Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080197748 | Vertical Comb Drive and Uses Thereof - A method for providing a vertical comb drive. The method comprises: fabricating a device comprising rotor comb element, the rotor element comb comprising a main body and a plurality of substantially parallel extensions in a comb arrangement, and at least one of a plurality of stator comb elements, comprising a main body and a plurality of substantially parallel extensions in a comb arrangement, adapted to be interlaced with the rotor, all on a single layer of a substrate. | 08-21-2008 |
20080197749 | MEMS MICROMOTOR AND TIMEPIECE EQUIPPED WITH THIS MICROMOTOR - The invention proposes a MEMS micromotor produced in a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material, in particular based on silicon, which comprises a lower layer forming a substrate, and an upper layer in which at least one actuator and a rotor is etched, the actuator driving the rotor in rotation about a shaft ( | 08-21-2008 |
20080203850 | Flexible member energy conversion device - Flexible member energy conversion device ( | 08-28-2008 |
20080211341 | WALL CRAWLING DEVICES - Described herein is electroadhesion technology that permits controllable adherence between two objects. Electroadhesion uses electrostatic forces of attraction produced by an electrostatic adhesion voltage, which is applied using electrodes in an electroadhesive device. The electrostatic adhesion voltage produces an electric field and electrostatic adherence forces. When the electroadhesive device and electrodes are positioned near a surface of an object such as a vertical wall, the electrostatic adherence forces hold the electroadhesive device in position relative to the surface and object. This can be used to increase traction or maintain the position of the electroadhesive device relative to a surface. Electric control of the electrostatic adhesion voltage permits the adhesion to be controllably and readily turned on and off. | 09-04-2008 |
20080211342 | Device For Assisting The Variable Capacity Generating Movement | 09-04-2008 |
20080211343 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR AND METHOD FOR DRIVING ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR - [Object] To provide an electrostatic actuator having a simple structure including a reduced number of systems that supply driving voltages and a method for driving the electrostatic actuator. | 09-04-2008 |
20080224564 | TEAR RESISTANT ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER TRANSDUCERS - Described herein are several solutions that increase transducer lifetime by reducing or preventing tear propagation in a compliant electroactive polymer. One solution couples a compliant tear resistant treatment to a transducer proximate to an edge portion of the electroactive polymer. Another solution uses a tear resistant layer that couples to and covers a large surface area of the transducer. Another suitable tear resistant solution provides added material outside an active area; the added material reduces stress or strain variations in polymer material outside the active area when the electroactive polymer transducer is deflected or pre-strained | 09-18-2008 |
20080224565 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR - An electrostatic actuator includes a stator having a plurality of convex shaped electrodes formed on a surface of a base material, where the surface serves as a counter surface, and a mover disposed so as to face the stator, where the mover has a plurality of convex shaped electrodes formed on a surface of a base material and the surface serves as a counter surface. A side surface of each of the convex shaped electrodes of the stator faces a side surface of a corresponding one of the convex shaped electrodes of the mover. Planar electrodes are formed on at least one of the counter surface of the stator and the counter surface of the mover in a portion other than a portion where the convex shaped electrodes are formed, and the planar electrodes face end surfaces of the convex shaped electrodes formed on the other counter surface. | 09-18-2008 |
20080231141 | Microactuator with Displacement Sensing Function and Deformable Mirror Including the Microactuator - According to the present invention, a moving element such as an electrostatically driven actuator is displaced by supplying a drive signal thereto. Meanwhile, a displacement sensing section senses its displacement and a calibrating section automatically calibrates the correlation between the drive signal and the displacement, thereby compensating for a variation in the characteristic of the actuator with time and according to the environment. A switching section selectively connects the single displacement sensing section to a plurality of moving elements one after another, thereby cutting down the circuit for displacement sensing. | 09-25-2008 |
20080265710 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR - An electrostatic actuator includes first and second lower electrodes formed apart from each other above a substrate, an electrode portion formed above the first and second lower electrodes and first and second upper electrodes, a distance between the first upper electrode and the first lower electrode at a first portion being greater than that at a second portion, a distance between the second upper electrode and the second lower electrode at a third portion being greater than that at a fourth portion, a first boundary portion between the first and third upper electrodes having a convex shape, a second boundary portion between the second and third upper electrodes having a convex shape, and the electrode portion driving the third upper electrode, and first and second layers formed in the first and second boundary portions. | 10-30-2008 |
20080284277 | ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - An electroactive polymer actuator and a method for manufacturing the electroactive polymer actuator are provided. The electroactive polymer actuator includes an actuator unit which is a laminate of a plurality of deformation layers; and a support layer which supports the actuator unit so that the actuator unit provides displacement corresponding to a voltage if the voltage is applied to the actuator unit. Therefore, it is possible to provide an electroactive polymer actuator suitable for a compact mobile device with a low driving voltage. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284278 | Electric Thruster - Electric thrusters for generating thrust using a high voltage power supply and insulated and uninsulated electrodes. The electrodes are connected to opposite poles of a high voltage power supply. In one aspect, an electric thruster comprises a high voltage power supply, a first uninsulated electrode having pointed features, a second electrode within an insulating structure but not in contact with the insulating structure, with the electrodes connected to opposite poles of the high voltage power supply, thereby generating a thrust. The apparatus is configured to maintain a distance between the electrodes. In another aspect, a first set of one insulated and one uninsulated electrode are connected to a first pole of a high voltage power supply, and a second set of one insulated and one uninsulated electrodes are connected to a second pole of the power supply. The electrodes are enclosed in a hermetic enclosure and generate a thrust. In other aspects, the electrodes are arranged radially from a rotation axle to produce rotational movement. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284279 | ACTUATOR - According to the present invention, a stable operation of an actuator is realized. An actuator | 11-20-2008 |
20080309190 | MEMS ACTUATOR WITH DISCRETELY CONTROLLED MULTIPLE MOTIONS - A MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) actuator with discretely controlled multiple motions comprises bottom layer, stepper plate, support, and motion plate. The multiple motion of the motion plate is generated by the electrostatically actuated stepper plates and geometrically predetermined supports. By introducing the MEMS actuator with discretely controlled multiple motions, simple motion control can be achieved by digital controlling and only single voltage is needed for motion control of the motion plate. | 12-18-2008 |
20080309191 | Mems moving platform with lateral zipping actuators - A MEMS platform with four actuators and four corresponding actuation electrodes. Movement of the platform in the x-y lateral plane is controlled by voltages applied to the four actuation electrodes. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 12-18-2008 |
20090001846 | Electrostatic Surface Drive With Multiple Operating Voltages - An apparatus includes a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes separated by a gap, and a controller for imposing a voltage on a plurality of electrodes in the first array of electrodes, wherein the magnitude of the voltage changes in response to an operating parameter of the apparatus. | 01-01-2009 |
20090001847 | MICRO-OSCILLATION ELEMENT AND ARRAY OF MICRO-OSCILLATION ELEMENTS - A micro-oscillation element includes a base frame, an oscillating portion, and a link portion connecting the base frame and the oscillating portion to each other. The oscillating portion has a movable functional portion, a first driving electrode connected to the movable functional portion, and a weight portion joined to the first driving electrode. The link portion defines an axis of the oscillating motion of the oscillating portion. The second driving electrode, fixed to the base frame, generates driving force for the oscillating motion in cooperation with the first driving electrode. | 01-01-2009 |
20090026880 | MICROMECHANICAL DEVICE WITH PIEZOELECTRIC AND ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATION AND METHOD THEREFOR - A MEMS device uses both piezoelectric actuation and electrostatic actuation and also provides enough electrostatic force to enable very low voltage operation. As the electrostatic actuation uses DC and the piezoelectric actuation uses high frequency, the structure of the device minimizes the coupling of the two actuator structures to reduce noise. In addition, for some embodiments, the location of the physical structures of the piezoelectric actuator and electrostatic actuator generates higher contact force with lower voltage. For some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator and electrostatic actuator of the device are connected at the contact shorting bar or capacitor plate location. This makes the contact shorting bar or capacitor plate the focal point of the forces generated by all of the actuators, thereby increasing the switch contact force. | 01-29-2009 |
20090051243 | Micro actuator - The present invention relates to a micro actuator, which is located on a substrate and includes a plate and a bushing. A rear end of the plate exhibits a tapered triangular shape or an arc-like shape or has at least a bump disposed on a bottom surface of the rear end of the plate, making that a non-planar contact is present between the rear end of the plate and the substrate when both are contacted, so as to effectively reduce the friction and driving voltage and prolong the lifespan of components. | 02-26-2009 |
20090058224 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR AND POWER GENERATOR - This electrostatic actuator includes an electret film and a conductor layer formed on the electret film, and the conductor layer is so formed as to have a sectional shape reduced in width upward from the side closer to the electret film. | 03-05-2009 |
20090066186 | Non-contact actuator - The present invention relates to a non-contact actuator located on a substrate and at least including a plate and a bushing. When a voltage is applied externally, the plate is bent by the attraction of the substrate and won't be contacted with the substrate. A counteraction force is generated when the plate withstands the electrostatic force of the substrate. After the voltage is removed, the counteraction force and an elastic tension generated by recovering from a curved state of the plate to an original state are employed to generate bouncing motion of the plate and the bushing and further proceed step movement of the actuator. Because of no friction between the plate and the substrate, the present invention only requires a rather small voltage and consumes the minimum current so as to lower the driving voltage and reduce the current consumption and defacement of device for longer lifespan. | 03-12-2009 |
20090152980 | Electrostatic Comb Driver Actuator/Transducer and Fabrication of the Same - An electrostatic actuator/transducer has a comb driver and can be adapted for a variety of applications, particularly as a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer. The comb driver has two electrodes each connected to a set of comb fingers. The two sets of comb fingers interdigitate with each other, and in one embodiment each has a saw-toothed shape. One electrode is connected to a spring structure and movable along a vertical direction to engage and disengage the two sets of comb fingers. The movable portion is adapted to perform an actuation function and/or a sense of function. Fabrication methods for making the electrostatic actuator/transducer are also disclosed. | 06-18-2009 |
20090174282 | Linear Acceleration Electricity Generating Apparatus - A linear acceleration electricity generating apparatus, based on a new concept entirely different from the conventional electricity generating methods, can generate electricity with high efficiency, with a small external energy input, and further can achieve a stable supply of electricity without apprehension of exhaustion, while paying due consideration to the environment. | 07-09-2009 |
20090174283 | Field emission electricity generating apparatus - Stable generation of electricity can be achieved based on a new concept different from those of the conventional electricity generating methods, with a small external energy input, with high efficiency, and without apprehension of exhaustion, while paying due consideration to the environment. | 07-09-2009 |
20090189481 | Micromechanical resonator - The invention relates to design of micromechanical resonators and, more precisely, to the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators. The invention provides an improved design structure for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator in which the width of the spring elements ( | 07-30-2009 |
20090218910 | ELECTRO-HYDRODYNAMIC WIND ENERGY SYSTEM - A system for electro-hydrodynamically extracting energy from wind includes an upstream collector that is biased at an electric potential and induces an electric field. An injector introduces a particle into the electric field. The wind drag on the particle is at least partially opposed by a force of the electric field on the particle. A sensor monitors an ambient atmospheric condition, and a controller changes a parameter of the injector in response to a change in the atmospheric condition. | 09-03-2009 |
20090236932 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTING DEVICE - An electrostatic acting device is so formed that a distance between partial regions of a first electrode of a first substrate and a second electrode of a second substrate is smaller than an interelectrode distance controlled by a gap control portion. | 09-24-2009 |
20090243429 | OPERATION APPARATUS - An operation apparatus includes a first electrode, and a second electrode including an electric field or magnetic field generating region, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are so arranged that a center of the first electrode in a movement direction and a center of the electric field or magnetic field generating region of the second electrode in the movement direction deviate from each other in an initial state. | 10-01-2009 |
20090289523 | PROTECTION DEVICE - In an embodiment, a device is provided comprising an accelerometer and an electroactive material. A control circuit is coupled between the accelerometer and the electroactive material. | 11-26-2009 |
20090289524 | Colloid motor: a mechanical mechanism that harnesses colloid forces to serve as a memory, oscillator, or amplifier in the mechanical domain; a hair cell mimesis - The colloid motor disclosed here is a method of using the colloid forces between two particles that arise from the interaction of Van der Walls attraction and electrostatic repulsion when the distance between them is measured in, at most, tens of nanometers. By applying a mechanical limit to the allowable distance between colloid elements it is possible to realize a bistable memory device. And if an offset force is added it is possible to realize a device that can function both as an amplifier and an oscillator in the mechanical domain, much as the tunnel diode functions in the electronic domain | 11-26-2009 |
20100007239 | Atmospheric electrical generator with change of state - A mechanism to tap an electrical source which uses an aircraft ( | 01-14-2010 |
20100007240 | MECHANICAL META-MATERIALS - The present invention provides meta-materials with an actively controllable mechanical property. The meta-material includes a deformable structure and a set of activation elements. The activation elements are controllable between multiple states. The meta-material includes a first value for a mechanical property when one or more of the activation elements is in the first activation state and includes a second value for the mechanical property when the activation elements have been activated to the second activation state. In one aspect, the meta-material resembles a composite material where the connectivity between the component materials or shape and arrangement of the component materials is dynamically controllable so as to affect a mechanical property of the meta-material. | 01-14-2010 |
20100033054 | PATTERNED DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATOR AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME - A patterned dielectric elastomer actuator is disclosed which includes a series of thin parallel elastomer filaments, separated by certain distances sandwiched between a pair of rigid electrodes. The elastomer filaments and air acts as a patterned dielectric layer. The elastomer filaments can compress laterally from a circular cross-section to an elliptical shape when a voltage is applied between the rigid electrodes. The elastomer filaments can touch laterally, which implies no further squeezing in order to provide a minimal secure distance between the rigid electrodes. The dielectric elastomer actuator can be fabricated utilizing a reel-to-reel fabrication process with the thin elastomer filaments fabricated ahead of time, by extrusion techniques and cured completely before storing on reels. | 02-11-2010 |
20100079031 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR AND POWER GENERATOR - This electrostatic actuator includes an electret film and a conductor layer formed on the electret film, and the conductor layer is so formed as to have a sectional shape reduced in width upward from the side closer to the electret film. | 04-01-2010 |
20100090562 | Energy Collection - An energy collection system may collect and use the energy generated by an electric field. Collection fibers are suspended from a support wire system supported by poles. The support wire system is electrically connected to a load by a connecting wire. The collection fibers may be made of any conducting material, but carbon and graphite are preferred. Diodes may be used to restrict the backflow or loss of energy. | 04-15-2010 |
20100090563 | Energy Collection - An energy collection system may collect and use the energy generated by an electric field. Collection fibers are suspended from a support wire system supported by poles. The support wire system is electrically connected to a load by a connecting wire. The collection fibers may be made of any conducting material, but carbon and graphite are preferred. Diodes may be used to restrict the backflow or loss of energy. | 04-15-2010 |
20100133952 | Complex Microdevices and Apparatus and Methods for Fabricating Such Devices - Various embodiments of the invention are directed to various microdevices including sensors, actuators, valves, scanning mirrors, accelerometers, switches, and the like. In some embodiments the devices are formed via electrochemical fabrication (EFAB®). | 06-03-2010 |
20100194237 | MEMS DEVICES AND SYSTEMS ACTUATED BY AN ENERGY FIELD - A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an actuator having a plurality of charge collection elements. At least one of the charge collection elements is configured to build up electrical charges by directly interacting with an energy field thereby actuating the MEMS through Coulombic interactions. An actuator for a MEMS device is configured to actuate the MEMS device through Coulombic interactions by pumping charges to the actuator when subject to an energy field. A method of actuating a MEMS device includes irradiating an actuator of the MEMS device with an energy field thereby building up electrical charges on the actuator, and actuating the MEMS device with Coulomb forces from the built up electrical charges. | 08-05-2010 |
20100213791 | OSCILLATOR DEVICE - An oscillator device that includes a movable body oscillatably supported about a rotation axis, wherein the movable body is separated into plural electrically separated conductive regions in the thickness direction, and at least one of the plural electrically separated conductive regions in the thickness direction further has plural electrically separated conductive regions. | 08-26-2010 |
20100219716 | MICRO DEVICE HAVING A MOVABLE STRUCTURE - The micro device includes a support substrate, and a movable structure configured to move with respect to the support substrate. At least one of the support substrate and the movable structure is provided with at least one protrusion protruding towards the other of the support substrate and the movable structure. Further, a base portion extending into the one of the support substrate and the movable structure is provided integrally with the at least one protrusion. With this configuration, the protrusion is securely held by the base portion, and the detachment of the protrusion can therefore be prevented even after repeated collisions between the support substrate and the movable structure via the protrusion. | 09-02-2010 |
20100237738 | MOVING A FREE-STANDING STRUCTURE BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW ADHESION STATES - Embodiments disclosed herein generally solve a stiction problem in switching devices by using a series of pulses of force which take the switch from being strongly adhered to a landing electrode to the point where it is only weakly adhered. Once in the low adhesion state, the switch can then be pulled away from contact with a lower force provided by either the spring constant of the switch and/or the electrostatic forces resulting from low voltages applied to nearby electrodes. | 09-23-2010 |
20110140570 | ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATOR - According to one embodiment, an electrostatic actuator includes an electrode unit, a conductive film body unit, a plurality of first urging units, and a plurality of second urging units. The electrode unit is provided on a substrate. The conductive film body unit is provided opposing the electrode unit. The plurality of first urging units are provided at a first circumferential edge portion of the conductive film body unit to support the film body unit. The plurality of second urging units are provided at a second circumferential edge portion opposing the first circumferential edge portion to support the film body unit. The electrode unit and the conductive film body unit contact or separate by the electrode unit being set to a voltage having a prescribed value. The plurality of first urging units have mutually different rigidities, and the plurality of second urging units have mutually different rigidities. | 06-16-2011 |
20110210645 | DOWNHOLE STATIC POWER GENERATOR - A downhole static power generator according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure comprises a static charge accumulator comprising a dielectric material having a surface to contact a flowing dielectric fluid. The static charge accumulator may be configured to accumulate electrical-potential in response to the dielectric fluid flowing across the surface. In addition, an electrical-potential storage device may be provided to receive the electrical-potential from the static charge accumulator. A charge harvesting device may also be provided to shunt electrical-potential from the static charge accumulator to the electrical-potential storage device. | 09-01-2011 |
20110221301 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SUPPRESSING HYSTERESIS OF RESONATORS THROUGH SIMULTANEOUS RESONANCE - The invention relates to an electromechanical resonator including at least one deformable element, actuating means for this deformable element for applying to it, simultaneously, at least one first actuating force at a first frequency, and a second actuating force at least one second frequency, the first and second frequencies creating at least two simultaneous resonances at a frequency equal to the frequency of one of the actuating forces. | 09-15-2011 |
20120001517 | TRANSPORTATION OF MICROMETER-SIZED OBJECT AND EXTRACTION OF MECHANICAL WORK BY CONSTANT ELECTRIC FIELD - A technique capable of making an object move and transporting it without generation of a current, and extracting mechanical work. As a result of diligent effort, the present inventors have found that by arranging two electrodes for generating an electric field for a dielectric body of a micrometer-size or the like in an insulating fluid such as oil, such that the central axes of the two electrodes are not aligned, and applying an electric field (for example, constant electric field), the dielectric body can be transported three-dimensionally at will, and as a result, mechanical work can be extracted. | 01-05-2012 |
20120056505 | ELECTROSTATIC GENERATING APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE - There is provided an electrostatic generating apparatus comprising a body, which houses an electrostatic charge separating member for generating an electrostatic charge; a motive member and a source of power for providing motive to the electrostatic charge separating member; a charge-collector for collecting the electrostatic charge; the electrostatic charge separating member including a first roller, a second roller and a belt therebetween; the motive member including a driving gear mounted onto the motive member, the driving gear configured to operatively engage at least one of the first roller and the second roller for imparting the movement onto the belt. | 03-08-2012 |
20120091854 | MICROMECHANICAL RESONATOR - The invention relates to design of micromechanical resonators and, more precisely, to the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators. The invention provides an improved design structure for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator including a movable mass structure and a spring structure. The spring structure includes a spring element. The spring element is anchored from one end and connected to a plurality of electrode fingers on another end. The plurality of electrode fingers are operatively connected together at the other end of the spring element. The improved structure is frequency robust to manufacturing variations and enables reliable frequency referencing with good performance, particularly in small size solutions. | 04-19-2012 |
20120119615 | ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICAL GENERATOR WITH CHANGE OF STATE - A mechanism to tap an electrical source which uses an aircraft ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120146456 | MOLECULAR MILL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ITS USE - The invention relates to electric energy generation from wind energy in a much more efficient way than current ones. This is done by means of passing the air or other humidity holding gas through an electric field which must be below the dielectric rupture limit of the gas. There must be no great divergence of electric field lines. The free electrons contained in the gas, of greater mobility than the ions, are attached to the greater mass water molecules, which will diminish their mobility and their detachment from negative ions which are at the center of clusters. Thus, the wind will tend to move the charges in the same sense and direction as the mass of the gas, resulting in an increase of electric potential across the field. The method allows collecting the charges and allows the increase in the electric potential to be available for its utilization. | 06-14-2012 |
20120153772 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY AND METHOD OF FABRICATION THEREOF - Particulated structures and their method of manufacture for use in an electrical generator employing gas-mediated charge transfer are disclosed. The structures comprise a multiplicity of particles which contain voids between first and second opposing surfaces of said particles. At least a portion of said opposing surfaces are modified such that the charge transferability of said first opposing surfaces differs from the charge transferability of said second opposing surfaces. | 06-21-2012 |
20120181897 | ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION POWER GENERATOR - An electrostatic induction generator has a first substrate and a second substrate that can move relative to each other while remaining opposed to each other, an electret provided in the first substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode provided on a surface side opposed to the electret in the second substrate. A positional relationship between the electret and the first electrode and a positional relationship between the electret and the second electrode change in association with a change of relative positions between the first substrate and the second substrate, whereby an electrostatic capacitance between the electret and the first electrode and an electrostatic capacitance between the electret and the second electrode change to output an electric power. A structure that decreases the electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. | 07-19-2012 |
20120217842 | ELECTROSTATIC OPERATION DEVICE - An electrostatic operation device in which a variation in the amount of electric charges accumulated in an electret film caused by physical impact can be suppressed. The electrostatic operation device (electrostatic induction power generating device ( | 08-30-2012 |
20120286623 | Atmospheric Energy Collection - The subject matter described herein is an atmospheric energy collector. The atmospheric energy collector includes of a windsock arrangement that has a large up-wind opening on one side and that tapers from the larger up-wind opening on the one side to a small down-wind opening on the other side. The up-wind side is secured to a tether such that an electrically conducting material (e.g. metal) included in construction of the atmospheric energy collector is connected to the tether. The windsock arrangement is extended outwards by wind and the like atmospheric conditions such that the electrically conducting material collects the atmospheric energy and transfers the collected energy to the tether. | 11-15-2012 |
20120299439 | MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS - Some examples include at least one capacitive micro-electro-mechanical transducer (cMUT). For instance, the cMUT may include a substrate, a plate, and a resilient structure therebetween. In some examples, an integrated circuit may be formed on or integrated with the plate or other portion of the cMUT. Furthermore, in some examples, two cMUTs may be arranged in a stacked configuration. For instance, one cMUT may be operable for transmission, while a second cMUT may be operable for reception. | 11-29-2012 |
20130049531 | Triboelectric Generator - A generator includes a thin first contact charging layer and a thin second contact charging layer. The thin first contact charging layer includes a first material that has a first rating on a triboelectric series. The thin first contact charging layer has a first side with a first conductive electrode applied thereto and an opposite second side. The thin second contact charging layer includes a second material that has a second rating on a triboelectric series that is more negative than the first rating. The thin first contact charging layer has a first side with a first conductive electrode applied thereto and an opposite second side. The thin second contact charging layer is disposed adjacent to the first contact charging layer so that the second side of the second contact charging layer is in contact with the second side of the first contact charging layer. | 02-28-2013 |
20130106240 | POWER GENERATOR | 05-02-2013 |
20130106241 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE PROVIDED WITH AN ANTI-STICTION STRUCTURE, AND CORRESPONDING ANTI-STICTION METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
20130134830 | ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION POWER GENERATOR - An electrostatic induction power generator includes a spherical member for making a distance between surfaces of a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other constant. A housing is provided with a first reference surface to which a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate is fixed and which is a positioning reference for the second substrate with respect to the surface facing the first substrate in a vertical direction, and a second reference surface with which the spherical member is slidably in contact and which is a positioning reference for the spherical member with respect to the surface facing the first substrate in the vertical direction. The spherical member is slidably in contact with a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate. | 05-30-2013 |
20130169109 | COMB ELECTRODE STRUCTURE - A comb electrode structure including a plurality of first comb fingers, a plurality of second comb fingers and a first reinforced comb finger is provided. The first comb fingers and the second comb fingers are interlaced with each other. The first reinforced comb finger is located at the outermost side of the first comb fingers, and electrically connected to the first comb fingers. In an embodiment, the width of the first reinforced comb finger is greater than that of the first comb fingers. In another embodiment, the thickness of the first reinforced comb finger is greater than that of the first comb fingers. | 07-04-2013 |
20130293063 | TRANSDUCER - A transducer includes a high-resistance layer that includes an elastomer and has a volume resistivity of 10 | 11-07-2013 |
20130300252 | ELECTROSTATIC MACHINE - Systems, devices, and methods for an electrostatic machine are provided. In one embodiment, an electrostatic machine may be configured to have an electric field motor, a rotor assembly and a motor drive, wherein the improvement may include generating at least three watts (3 W) of power with a product of a gap pressure (p | 11-14-2013 |
20130313943 | GRAPHENE SHEET AND NANOMECHANICAL RESONATOR - A graphene sheet is provided. The graphene sheet includes a carbon lattice and a spatial distribution of defects in the carbon lattice. The spatial distribution of defects is configured to tailor the buckling properties of the graphene sheet. | 11-28-2013 |
20140077657 | VIBRATION POWER GENERATOR AND VIBRATION POWER GENERATION DEVICE, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WITH VIBRATION POWER GENERATION DEVICE - A vibration power generator is provided that increases output power by improving the electrostatic capacitance when the area of the overlap between electret electrodes and counter electrodes is maximum while having the function of limiting the spread of the electric field from the electret electrodes. The vibration power generator is provided with: a first substrate and a second substrate configured so as to be relatively movable while keeping a condition of being separated so as to be opposed to each other; a first electrode formed on the first substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate so as to be opposed to the first electrode; and a third electrode formed in a region different from the first electrode on the first substrate, either one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a film holding a charge, and when an overlap between the first electrode and the second electrode is minimum, the third electrode is grounded, and when the overlap between the first electrode and the second electrode is maximum, the third electrode is open. | 03-20-2014 |
20140145554 | ELECTRET ELEMENT AND VIBRATION POWER GENERATING DEVICE USING THE SAME - In an electret element | 05-29-2014 |
20140152143 | CONTROL CIRCUITRY ROUTING CONFIGURATION FOR MEMS DEVICES - A method for constructing a MEMS system includes first depositing on a surface of a substrate a first plurality of thin film layers formed of dielectric material. The first plurality of thin-film layers includes at least one conductive trace extending a distance on the substrate, parallel to the surface. A second plurality of layers is then deposited to form at least one MEMS device. The MEMS device is responsive to a control signal applied to a first input terminal and an electrical connection is formed from the conductive trace to the input terminal. | 06-05-2014 |
20140175941 | VARIABLE CAPACITIVE ELECTROSTATIC MACHINERY WITH MACRO PRESSURE-GAP PRODUCT - An operational electrostatic machine having a gap distance and a gap medium pressure product above 100 μm*atm, outside enclosure housing dimensions having a height, a length and a width, that are each greater than one hundred times (100×) the product of the gap distance and the gap medium pressure, one or more electrically isolated conductive layers that, during operation, facilitate storage of electric charge, and an electric field created by the stored charge of a particular polarity passes through surrounding insulative layers, making a path to couple to an electric field of a stored charge of opposite polarity on a contiguous plate, and where, during operation, unaligned conductive layers that are repetitively charged and discharged using appropriate control techniques facilitate production of useful forces. | 06-26-2014 |
20140184018 | VIBRATOR, OSCILLATOR, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, MOVING OBJECT, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING VIBRATOR - An MEMS vibrator includes a substrate, a fixation section disposed above a principal surface of the substrate, a support section extending from the fixation section, and a vibrating body (an upper electrode) separated from the substrate and supported by the support section in a node part of a vibration, and the vibrating body is a 2n-fold rotationally symmetric body having 2n beams radially extending from a node part of a vibration, wherein n is a natural number. | 07-03-2014 |
20140191615 | SURFACES THAT EASE RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT IN EAP GENERATORS - An EAP generator is described, including at least one EAP stack that is disposed between two force-transferring surfaces disposed parallel to one another, having at least one layer, facilitating relative displacement between the end of the EAP stack and the force-transferring surface facing toward that end, in particular a deformable or friction-reducing intermediate layer. A corresponding method for generating electrical energy from elongation energy on a capacitive basis by charge displacement is also described. | 07-10-2014 |
20140197713 | Out-of-Plane Spacer Defined Electrode - In one embodiment, a method of forming an out-of-plane electrode includes providing an oxide layer above an upper surface of a device layer, providing a first cap layer portion above an upper surface of the oxide layer, etching a first electrode perimeter defining trench extending through the first cap layer portion and stopping at the oxide layer, depositing a first material portion within the first electrode perimeter defining trench, depositing a second cap layer portion above the first material portion, vapor releasing a portion of the oxide layer, depositing a third cap layer portion above the second cap layer portion, etching a second electrode perimeter defining trench extending through the second cap layer portion and the third cap layer portion, and depositing a second material portion within the second electrode perimeter defining trench, such that a spacer including the first material portion and the second material portion define out-of-plane electrode. | 07-17-2014 |
20140210307 | Flow Induced Electrostatic Power Generator For Tubular Segments - The present invention is directed to methods for harnessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in a tubular length and using this energy to power electrical devices (e.g., flowmeters, electrically-actuated valves, etc.). The present invention is also directed to corresponding systems through which such methods are implemented. | 07-31-2014 |
20140210308 | Energy Collection - An energy collection system may collect and use the energy generated by an electric field. Collection fibers are suspended from a support wire system supported by poles. The support wire system is electrically connected to a load by a connecting wire. The collection fibers may be made of any conducting material, but carbon and graphite are preferred. Diodes may be used to restrict the backflow or loss of energy. | 07-31-2014 |
20140252914 | ELECTROSTATIC GENERATOR/MOTOR DESIGNS CAPABLE OF OPERATION WITH THE ELECTRODES IMMERSED IN A LIQUID OR PRESSURIZED GAS - Electrostatic generator/motor electrode assembly designs are provided that both minimize the rotor drag forces and increase the power output relative to older designs. In one of the new designs, both the rotor and the stator electrodes are encapsulated in a dielectric that forms smooth surface discs or cylinders that result in minimal fluid drag losses on the rotors and also increases the voltage-breakdown potentials between the rotor and stator elements. In the second of the new designs, the disc or cylinder geometry is maintained for both rotor and stator but the rotor has no embedded electrodes. Instead it is made up of an assembly of dielectric elements that alternate between a high dielectric constant and a low dielectric constant forming a smooth surface disc of surface. | 09-11-2014 |
20140265722 | ELECTRODE GEOMETRY FOR ELECTROSTATIC GENERATORS AND MOTORS - An electrostatic (ES) device is described with electrodes that improve its performance metrics. Devices include ES generators and ES motors, which are comprised of one or more stators (stationary members) and one or more rotors (rotatable members). The stator and rotors are configured as a pair of concentric cylindrical structures and aligned about a common axis. The stator and rotor are comprised of an ensemble of discrete, longitudinal electrodes, which are axially oriented in an annular arrangement. The shape of the electrodes described herein enables the ES device to function at voltages significantly greater than that of the existing art, resulting in devices with greater power-handling capability and overall efficiency. Electrode shapes include, but are not limited to, rods, corrugated sheets and emulations thereof. | 09-18-2014 |
20140292140 | ELECTRO-HYDRODYNAMIC WIND ENERGY SYSTEM - A system for electro-hydrodynamically extracting energy from wind includes an upstream collector that is biased at an electric potential and induces an electric field. An injector introduces a particle into the electric field. The wind drag on the particle is at least partially opposed by a force of the electric field on the particle. A sensor monitors an ambient atmospheric condition, and a controller changes a parameter of the injector in response to a change in the atmospheric condition. | 10-02-2014 |
20140312734 | VIBRATOR, OSCILLATOR, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, MOVING OBJECT, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING VIBRATOR - A MEMS vibrator includes a substrate, a lower electrode provided on a main surface of the substrate, a fixed portion provided on the main surface, and an upper electrode which is separated from the substrate and is supported by the fixed portion. The upper electrode is a vibrating body having a region overlapping the lower electrode when the substrate is seen in plan view, and includes a weight portion in a region provided with an antinode portion of vibration of the upper electrode as the vibrating body. | 10-23-2014 |
20140346923 | Electrostatic Transformer - An electrostatic transformer includes: a first fixed electrode; a second fixed electrode; a movable electrode displaceably supported by a flexible member within a space between the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode; and permanently charged films disposed on electrode surfaces of the movable electrode. And: an AC output voltage corresponding to a change in an electric charge induced at the second fixed electrode by displacing the movable electrode in response to an AC input voltage applied between the first fixed electrode and the movable electrode is extracted; and a ratio of the AC input voltage and the AC output voltage is determined based upon a ratio of an electromechanical coupling factor at an input-side electrostatic actuator, configured with the first fixed electrode and the movable electrode, and an electromechanical coupling factor at an output-side electrostatic actuator, configured with the second fixed electrode and the movable electrode. | 11-27-2014 |
20150061457 | ACTUATOR ELEMENT USING CARBON ELECTRODE - An object of this invention is to create an actuator in which the amount of deformation is maintained and no displacement in the reverse direction occurs, even when a constant voltage is continuously applied for a long period of time. | 03-05-2015 |
20150061458 | ELECTRET STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME, AND ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION-TYPE CONVERSION ELEMENT - An electret-structure encompasses a fluorine-resin film | 03-05-2015 |
20150061459 | ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICE USING CHANGE OF CONTACT AREA AND CONTACT ANGLE OF LIQUID - The present invention relates to a method and a device for converting energy using a change of a contact area and a contact angle of liquid and, more specifically, to a method and a device for converting mechanical energy into electric energy by applying a reciprocal phenomenon of electrowetting, wherein liquid and gas are positioned between two facing substrates and energy is converted by using a volume change of a fluid, such that the present invention has the advantages of preventing channel-blocking without requiring all facing electrodes to be patterned, simplifying a device configuration, implementing easy control, and removing the need to apply an external power source. | 03-05-2015 |
20150102703 | VIBRATOR, OSCILLATOR, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND MOVING OBJECT - A MEMS vibrator includes: a substrate; a supporting portion which is connected to the substrate; a base portion which is connected to the supporting portion; and a plurality of vibration portions which is separated from the substrate and extends in different directions from each other from the base portion, and in which the adjacent vibration portions vibrate in a phase of a reverse direction to each other. In the vibration portion, the base portion has a vibration node, and at least a part of the supporting portion is overlapped with the vibration node in a planar view. | 04-16-2015 |
20150115770 | ALL-SILICON ELECTRODE CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER ON A GLASS SUBSTRATE - An all-silicon electrode capacitive transducer comprising: a movable silicon microstructure coupled to a glass substrate, the movable silicon microstructure having a movable silicon electrode, the glass substrate having a top surface and at least one recess, the movable silicon electrode having a first flat surface parallel to a plane of the top surface of the glass substrate, the movable silicon electrode having a first electronic work function; and a stationary silicon electrode coupled to a glass substrate, the stationary silicon electrode located adjacent to the movable silicon electrode, the stationary silicon electrode configured to sense or actuate displacement of the movable silicon microstructure, wherein the stationary silicon electrode has a second flat surface parallel to the first flat surface, the stationary silicon electrode having a second electronic work function equal to the first electronic work function. | 04-30-2015 |
20150137660 | SURFACE ELASTIC WAVE GENERATOR, TRANSCEIVER, AND GENERATION METHOD THEREOF - A surface elastic wave generator may include a substrate. A first conductivity type region is formed in the substrate. A second conductivity type doped region includes at least one doping pattern doped on surface of the first conductivity type region. Through applying reverse bias to junctions between the first conductivity type region and the second conductivity type doped region, a depletion capacitance region is formed. Also, through inputting signal to the first conductivity type region or the second conductivity type doped region, the surface elastic wave is generated on the substrate. In addition, a surface elastic wave transceiver and surface elastic wave generation method are also provided. | 05-21-2015 |
20150372220 | ALL COMPLIANT ELECTRODE - The invention relates to a dielectric transducer structure comprising a body of elastomeric material that is provided with an electrode arrangement on each of two boundary surfaces lying oppositely to one another. At least one boundary surface comprises a corrugated area that comprises heights and depths. The aim of the invention is to improve the compliance to elastic deformations of the dielectric transducer structure. To this end, the heights and depths are arranged in both perpendicular directions of the boundary surface. | 12-24-2015 |
20150381077 | ENERGY HARVESTING DEVICE - Disclosed is an energy harvesting device. An energy harvesting device according to the present invention includes a first electrode, a second electrode disposed so as to face the first electrode, a first fluid, a magnetic second fluid, a chamber including a dielectric film arranged between the second electrode and the first fluid, and a magnet arranged outside the chamber for moving the second fluid. | 12-31-2015 |
20160006414 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR MICROELECTROMECHANICAL RESONATORS - MEMS based sensors, particularly capacitive sensors, potentially can address critical considerations for users including accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, and cost effectiveness. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to exploit MEMS processes that allow for manufacturability and integration of resonator elements into cavities within the MEMS sensor that are at low pressure allowing high quality factor resonators and absolute pressure sensors to be implemented. Embodiments of the invention provide capacitive sensors and MEMS elements that can be implemented directly above silicon CMOS electronics. | 01-07-2016 |
20160045935 | CAPACITIVE MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER HAVING NANOPILLAR STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME - Example embodiments relate to a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) having a nanopillar structure and a method of fabricating the same. The CMUT may include a conductive device substrate, a support defining a plurality of cavities corresponding to elements on the device substrate, a membrane on the support to form the plurality of cavities, an upper electrode on the membrane, and a plurality of nanopillars on at least one of the membrane and the device substrate exposed to the plurality of cavities. | 02-18-2016 |
20160049885 | Quasi-Static Electric Field Generator - A generator for producing an electric field for use with an inspection technology system is provided. The generator provides the required variable magnitude quasi-static electric fields for the “illumination” of objects, areas and volumes to be inspected by the system, and produces human-safe electric fields that are only visible to the system. The generator includes a casing, a driven, non-conducting and triboelectrically neutral rotation shaft mounted therein, an ungrounded electrostatic dipole element which works in the quasi-static range, and a non-conducting support for mounting the dipole element to the shaft. The dipole element has a wireless motor system and a charging system which are wholly contained within the dipole element and the support that uses an electrostatic approach to charge the dipole element. | 02-18-2016 |
20160087550 | VIBRATOR, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND MOVING OBJECT - To reduce concentration of stress near a connection of a connection portion between a support portion and a fixed base portion of a vibration section of a MEMS vibrator and to achieve a reduction in vibration leakage, a structure of the vibrator includes a portion which extends from a fixed base portion and supports a vibration section and of which a width decreases in a direction directed from the fixed base portion to the vibration section. | 03-24-2016 |
20160118912 | Electrostatic Induction Type Electromechanical Transducer and Nano Tweezers - An electrostatic induced type electromechanical transducer includes: a first electrode having a plurality of first comb tooth electrodes; a second electrode having a plurality of second comb tooth electrodes arranged meshed with the plurality of first comb tooth electrodes through respective gaps; a plurality of dielectric members at an electric field formation space between the first comb tooth electrodes and the second comb tooth electrodes and made of a material having a relative dielectric constant greater than 1; and a base that fixedly supports or movably supports the first electrode, the second electrode, and the dielectric members, wherein the first electrode and/or the second electrode, and the dielectric members are capable of being relatively displaced from each other. | 04-28-2016 |
20160149519 | ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION - An electrohydrodynamic system configured to harvest electrical energy from a wind stream flowing along a wind vector, including: a charged droplet generator configured to generate a first electric field, the charged droplet generator including: a manifold, a plurality of channels extending through the manifold thickness along a downstream face of the manifold, and a field shaper configured to generate a substantially uniform charging field proximal the plurality of channels that charges the droplets to a single polarity, wherein the first electric field opposes charged droplet movement along the wind vector. | 05-26-2016 |
20170232474 | ANODICALLY BONDED VACUUM-SEALED CAPACITIVE MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER (CMUT) | 08-17-2017 |
20180026552 | ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION GENERATOR | 01-25-2018 |
20220140752 | LOAD-BEARING VARIABLE STIFFENING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELECTRODE STRUCTURE - A variable stiffening device that include a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure. The first electrode structure includes an electrode extension that extends into a cavity defined between an electrode of the first electrode structure and an opposing electrode of the second electrode structure. The first and second electrode structures may be arranged in a load-bearing state by applying a voltage thereto to electrostatically attract the electrode to the opposing electrode to press the electrode extension within the cavity. Friction between the electrode extension and engaging surfaces defining the cavity prevent the electrode extension from slipping within the cavity, thereby maintaining a structural relationship among the components of the first and second electrode structures in response to an application of a load to the variable stiffening device. | 05-05-2022 |