Patent ID: 6978537

Claim:
A method of transferring electric charge comprising: providing a first charged species source and a first charged species drain; positioning a first moveable component proximate to first charged species source and the first charged species drain; providing a first protrusion and a second protrusion in contact with the first moveable component, wherein at least one of the first moveable component, the first protrusion and the second protrusion have a size of a micrometer scale or smaller; moving the first moveable component relative to the first charged species source and the first charged species drain to transfer electrical charge from the first charged species source to the first charged species drain; providing a second moveable component, a second charged species source and a second charged species drain, each positioned proximate to the second moveable component, and a third protrusion and a fourth protrusion, each positioned proximate the second moveable component, wherein the first charged species drain and the second charged species drain are each electrically connected to a device; and oscillating the second moveable component out of phase with the first movable component.