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:
Jun. 06, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:
Steven A Henck, Plano, TX (US);
Assignee:
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
359237 ; 359224 ;
Abstract
A method of preventing permanent deformation of deflecting metal components of micro mechanical devices, such as hinges (12) of mirror elements (10) of a digital micro mirror device. The hinges (12) are made from a memory metal capable of undergoing austenite/martensite phase transitions. If the device is operated and the hinges (12) become mechanically distorted, the hinges (12) can be heated to cause a transition to the austenite phase and a return to their original shape.