Patent · US Active

MEMS devices and systems actuated by an energy field

US8421305B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 17, 2008
Grant dateApr 16, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H59/0009
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an actuator having a plurality of charge collection elements. At least one of the charge collection elements is configured to build up electrical charges by directly interacting with an energy field thereby actuating the MEMS through Coulombic interactions. An actuator for a MEMS device is configured to actuate the MEMS device through Coulombic interactions by pumping charges to the actuator when subject to an energy field. A method of actuating a MEMS device includes irradiating an actuator of the MEMS device with an energy field thereby building up electrical charges on the actuator, and actuating the MEMS device with Coulomb forces from the built up electrical charges.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.