Patent ID: 6936493
Filing Date: 2005-08-30
Classification: B81C

Abstract:
1. A latching hinge method of making an electronically controlled MEMS device comprising the steps of: fabricating electronic control circuit module and MEMS active element module portions of said MEMS device on first permanent and second sacrificial substrate members respectively; said second sacrificial substrate MEMS active element module fabrication including also multiple substrate layers-resident sacrificial supplementary components comprised of a substrate hinge mounted etch plate, etch plate to MEMS active element module connection tethers, a substrate coupled etch plate latch assembly and an etch plate to sacrificial substrate anchor assembly; releasing said MEMS active element module and selected of said sacrificial supplementary components from fabrication-related confinement in said substrate multiple layers into movable, partially attached to one of said sacrificial substrate and to other of said supplementary components, states; release of said substrate hinge mounted etch plate and tether coupled MEMS active element module combination from a temporary confinement by said anchor assembly into a substrate hinge-enabled pivotal condition being a final of said releasing events; rotating said released hinge mounted etch plate and tether coupled MEMS active element module combination at said hinge into a selected off of sacrificial substrate position by applying external forces to said etch plate and tethered MEMS active element module combination; latching said etch plate and tethered MEMS active element module combination into said selected off MEMS substrate rotated position by coupling extendable portions of said etch plate latch assembly with said etch plate using external latch assembly-received forces; moving said MEMS active element module, said tether-attached etch plate, and said hinge attached MEMS active element sacrificial substrate combination into a position of selectably aligned MEMS active element module engagement with said electronic control circuit module; engaging said MEMS active element module and said electronic control circuit module into an aligned, device housing-surrounded electronically controlled MEMS device; and discarding said tethers, said etch plate, said etch plate latch assembly, said etch plate to substrate anchor assembly and said sacrificial second substrate.