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Frequency Addressible Microactuator

Technology Benefits

The current invention requires only a single actuation wire to control several actuators (a control bus). Since a single wire can carry electrical signals of different frequencies, it may be used to safely actuate specific actuators on the control bus without significantly actuating others. Thus multiple actuators may share a single control bus. This results in a great space savings and a simplified routing design for multiple actuators on a board. The same approach may be used to drive one or more actuators into a latched state by providing a broadly acting force, such as an oscillating magnetic field in the presence of multiple magnetic actuators. This approach may be used to produce frequency addressable magnetically actuated electronic switches, optical devices (such as mirrors), and other systems which require multiple mechanical structures to be addressibly moved into a given latched state.

Technology Application

This invention has utility in the area of the telecommunication, radar and satellite systems for many applications, such as switch network controlling, modularity and expansion.

Detailed Technology Description

This invention consists of one or more movable resonating elements, which can be forced into oscillation. The movable structure is designed to latch at a certain amplitude using one of several latching techniques. After latching, the moving element does not move, and is thus placed in a fixed state. In the intended operation, the movable element is driven into resonance, thereby producing a large amplitude, which in turn results in the structure latching. In this manner, through resonance, a small force applied in a repeating manner can result in the latching of the actuator for example, an operation which would normally require a large force. Furthermore, if two or more of these units, each with different harmonic frequencies, are placed under the same influence, only the one with a harmonic response to the driving force will latch. In this manner, a single influencing signal may be used to latch more than one device on demand by tuning the frequency to match the natural frequency of the device of interest.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US20120275079A1
Application Number: US13415840A
Inventor: Bachman, Mark | Li, Guann-Pyng | Wang, Minfeng | Zhang, Yang | Lin, Brent Puohan
Priority Date: 8 Mar 2011
Priority Number: US20120275079A1
Application Date: 8 Mar 2012
Publication Date: 1 Nov 2012
IPC Current: H01H005132
US Class: 361184
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: FREQUENCY ADDRESSABLE MICROACTUATORS
Usefulness: FREQUENCY ADDRESSABLE MICROACTUATORS
Summary: Actuator system for a state-based application e.g. electrical switch application or micro-mirror application.
Novelty: Actuator system for state-based application e.g. electrical switch application, has actuators coupled to control bus and selectively actuated in response to time varying actuating signal

Industry

Electronics

Sub Category

3C/Gadgets

Application No.

9685291

Others

Tech ID/UC Case

21899/2011-571-0

Related Cases

2011-571-0

*Abstract

The present invention relates to an actuator that is driven using a harmonic driving force, the use of resonant frequency for addressing the actuator, and use of such a device in different state-based applications such as an electrical switch or micromirror.

*IP Issue Date

Jun 20, 2017

*Principal Investigator

Name: Mark Bachman

Department:

Name: Guann Pyng Li

Department:

Name: Brent Lin

Department:

Name: Minfeng Wang

Department:

Name: Yang Zhang (Arthur)

Department:

Country/Region

USA