A package for moving a platform in six degrees of freedom, is provided. The platform may include an optoelectronic device mounted thereon. The package includes an in-plane actuator which may be a MEMS actuator and an out-of-plane actuator which may be formed of a piezoelectric element. The in-plane MEMS actuator may be mounted on the out-of-plane actuator mounted on a recess in a PCB. The in-plane MEMS actuator includes a plurality comb structures in which fingers of opposed combs overlap one another, i.e. extend past each other's ends. The out-of-plane actuator includes a central portion and a plurality of surrounding stages that are connected to the central portion. The in-plane MEMS actuator is coupled to the out-of-plane Z actuator to provide three degrees of freedom to the payload which may be an optoelectronic device included in the package.

A package for moving a platform in six degrees of freedom, is provided. The platform may include an optoelectronic device mounted thereon. The package includes an in-plane actuator which may be a MEMS actuator and an out-of-plane actuator which may be formed of a piezoelectric element. The in-plane MEMS actuator may be mounted on the out-of-plane actuator mounted on a recess in a PCB. The in-plane MEMS actuator includes a plurality comb structures in which fingers of opposed combs overlap one another, i.e. extend past each other's ends. The out-of-plane actuator includes a central portion and a plurality of surrounding stages that are connected to the central portion. The in-plane MEMS actuator is coupled to the out-of-plane Z actuator to provide three degrees of freedom to the payload which may be an optoelectronic device included in the package.

A device for converting the kinetic energy of molecules into useful work includes an actuator configured to move within a fluid or gas due to collisions with the molecules of the fluid or gas. The actuator has dimensions that subject it to the Brownian motion of the surrounding molecules. The actuator utilizes objects having multiple surfaces where the different surfaces result in differing coefficients of restitution. The Brownian motion of surrounding molecules produce molecular impacts with the surfaces. Each surface then experiences relative differences in transferred energy from the kinetic collisions. The sum effect of the collisions produces net velocity in a desired direction. The controlled motion can be utilized in a variety of manners to perform work, such as generating electricity or transporting materials.

A mechanical device includes a long, narrow element made of a rigid, elastic material. A rigid frame is configured to anchor at least one end of the element, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the element between the beam and the frame, so that the element is free to move within the gap. A solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, fills at least a part of the gap between the element and the frame so as to permit a first mode of movement of the element within the gap while inhibiting a different, second mode of movement.

A cooling system is described. The cooling system includes a bottom plate, a support structure, and a cooling element. The bottom plate has orifices therein. The cooling element has a central axis and is supported by the support structure at the central axis. A first portion of the cooling element is on a first side of the central axis and a second portion of the cooling element is on a second side of the central axis opposite to the first side. The first and second portions of the cooling element are unpinned. The first portion and the second portion are configured to undergo vibrational motion when actuated to drive a fluid toward a heat-generating structure. The support structure couples the cooling element to the bottom plate. At least one of the support structure is an adhesive support structure or the support structure undergoes rotational motion in response to the vibrational motion. The adhesive support structure has at least one lateral dimension defined by a trench in the cooling element or the bottom plate.

A MEMS actuator assembly package features a number of drop test resistant mechanisms is disclosed. These mechanisms are used to decelerate and finally stops the heavy load of the image sensor attached to the MEMS actuators along all six directions of the in-plane and out-of-plane axes (x, y, z). The MEMS actuator assembly package comprises first and second sets of flexible stoppers attached to the MEMS actuator along with a set of hard stoppers that engage in a sequential manner with the moving mass of the loaded actuator to decelerate it, bringing it to a complete stop when exposed to mechanical shock along the four directions of the in-plane axes (x and y). When the assembly package is exposed along the positive and negative direction of the z-axis, the moving mass is stopped by features built in the package.

The improved scanning MEMS mirror device disclosed herein comprises a mirror body that is rotatable around a rotation axis with respect to a stationary body, wherein a rotation of the mirror body is flexibly restrained with at least one coupling element that biases the mirror body towards a neutral state. The coupling element comprises at least a bridge section and a first leaf spring section and a second leaf spring section. The first leaf spring section extends in an extension direction from a first end thereof at the bridge section towards a second end thereof that is connected to the mirror body. The second leaf spring section extends in an extension direction from a first end thereof at the bridge section towards a second end thereof where it is connected to the stationary body. The extension direction of the first leaf spring section and the extension direction of the second leaf spring section are at least substantially the same as the second planar direction. The leaf spring sections have a thickness defined in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane that is smaller than their width, defined in said first planar direction. The construction of the improved scanning MEMS mirror device results in an increased eigenfrequency of undesirable eigenmodes.

A microelectromechanical device is provided that includes a mobile rotor and a fixed stator in a device plane. Moreover, a fixed wall defines a wall plane that is adjacent to the device plane and a motion limiter is provided to prevent the rotor from coming into direct physical contact with the fixed wall. The motion limiter includes a shock absorber that extends from the rotor to the stator and a fixed stopper structure that protrudes from the fixed wall toward the shock absorber.