Elastomeric micro electro mechanical systems
US5642015A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jun 24, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01H11/06
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electromechanical transducer having a substrate bearing a plurality of elastomeric microstructures with a microelectrode on each microstructure. A power supply is connected to the microelectrodes for controlled application to them of an electrical potential which alternately induces forces of attraction between adjacent pairs of microelectrodes, causing controlled, time-varying displacement of the microelectrodes. Alternatively, a further plurality of microelectrodes (or one or more macroelectrodes) are elastomerically supported above the microelectrodes, with the power supply being connected to the macroelectrode(s) such that the electrical potential applied between the microelectrodes and macroelectrode(s) alternately induces forces of attraction between the microelectrodes and macroelectrode(s), causing controlled, time-varying displacement of the microelectrodes relative to the macroelectrode(s). The macroelectrode(s) can also be applied to a side of the substrate opposite the microstructures.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.