Patent ID: 6820964
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device comprising:(a) a base element; (b) a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bending portion extending from the base element and a free end portion residing in a first position, the thermo-mechanical bending portion having a base end width, wb, adjacent the base element and a free end width, wf, adjacent the free end portion wherein the base end width is substantially greater than the free end width; and (c) apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse directly to the thermo-mechanical bending portion causing the deflection of the free end portion of the cantilevered element to a second position, wherein the thermo-mechanical bending portion extends a length L from the base element to the free end portion, has an average width w0, and has normalized free end deflection, {overscore (y)}(1), wherein {overscore (y)}(1)<1.0.