B81B2203/0154

Electrostatically actuated oscillating structure with oscillation starting phase control, and manufacturing and driving method thereof

An electrostatically actuated oscillating structure includes a first stator subregion, a second stator subregion, a first rotor subregion and a second rotor subregion. Torsional elastic elements mounted to the first and second rotor subregions define an axis of rotation. A mobile element is coupled to the torsional elastic elements. The stator subregions are electrostatically coupled to respective regions of actuation on the mobile element. The stator subregions exhibit an element of structural asymmetry such that the electrostatic coupling surface between the first stator subregion and the first actuation region differs from the electrostatic coupling surface between the second stator subregion and the second actuation region.

Micromechanical spring for a sensor element
10739373 · 2020-08-11 · ·

A micromechanical spring for a sensor element, including at least two spring sections formed along a sensing axis, the at least two spring sections each having a defined length, and the at least two spring sections having different defined widths.

Actuator with plurality of torsion bars having varying spring constant

An actuator (1) is provided with: a movable part (120); a support part (110, 210) which supports the movable part; and a plurality of torsion bars (230) (i) each of which connects the movable part and the support part along a long direction such that the movable part is capable of swinging around a rotational axis which is along the long direction and (ii) which are arranged along a short direction; the farther each torsion bar is from the rotational axis, the smaller a spring constant of each torsion bar is.

Microelectromechanical device with multiple hinges

An example microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch comprises a hinge plane having two or more intersecting hinges; a switch plate; and a plurality of electrostatic pads. Selective activation of the electrostatic pads causes torsion of at least one of the two or more intersecting hinges to tilt the switch plate to a selected one of three or more positions.

Flexure with enhanced torsional stiffness and MEMS device incorporating same
10712359 · 2020-07-14 · ·

A flexure for a MEMS device includes an elongated beam and a protrusion element extending outwardly from a sidewall of the elongated beam. A MEMS inertial sensor includes a movable element spaced apart from a surface of a substrate, an anchor attached to the substrate, and a spring system. The spring system includes first and second beams, a center flexure between the first and second beams, a first end flexure interconnected between an end of the first beam and the anchor, and a second end flexure interconnected between an end of the second beam and the movable element. Each of the end flexures includes the elongated beam having first and second ends, and the sidewall defining a longitudinal dimension of the elongated beam, and the protrusion element extending from the sidewall of the elongated beam, the protrusion element being displaced away from the first and second ends of the beam.

OUT-OF-PLANE HINGE FOR MICRO AND NANOELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS WITH REDUCED NON-LINEARITY

Hinge for a microelectromechanical system, said system comprising a fixed part and at least one part able to move relative to the fixed part along at least an out-of-plane direction, said hinge being intended to suspend the moving part from the fixed part, said hinge comprising a first rigid part, a second part fixed to the first part at one end and intended to be anchored to the fixed part or the moving part, said second part being configured to deform in bending in a first direction, and two third parts fixed to the first part and intended to be anchored to the moving part or the fixed part, the third parts being configured to deform in bending along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

MEMS DEVICE HAVING A TILTABLE SUSPENDED STRUCTURE CONTROLLED BY ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATION

A MEMS device is obtained by forming a temporary biasing structure on a semiconductor body, and forming an actuation coil on the semiconductor body, the actuation coil having at least one first end turn, one second end turn and an intermediate turn arranged between the first and the second end turns and electrically coupled to the first end turn through the temporary biasing structure. In this way, the intermediate turn is biased at approximately the same potential as the first end turn during galvanic growth, and, at the end of growth, the actuation coil has an approximately uniform thickness. At the end of galvanic growth, portions of the temporary biasing structure are selectively removed to electrically separate the first end turn from the intermediate turn and from a dummy biasing region adjacent to the first end turn.

ACTUATOR DEVICE

An actuator device includes a support portion, a movable portion, a connection portion which connects the movable portion to the support portion on a second axis, a first wiring which is provided on the connection portion, a second wiring which is provided on the support portion, and an insulation layer which includes a first opening exposing a surface opposite to the support portion in a first connection part located on the support portion in one of the first wiring and the second wiring and covers a corner of the first connection part. The rigidity of a first metal material forming the first wiring is higher than the rigidity of a second metal material forming the second wiring. The other wiring of the first wiring and the second wiring is connected to the surface of the first connection part in the first opening.

NON-LINEAR SPRINGS TO UNIFY THE DYNAMIC MOTION OF INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS IN A MICRO-MIRROR ARRAY
20200182976 · 2020-06-11 ·

An array of micro mirrors is used to beam steer a laser for Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) applications. The array of micro mirrors are driven in a nonlinear motion to synchronize motion of the micro mirrors in the array.

Anchoring structure for a sensor insensitive to anchor movement

A MEMS sensor includes a substrate and a MEMS layer. A plurality of anchoring points within the MEMS layer suspend a suspended spring-mass system that includes active micromechanical components that respond to a force of interest such as linear acceleration, angular velocity, pressure, or magnetic field. Springs and rigid masses couple the active components to the anchoring points, such that displacements of the anchoring points do not substantially cause the active components within the MEMS layer to move out-of-plane.