Curved spring structure with elongated section located under cantilevered section
US7230440B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R1/06738
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A curved spring structure includes a base section extending parallel to the substrate surface, a curved cantilever section bent away from the substrate surface, and an elongated section extending from the base section along the substrate surface under the cantilevered section. The spring structure includes a spring finger formed from a self-bending material film (e.g., stress-engineered metal, bimorph/bimetallic) that is patterned and released. A cladding layer is then electroplated and/or electroless plated onto the spring finger for strength. The elongated section is formed from plating material deposited simultaneously with cladding layers. To promote the formation of the elongated section, a cementation layer is provided under the spring finger to facilitate electroplating, or the substrate surface is pre-treated to facilitate electroless plating.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.