The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2017
Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc, Redmond, WA (US);
Aaron Schmitz, Redmond, WA (US);
Jonathan Shea Robinson, Kirkland, WA (US);
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and devices are provided for an electrostatic rotary clutch. The clutch comprises electrically-conductive housing plates fixed into position in grooves within a housing of the clutch. The clutch also comprises rotor plates that are fixed onto a shaft. The shaft is positioned within the housing such that each rotor plate is adjacently positioned next to each housing plate, thereby forming a plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs. To produce a torque resistance on the shaft, a voltage differential is applied between the housing and rotor plates, which causes an electrostatic adhesion between the housing and rotor plate in each electrically-conductive plate pair. Alternatively, the housing and rotor plates are not fixed into position, enabling a greater number of housing and rotor plates within the housing and increasing the torque resistance produced on the shaft when applying the voltage differential.