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:
Apr. 16, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2008
Ian R. Harvey, Kaysville, UT (US);
Taylor M. Meacham, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Ronald W. Boutte, Layton, UT (US);
Brian Baker, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Iain E. Harvey, Kaysville, UT (US);
Ian R. Harvey, Kaysville, UT (US);
Taylor M. Meacham, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Ronald W. Boutte, Layton, UT (US);
Brian Baker, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Iain E. Harvey, Kaysville, UT (US);
The University of Utah Research Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Abstract
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an actuator having a plurality of charge collection elements. At least one of the charge collection elements is configured to build up electrical charges by directly interacting with an energy field thereby actuating the MEMS through Coulombic interactions. An actuator for a MEMS device is configured to actuate the MEMS device through Coulombic interactions by pumping charges to the actuator when subject to an energy field. A method of actuating a MEMS device includes irradiating an actuator of the MEMS device with an energy field thereby building up electrical charges on the actuator, and actuating the MEMS device with Coulomb forces from the built up electrical charges.