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. 22, 2005
Filed:
May. 15, 2002
Antonio Cabal, Webster, NY (US);
John A. Lebens, Rush, NY (US);
David P. Trauernicht, Rochester, NY (US);
David S. Ross, Fairport, NY (US);
Antonio Cabal, Webster, NY (US);
John A. Lebens, Rush, NY (US);
David P. Trauernicht, Rochester, NY (US);
David S. Ross, Fairport, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A snap-through thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device is provided. The snap-through actuator includes a base element formed with a depression having opposing anchor edges which define a central plane. A deformable element, attached to the base element at the opposing anchor edges, is constructed as a planar lamination including a first layer of a first material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a second layer of a second material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The deformable element is formed to have a residual shape bowing outward from the central plane in a first direction away from the second layer. The snap-through thermal actuator further includes apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse to the deformable element which causes a sudden rise in the temperature of the deformable element.