Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A miniature mechanical shutter assembly comprising:a chamber;a tube member having an aperture formed therethrough, said tube member being mounted to the chamber in a manner that allows for translation and rotation;a pair of cap members disposed on opposing ends of said tube member, said pair of cap members supporting said tube member during said translation; anda plurality of magnet members, a first of the plurality of magnet members being disposed in a first end of said tube member, a second of the plurality of magnet members being disposed in a second end of said tube member opposite said first end, and a third of the plurality of magnets members being disposed external to said chamber, at least one of said plurality of magnet members being responsive to an electrical impulse to translate said tube member between an opened position and a closed position. 2. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 1 wherein said pair of cap members each comprises a glass liner between a respective one of said cap members and said tube member. 3. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 1 wherein said pair of cap members each comprises a Teflon member between a respective one of said cap members and said tube member. 4. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of magnet members are neodymium magnets. 5. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 1, further comprising:a drive circuit for exerting said electrical impulse upon said at least one of said plurality of magnet members. 6. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 5 wherein said drive circuit is an H-bridge circuit. 7. A miniature mechanical shutter assembly comprising:a chamber;a shutter member having an aperture formed therethrough, said shutter member being mounted to the chamber in a manner that allows for axial translation and axial rotation;a pair of cap members disposed on opposing ends of said shutter member, said pair of cap members supporting said shutter member during said axial translation and said axial rotation; anda plurality of magnet members, a first of the plurality of magnet members being disposed in a first end of said shutter member, a second of the plurality of magnet members being disposed in a second end of said shutter member opposite said first end, and a third of the plurality of magnets members being disposed external to said chamber, at least one of said plurality of magnet members being responsive to an electrical impulse to axially rotate said shutter member between an opened position and a closed position. 8. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 7 wherein said pair of cap members each comprises a glass liner between a respective one of said cap members and said shutter member. 9. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 7 wherein said pair of cap members each comprises a Teflon member between a respective one of said cap members and said shutter member. 10. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of magnet members are neodymium magnets. 11. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 7, further comprising:a drive circuit for exerting said electrical impulse upon said at least one of said plurality of magnet members. 12. The miniature mechanical shutter according to claim 11 wherein said drive circuit is an H-bridge circuit.