Patent ID: 6384510
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: G02B,G11B,H02N

Abstract:
An electrostatic microactuator comprising a substrate, at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members, the first comb drive member being mounted on the substrate and the second comb dive member overlying the substrate, at least one spring member having a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member, the first comb drive member having a first elongate member and a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers extending from a side of the first elongate member with respective spaces therebetween, the second comb drive member having a second elongate member and a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers extending from a side of the second elongate member, the first comb drive member having a midpoint in the space between each adjacent pair of the first comb drive fingers, the second comb drive member being movable between a first position in which each second comb drive finger is not substantially fully interdigitated with an adjacent pair of first comb drive fingers and a second position in which each such second comb drive finger is substantially fully interdigitated with such adjacent pair of first comb drive fingers, each of the second comb drive fingers being offset relative to the second elongate member from the midpoint between the adjacent pair of first comb drive fingers when in the first position and being substantially centered on such midpoint when in the second position.