Patent ID: 6461337
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A61B,A61M,H02N

Abstract:
Electrostatic microactuator based on distributed elementary actuators (110) each comprising a flexible plate or beam (10), furnished at one end with a projecting strut or pad (12), directed toward a substrate (20) covered with an insulating layer (22) and a generator (30) adapted for applying voltage pulses between the plate (10) and the substrate (20), characterized in that the electrostatic microactuator integrates a large number of such associated elementary actuators (110) and means (130) for applying individually, to the entirety of actuators (110), a homogeneous external pressure by using means guaranteeing a superposition of the driving forces generated by the various elementary actuators and, moreover, transferring to a common external load, the resultant of the driving forces emanating from the collective behavior of these same elementary actuators, the elementary actuators (110) being formed in a monolithic support sheet (100) placed in a mechanical clearance at the interface of two solid bodies (200, 210) articulated with respect to one another, in such a way that a framework of the sheet (100) is in contact with one of the solid bodies (210), while the elementary actuators (110) are in contact with the other body (200).