Patent ID: 8310128

Claim:
A MEMS stage comprising: an end effector; a first linear comb drive actuator mechanically connected to said end effector for translating said end effector in a first direction corresponding to a y-axis direction; a second linear comb drive actuator mechanically connected to said end effector for translating said end effector in a second direction corresponding to an x-axis direction; a first plurality of folded springs mechanically connected to said first linear comb drive actuator; a second plurality of folded springs mechanically connected to said second linear comb drive actuator; and a first and a second four bar linkage mechanism, each including a plurality of flexure hinges, wherein said first four bar linkage mechanism connects said first linear comb drive actuator to said end effector and said second four bar linkage mechanism connects said second linear comb drive actuator to said end effector; said four bar linkage mechanism comprising: a pair of central platforms, each of said central platforms having a first central platform end connected to a first bar linker and a second central platform end connected to a second bar linker, wherein said first bar linkers connect said central platform to said end effector and said second bar linkers connect said central platform to said first or second linear comb drive actuator, wherein the bar linker connected to the central platform is formed by the flexure hinge; wherein said MEMS stage delivers translational motion along the X and Y axes, and restricts all rotational degree of freedom of said end effector during translation in said first or second direction and decouples motion in said first direction from motion in said second direction.