| Tessera MEMS Technologies, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120121247 | LONG HINGE ACTUATOR SNUBBING - A device may comprise an upper module cover, a lower module cover, an outer frame, and an actuator having a movable frame. The movable frame may be at least partially disposed intermediate the upper module cover and the lower module cover. A hinge flexure may interconnect the outer frame and the movable frame such that the movable frame is rotatable with respect to the outer frame. The upper module cover and/or the lower module cover may be adapted to limit a movement of the movable frame. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121243 | MEMS ACTUATOR ALIGNMENT - A method for aligning an actuator device relative to an adjacent component, such as a rear cover of an actuator module or a stationary lens, includes disposing a plurality of radially extending tabs around an outer periphery of the actuator device, disposing a corresponding plurality of pairs of raised mounting features on a front surface of the adjacent component, each pair defining a slot having sidewalls that are complementary in configuration to respective sidewalls of corresponding ones of the tabs, and inserting respective ones of the tabs into corresponding ones of the slots. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121242 | LENS BARREL WITH MEMS ACTUATORS - A lens barrel for, e.g., a miniature camera or another device, includes an annular barrel, a plurality of first optical elements disposed coaxially within the barrel, an actuator device disposed coaxially within the barrel in front of the first optical elements, a front cover attached coaxially to a front surface of the actuator device, and a second optical element mounted coaxially in a central opening of a moving platform of the actuator device such that rotational movement of actuators in the actuator device causes the moving platform and second optical element to move conjointly with a purely translation movement along the optical axis of the second optical element and relative to the first optical elements. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120120508 | ROTATIONAL COMB DRIVE Z-STAGE - A device may have an outer frame, a platform, and a plurality of actuators configured to move the platform with respect to the outer frame. Each of the actuators may have a movable frame and a fixed frame. A motion control mechanism may be configured to permit movement of the platform in a desired direction with respect to the outer frame and inhibit rotation of the platform with respect to the outer frame. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120120507 | MOUNTING FLEXURE CONTACTS - A device may comprise a flexure formed of a first semiconductor material. A first trench may be formed in the flexure. The first trench may separate the first semiconductor material into a first portion and a second portion thereof. An oxide layer may be formed in the first trench. The oxide layer may extend over a top portion of the first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material may be formed on the oxide layer. The first trench and the oxide layer may cooperate to electrically isolate the first portion and the second portion from one another. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120120297 | ACTUATOR INSIDE OF MOTION CONTROL - A device can comprise an outer frame, a platform, and a motion control mechanism. The motion control mechanism can be adapted to permit movement of the platform in a desired direction with respect to the outer frame and inhibit rotation of the platform with respect to the outer frame. An actuator can be contained at least partially within the motion control mechanism. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120120262 | ROTATIONALLY DEPLOYED ACTUATORS - A method for making an actuator includes forming, e.g., using photolithography techniques, a substantially planar actuator device of an electrically conductive material, e.g., a semiconductor, to include an outer frame, a fixed frame coupled to the outer frame for rotational movement relative thereto, a moveable frame coupled to the outer frame for rotational movement relative thereto, and an actuator incorporating a plurality of interdigitated teeth, a fixed portion of which is attached to the fixed frame and a moving portion of which is attached to the moveable frame. The fixed frame is then rotated to a deployed position relative to the outer frame such that the fixed portion of the actuator teeth is disposed at a selected angle relative to the moving portion of the actuator teeth, and the position of the fixed frame relative to the outer frame is then fixed at the deployed position. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119614 | LINEARLY DEPLOYED ACTUATORS - A method for making an actuator includes forming a substantially planar actuator device of an electrically conductive material, the device incorporating an outer frame, a fixed frame attached to the outer frame, a moveable frame disposed parallel to the fixed frame, a motion control flexure coupling the moveable frame to the outer frame for coplanar, rectilinear movement relative to the outer frame and the fixed frame, and an actuator incorporating a plurality of interdigitated teeth, a fixed portion of which is attached to the fixed frame and a moving portion of which is attached to the moveable frame, moving the moveable frame to a deployed position that is coplanar with, parallel to and spaced at a selected distance apart from the fixed frame and fixing the moveable frame at the deployed position for substantially rectilinear, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119612 | MOTION CONTROLLED ACTUATOR - A device can have an outer frame and an actuator. The actuator can have a movable frame and a fixed frame. At least one torsional flexure and at least one hinge flexure can cooperate to provide comparatively high lateral stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame and can cooperate to provide comparatively low rotational stiffness between the outer frame and the movable frame. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119611 | ELECTRICAL ROUTING - An electronic device may have a MEMS device formed of a first conductive material. A trench may be formed in the MEMS device. A layer of non-conductive material may be formed in the trench. A second conductive material may be formed upon the non-conductive material. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119425 | ACTUATOR MOTION CONTROL FEATURES - A method for making a motion control feature for an actuator device of a type that has a moveable component coupled to an opposing fixed component for out-of-plane rotational movement relative thereto includes forming first and second flaps respectively extending from the moveable and fixed components and toward the opposing component and operable to effect one or more of damping movement of the moveable component relative to the fixed component and/or restraining movement of the moveable component relative to the fixed component in a direction substantially perpendicular to the actuator device. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119325 | GUARD TRENCH - A device may comprise a substrate formed of a first semiconductor material, a first trench formed in the substrate, a second trench formed in the substrate proximate the first trench, an oxide layer formed in the first trench and the second trench, and a second semiconductor material formed upon the oxide layer. The oxide layer in the second trench may be adapted to mitigate undercut of the oxide layer in the first trench during an etching process. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119324 | MEMS ISOLATION STRUCTURES - A device may comprise a substrate formed of a first semiconductor material and a trench formed in the substrate. A second semiconductor material may be formed in the trench. The second semiconductor material may have first and second portions that are isolated with respect to one another and that are isolated with respect to the first semiconductor material. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20110274423 | Impulse Actuated MEMS Devices - An apparatus, useful in, for example, a miniature camera, includes an object, e.g., an optical element such as a shutter blade, an actuator operable to apply an impulse to the object such that the object moves from a first position to a second position, and at least one flexure coupled to the object and operable to confine movement of the object to movement along a predefined trajectory extending between the first and second positions. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110255182 | PLANAR FLEXURE SYSTEM WITH HIGH PITCH STIFFNESS - A flexure system for miniature camera and the like is disclosed. The flexure system can include a frame and a stage that is configured to move with respect to the frame. One or more flexures can interconnect the frame and the stage. Each flexure can have one or more film hinges formed thereon. The film hinges can be widely spaced and/or extended in length so as to substantially mitigate undesirable pitching of the stage. | 10-20-2011 |
