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:
Mar. 26, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2000
Edward A. Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Vijayakumar R. Dhuler, Raleigh, NC (US);
Allen B. Cowen, Morrisville, NC (US);
Ramaswamy Mahadevan, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Robert L. Wood, Cary, NC (US);
JDS Uniphase Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Microelectromechanical actuators include a substrate, spaced apart supports on the substrate and a thermal arched beam that extends between the spaced apart supports and that further arches upon heating thereof, for movement along the substrate. One or more driven arched beams are coupled to the thermal arched beam. The end portions of the driven arched beams move relative to one another to change the arching of the driven arched beams in response to the further arching of the thermal arched beam, for movement of the driven arched beams. A driven arched beam also includes an actuated element at an intermediate portion thereof between the end portions, wherein a respective actuated element is mechanically coupled to the associated driven arched beam for movement therewith, and is mechanically decoupled from the remaining driven arched beams for movement independent thereof.