Patent ID: 8154378
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: B81B,H01H

Abstract:
1. A device, comprising: first and second arms movably supported on a substrate, wherein: a first end of each of the first and second arms is attached to a respective anchor affixed to the substrate; second ends of the first and second arms are mechanically connected to one another; the first arm comprises (i) a first thermal expansion layer having a large thermal expansion coefficient and (ii) a first resistive heater that is different and separate from the first thermal expansion layer, wherein the first resistive heater is electrically isolated from the first thermal expansion layer and from the second arm; the first resistive heater is adapted to increase a temperature of the first thermal expansion layer in response to a first electrical current driven through the first resistive heater, wherein the electrical isolation prevents the first electrical current from flowing through the first thermal expansion layer; the first thermal expansion layer is adapted to expand in response to the temperature increase induced by the first resistive heater and move the second ends of the first and second arms with respect to the substrate due to said expansion of the first thermal expansion layer; and the first arm comprises: