WO2012015301A2 - Micro-electromechanical system - Google Patents

Micro-electromechanical system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012015301A2
WO2012015301A2 PCT/NL2011/050539 NL2011050539W WO2012015301A2 WO 2012015301 A2 WO2012015301 A2 WO 2012015301A2 NL 2011050539 W NL2011050539 W NL 2011050539W WO 2012015301 A2 WO2012015301 A2 WO 2012015301A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
segments
segment
substrate
micro
electromechanical system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/NL2011/050539
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2012015301A3 (en
Inventor
Nima Tolou
Justus Herder
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Technische Universiteit Delft
Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen STW
Original Assignee
Technische Universiteit Delft
Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen STW
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Technische Universiteit Delft, Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen STW filed Critical Technische Universiteit Delft
Publication of WO2012015301A2 publication Critical patent/WO2012015301A2/en
Publication of WO2012015301A3 publication Critical patent/WO2012015301A3/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B3/00—Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements, e.g. comprising elastic tongues or membranes
    • B81B3/0035—Constitution or structural means for controlling the movement of the flexible or deformable elements
    • B81B3/0037—For increasing stroke, i.e. achieve large displacement of actuated parts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B2203/00—Basic microelectromechanical structures
    • B81B2203/05—Type of movement
    • B81B2203/051—Translation according to an axis parallel to the substrate

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) comprising a substrate or substrate parts, and a compliant first segment or segments within the substrate or substrate parts with a positive stiffness.
  • MEMS micro-electromechanical system
  • compliant mechanisms have been used extensively rather than professional rigid-body joint mechanisms due to their numerous advantages such as single piece production, absence of Coulomb friction, no need for lubrication, compactness and other advantages.
  • Compliant mechanisms gain some or all of their motion from the relative flexibility (elastic deformation) of it's segments as opposed to jointed rigid-body motions of conventional mechanisms.
  • the invention aims to provide a solution for these problems or at least alleviate them to a certain extent, and to this end a micro-electrical mechanical system is proposed in accordance with one or more of the appended claims.
  • the first segment or segments is or are statically balanced, meaning that in the working range of the MEMS there is virtually zero stiffness and it requires virtually no actuation force to move the MEMS from a first point of equilibrium to a second point of equilibrium.
  • the MEMS is statically balanced the shortcomings of conventional compliant micro-mechanisms can thus be overcome.
  • the potential energy that is stored in the MEMS of the invention can thus be kept virtually constant, at least in a part of the working range of the MEMS which is of interest .
  • the static balancing of the micro-electromechanical system of the invention can appropriately be carried out by the feature that a second segment or segments is or are applied within the substrate or substrate parts which is provided with a negative stiffness so as to at least in part provide a bal- ancing force to the first segment or segments, which counteracts in a predefined working range of the first segment or seg ⁇ ments the said positive stiffness of said first segment or seg ⁇ ments .
  • a first embodiment has the feature that it has separate substrate parts that are movable with respect to each other, and that the first segment or segments as well as the second segment or segments connect the separate substrate parts to each other, wherein the first segment or segments and/or the second segment or segments are embodied with a preloading force .
  • a second embodiment has the feature that it has a monolithic substrate within which the first and second segment or segments are embodied as (straight or curved) beams which are provided with an interconnecting link and wherein the distance between the beams as seen in their longitudinal direction differs at the extremities of the beams as compared to their distance in the middle of the beams.
  • FIG. 1A shows a first embodiment of the micro- electromechanical system of the invention, and figures IB and 1C show two variants of the first embodiment;
  • -figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the micro- electromechanical system of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 a micro- electromechanical system 1 is shown in which the balancing forces are applied are perpendicular to the actuation direction of the system 1.
  • the micro-electromechanical system 1 shown in figure 1A has separate substrate parts 2, 3 that are movable with respect to each other.
  • the system 1 further has a first segment or segments 4 as well as a second segment or segments 5 that connect the separate substrate parts 2, 3 to each other.
  • the first and second segments 4, 5 are embodied with a preload so as to arrange that the segments 4, 5 are statically balanced, which results in their having in combination a virtually zero stiffness, and requiring virtually zero actuation force in the working range of the system.
  • the second segments 5 are applied within the substrate parts 2, 3 with a negative stiffness that provides a balancing force (symbolized by the arrows A) to the first segments 4 so as to counteract at least in a predefined working range of the first segments 4 the positive stiffness of these first segments 4.
  • a balancing force symbolized by the arrows A
  • this force can thus be close to zero due to the balancing of the system 1 as just described.
  • FIG 2 a micro- electromechanical system 1 is shown in which the balancing forces are applied parallel to the actuation direction of the system 1.
  • the micro-electromechanical system 1 shown in figure 2 is embodied with a monolithic substrate 6 within which the first segment 4 and the second segment 5 are embodied as sub- stantially parallel beams which have an interconnecting link 7 and wherein the distance a, b between the beams as seen in their longitudinal direction differs at the extremities a of the beams 4, 5 as compared to their distance in the middle b of the beams 4, 5.
  • first and second segments 4, 5 are statically balanced. This is executed by arranging that the second segment 5 has a negative stiffness which provides a balancing force to the first segment 4 so as to counteract at least in a predefined working range of the first segment 4 the positive stiffness of this first segment 4. As a result, it requires a force in the direction of the travel path indicated with arrow C which is virtually zero in order to move the linked first segment 4 and second segment 5.
  • both the embodiment in figure 1 as well as the embodiment shown in figure 2 is shown to be provided with the feature that at their extremities where the first and second segments 4, 5 connect to the substrate 6 (see figure 2) or substrate parts 2, 3 (see figure 1), said segments 4, 5 are initially cosine shaped, when said segments are free from external load.
  • this provides the advantage of both lower Von Mises stresses and better distributed force- displacement and efficiency for a larger working range.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Micromachines (AREA)

Abstract

Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) comprising a substrate or substrate parts, and a compliant first segment or segments within the substrate or substrate parts with a predefined positive stiffness, wherein the first segment or segments is or are statically balanced. This is embodied by applying a second segment or segments within the substrate or substrate parts that provide a balancing force to the first segment or segments so as to counteract at least in a predefined working range of the first segment or segments the said predefined positive stiffness.

Description

Micro-electromechanical system
The invention relates to a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) comprising a substrate or substrate parts, and a compliant first segment or segments within the substrate or substrate parts with a positive stiffness.
In recent decades, compliant mechanisms have been used extensively rather than professional rigid-body joint mechanisms due to their numerous advantages such as single piece production, absence of Coulomb friction, no need for lubrication, compactness and other advantages. Compliant mechanisms gain some or all of their motion from the relative flexibility (elastic deformation) of it's segments as opposed to jointed rigid-body motions of conventional mechanisms.
When looking at micro-electromechanical systems the application of compliant segments is the rule rather than the exception. Manufacturing of pin-joints which are exceptionally small compared to the entire design of the micro- electromechanical system, is costly and reguires significantly small position resolution. Consequently compliant mechanisms play an important role in micromechanical structures, in particular in micro-electromechanical systems. However, the positive stiffness of these mechanisms is an important drawback resulting in insufficient working range of the MEMS, the requirement to apply relatively large actuators and the need to design the MEMS with larger dimensions. Also the energy consumption in such known systems is disadvantageous.
The invention aims to provide a solution for these problems or at least alleviate them to a certain extent, and to this end a micro-electrical mechanical system is proposed in accordance with one or more of the appended claims.
At the heart of the invention is the feature that the first segment or segments is or are statically balanced, meaning that in the working range of the MEMS there is virtually zero stiffness and it requires virtually no actuation force to move the MEMS from a first point of equilibrium to a second point of equilibrium. When the MEMS is statically balanced the shortcomings of conventional compliant micro-mechanisms can thus be overcome. The potential energy that is stored in the MEMS of the invention can thus be kept virtually constant, at least in a part of the working range of the MEMS which is of interest .
The static balancing of the micro-electromechanical system of the invention can appropriately be carried out by the feature that a second segment or segments is or are applied within the substrate or substrate parts which is provided with a negative stiffness so as to at least in part provide a bal- ancing force to the first segment or segments, which counteracts in a predefined working range of the first segment or seg¬ ments the said positive stiffness of said first segment or seg¬ ments .
It has further been found advantageous that at their extremities where the first and second segments connect to the substrate or substrate parts, said segments are initially cosine shaped when the segments are free from an external load. This provides both lower Von Mises stresses and better distributed force-displacement and efficiency for a larger working range.
The inventors have envisaged at the time of conception of this entirely new and inspiring idea two general embodiments of the micro-electromechanical system in which the features of the invention may be embodied.
A first embodiment has the feature that it has separate substrate parts that are movable with respect to each other, and that the first segment or segments as well as the second segment or segments connect the separate substrate parts to each other, wherein the first segment or segments and/or the second segment or segments are embodied with a preloading force .
A second embodiment has the feature that it has a monolithic substrate within which the first and second segment or segments are embodied as (straight or curved) beams which are provided with an interconnecting link and wherein the distance between the beams as seen in their longitudinal direction differs at the extremities of the beams as compared to their distance in the middle of the beams.
The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of some exemplary embodiments of the micro-electromechanical system of the invention.
In the drawing:
-figure 1A shows a first embodiment of the micro- electromechanical system of the invention, and figures IB and 1C show two variants of the first embodiment; and
-figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the micro- electromechanical system of the invention.
Wherever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same or similar parts.
Making reference now first to figure 1 a micro- electromechanical system 1 is shown in which the balancing forces are applied are perpendicular to the actuation direction of the system 1.
The micro-electromechanical system 1 shown in figure 1A has separate substrate parts 2, 3 that are movable with respect to each other. The system 1 further has a first segment or segments 4 as well as a second segment or segments 5 that connect the separate substrate parts 2, 3 to each other. The first and second segments 4, 5 are embodied with a preload so as to arrange that the segments 4, 5 are statically balanced, which results in their having in combination a virtually zero stiffness, and requiring virtually zero actuation force in the working range of the system. For this purpose of static balancing the second segments 5 are applied within the substrate parts 2, 3 with a negative stiffness that provides a balancing force (symbolized by the arrows A) to the first segments 4 so as to counteract at least in a predefined working range of the first segments 4 the positive stiffness of these first segments 4. When an actuation force according to arrow B is applied to the system 1, this force can thus be close to zero due to the balancing of the system 1 as just described.
Making reference now to figure 2 a micro- electromechanical system 1 is shown in which the balancing forces are applied parallel to the actuation direction of the system 1.
The micro-electromechanical system 1 shown in figure 2 is embodied with a monolithic substrate 6 within which the first segment 4 and the second segment 5 are embodied as sub- stantially parallel beams which have an interconnecting link 7 and wherein the distance a, b between the beams as seen in their longitudinal direction differs at the extremities a of the beams 4, 5 as compared to their distance in the middle b of the beams 4, 5.
Also in this embodiment the first and second segments 4, 5 are statically balanced. This is executed by arranging that the second segment 5 has a negative stiffness which provides a balancing force to the first segment 4 so as to counteract at least in a predefined working range of the first segment 4 the positive stiffness of this first segment 4. As a result, it requires a force in the direction of the travel path indicated with arrow C which is virtually zero in order to move the linked first segment 4 and second segment 5.
Both the embodiment in figure 1 as well as the embodiment shown in figure 2 is shown to be provided with the feature that at their extremities where the first and second segments 4, 5 connect to the substrate 6 (see figure 2) or substrate parts 2, 3 (see figure 1), said segments 4, 5 are initially cosine shaped, when said segments are free from external load. As mentioned already above this provides the advantage of both lower Von Mises stresses and better distributed force- displacement and efficiency for a larger working range.

Claims

1. Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) comprising a substrate (6) or substrate parts (2, 3), and a compliant first segment or segments (4) within the substrate or substrate parts with a positive stiffness, characterized in that a second seg- ment or segments (5) is or are applied within the substrate (6) or substrate parts (2, 3) with a negative stiffness, so as to at least in part provide a balancing force to the first segment or segments (4) which counteracts in a predefined working range of the first segment or segments (4) the said positive stiff- ness of said first segment or segments (4).
2. Micro-electromechanical system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at their extremities where the first and second segments (4, 5) connect to the substrate (6) or substrate parts (2, 3), said segments (4, 5) are initially cosine shaped when said segments are free from an external load .
3. Micro-electromechanical system (1) according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that it has separate substrate parts (2, 3) that are movable with respect to each oth- er, and that the first segment or segments (4) as well as the second segment or segments (5) connect the separate substrate parts (2, 3) to each other, wherein the first and/or second segment or segments (4, 5) are embodied with a preload.
4. Micro-electromechanical system (1) according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that it has a monolithic substrate (6) within which the first and second segment or segments (4, 5) are embodied as beams which are provided with an interconnecting link (7) and wherein the distance (a, b) between the beams as seen in their longitudinal direction (a) differs at the extremities (a) of the beams (4, 5) as compared to their distance in the middle (b) of the beams (4, 5) .
PCT/NL2011/050539 2010-07-30 2011-07-22 Micro-electromechanical system Ceased WO2012015301A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL2005181 2010-07-30
NL2005181A NL2005181C2 (en) 2010-07-30 2010-07-30 Micro-electromechanical system.

Publications (2)

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WO2012015301A2 true WO2012015301A2 (en) 2012-02-02
WO2012015301A3 WO2012015301A3 (en) 2012-04-05

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WO (1) WO2012015301A2 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2019125145A1 (en) * 2017-12-21 2019-06-27 Technische Universiteit Delft Mechanical frequency converter
EP3710719A1 (en) * 2017-11-17 2020-09-23 Reon Ehf. Tunable static balancer in particular for devices with compliant mechanism
US11929692B2 (en) 2018-02-01 2024-03-12 8power Limited Vibrational energy harvesters with reduced wear

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007110928A1 (en) * 2006-03-28 2007-10-04 Fujitsu Limited Movable element

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3710719A1 (en) * 2017-11-17 2020-09-23 Reon Ehf. Tunable static balancer in particular for devices with compliant mechanism
US11926046B2 (en) 2017-11-17 2024-03-12 Reon Ehf. Tunable static balancer in particular for devices with compliant mechanism
WO2019125145A1 (en) * 2017-12-21 2019-06-27 Technische Universiteit Delft Mechanical frequency converter
NL2020145B1 (en) * 2017-12-21 2019-07-01 Univ Delft Tech Mechanical frequency converter
US11929692B2 (en) 2018-02-01 2024-03-12 8power Limited Vibrational energy harvesters with reduced wear

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NL2005181C2 (en) 2012-01-31
WO2012015301A3 (en) 2012-04-05

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