Patent ID: 7592737
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: G04C,H02N

Abstract:
1. A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising: a driven element having a series of teeth; a driving element operable to engage the driven element when the driving element is in a meshed position with the series of teeth; a driving actuator operable to the driving element with a hysteresis-type motion to cause the driven element to move in a first direction, so as to (i) move the driving element from an initial position into the meshed position to engage the driven element, (ii) move the driving element in the first direction, causing the driven element to move in the first direction while the driving element is in the meshed position, (iii) move the driving element away from the meshed position, and (iv) cause the driving element to return to the initial position while the driving element is not in the meshed position, and (v) to repeat the motion of (i) through (iv) in sequence for so long as the driven element is to be moved in the first direction, wherein the driving actuator has a fixed comb and a mobile comb, each of the fixed and mobile combs including a series of fingers, the mobile comb being located opposite the fixed comb, the fingers of the fixed comb and fingers of the mobile comb meshing with each other, the mobile comb being displaceable in the first direction relative to the fixed comb by applying a potential difference between the fixed comb and the mobile comb to move the driving element in the first direction.