Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus
Abstract
A microelectromechanical (MEM) ratcheting apparatus is disclosed which includes an electrostatic or thermal actuator that drives a moveable member in the form of a ring gear, stage, or rack. Motion is effected by one or more reciprocating pawls driven by the actuator in a direction that is parallel to, in line with, or tangential to the path. The reciprocating pawls engage indexing elements (e.g. teeth or pins) on the moveable member to incrementally move the member along a curved or straight path with the ability to precisely control and determine the position of the moveable member. The MEM apparatus can be formed on a silicon substrate by conventional surface micromachining methods.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873650
- Patent Number(s):
- 6211599
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03G - SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16H - GEARING
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- microelectromechanical; ratcheting; apparatus; disclosed; electrostatic; thermal; actuator; drives; moveable; form; gear; stage; rack; motion; effected; reciprocating; pawls; driven; direction; parallel; line; tangential; path; engage; indexing; elements; teeth; pins; incrementally; move; curved; straight; ability; precisely; control; determine; position; formed; silicon; substrate; conventional; surface; micromachining; methods; silicon substrate; surface micromachining; thermal actuator; ratcheting apparatus; micromachining method; precisely control; machining method; /310/74/
Citation Formats
Barnes, Stephen M, Miller, Samuel L, Jensen, Brian D, Rodgers, M Steven, and Burg, Michael S. Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus. United States: N. p., 2001.
Web.
Barnes, Stephen M, Miller, Samuel L, Jensen, Brian D, Rodgers, M Steven, & Burg, Michael S. Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus. United States.
Barnes, Stephen M, Miller, Samuel L, Jensen, Brian D, Rodgers, M Steven, and Burg, Michael S. Mon .
"Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873650.
@article{osti_873650,
title = {Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus},
author = {Barnes, Stephen M and Miller, Samuel L and Jensen, Brian D and Rodgers, M Steven and Burg, Michael S},
abstractNote = {A microelectromechanical (MEM) ratcheting apparatus is disclosed which includes an electrostatic or thermal actuator that drives a moveable member in the form of a ring gear, stage, or rack. Motion is effected by one or more reciprocating pawls driven by the actuator in a direction that is parallel to, in line with, or tangential to the path. The reciprocating pawls engage indexing elements (e.g. teeth or pins) on the moveable member to incrementally move the member along a curved or straight path with the ability to precisely control and determine the position of the moveable member. The MEM apparatus can be formed on a silicon substrate by conventional surface micromachining methods.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}
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Works referenced in this record:
Surface Micromachined Polysilicon Theraml Actuator Arrays and Applications
conference, June 1996
- Comtois, J. H.; Bright, V. M.
- 1996 Solid-State, Actuators, and Microsystems Workshop Technical Digest