Apparatus for raising or tilting a micromechanical structure
| DWPI Title: Micromechanical structure e.g. tiltable plate, raising apparatus i.e. active hinge apparatus, has rack rotating axle upon movement of rack in direction parallel to substrate, where actuator is connected to move rack in direction |
| Abstract: An active hinge apparatus is disclosed which can be used to raise a micromechanical structure (e.g. a plate or micromirror) on a substrate. The active hinge apparatus utilizes one or more of teeth protruding outward from an axle which also supports the micromechanical structure on one end thereof. A rack is used to engage the teeth and rotate the axle to raise the micromechanical structure and tilt the structure at an angle to the substrate. Motion of the rack is provided by an actuator which can be a mechanically-powered actuator, or alternately an electrostatic comb actuator or a thermal actuator. A latch can be optionally provided in the active hinge apparatus to lock the micromechanical structure in an "erected" position. |
| Use: Apparatus i.e. active hinge apparatus, for raising a micromechanical structure e.g. tiltable plate and micromirror, from a position parallel to a substrate where the structure is formed, to another position which is at an angle to the substrate. |
| Advantage: The rack rotates the axle upon movement of the rack in the direction parallel to the substrate to raise the micromechanical structure e.g. tiltable plate, from one position to another position, thus precisely raising the micromechanical structure to an arbitrary angle with respect to a supporting substrate. The apparatus is relatively compact. |
| Novelty: The apparatus has an axle (16) supported on a common substrate (14) and attached to an end of a micromechanical structure (12) e.g. tiltable plate. The axle includes a pair of teeth (18) protruding outward from the axle, where the teeth is oriented perpendicular to each other. A rack (22) above the axle engages with the teeth and rotates the axle upon movement of the rack in a direction parallel to the substrate to raise the structure from one position to another position. An actuator is located on the substrate and is connected to move the rack in the direction parallel to the substrate. |
| Filed: 8/11/2005 |
| Application Number: US2005201457A |
| Tech ID: SD 7755.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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