatic force and methods useful in conjunction therewith
US11139772B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2019 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49002
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Actuator apparatus for generating a physical effect, at least one attribute of which corresponds to at least one characteristic of a digital input signal sampled periodically in accordance with a sampling clock, the apparatus comprising at least one actuator device, each actuator device including an array of moving elements, wherein each individual moving element is operative to be constrained to travel alternately back and forth along a respective axis responsive to an individual first electrostatic force operative thereupon, wherein each moving element has an at-rest position and is driven away from its at rest position solely by the first electrostatic force; and at least one electrode operative to apply a controlled temporal sequence of potential differences with at least one individual moving element from among the array of moving elements thereby to selectably generate the first electrostatic force; and a controller operative to receive the digital input signal and to control at least one of the at least one electrode and the individual moving element to apply the sequence of potential differences.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.