Patent ID: 7468572

Claim:
A micro-mechanical actuator comprising: a partially cylindrical rotatable rotor assembly with an essentially fixed axis of rotation comprising a rotor cylindrical surface, a rotor-electrode strip array with each rotor-electrode strip disposed on the rotor cylindrical surface length-wise parallel to each other and to the fixed axis of rotation tilted in an angle relative to a local tangent of the rotor surface thereby forming a rotor-ratchet, a rigid platform and rotor side walls attached to the rotor cylindrical surface and the rigid platform; a stationary stator structure with an essentially fixed axis of rotation coinciding with the fixed axis of rotation of the rotor assembly comprising a concave stator cylindrical surface, a stator-electrode strip array with each stator-electrode strip disposed on the stator cylindrical surface length-wise parallel to each other and to the fixed axis of rotation tilted in an angle relative to a local tangent of the stator surface thereby forming a corresponding stator-ratchet, stator side walls attached to the stator cylindrical surface; rotatable connectors, connecting the rotor assembly and the stator structure; and a switch controller, controlling the actuator.