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. 05, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2012
Yunje OH, Medina, MN (US);
Syed Amanula Syed Asif, Bloomington, MN (US);
Oden Warren, New Brighton, MN (US);
Yunje Oh, Medina, MN (US);
Syed Amanula Syed Asif, Bloomington, MN (US);
Oden Warren, New Brighton, MN (US);
Hysitron Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A microelectromechanical nanoindenter including a body, a probe moveable relative to the body, an indenter tip coupled to an end of the moveable probe, and a micromachined comb drive. The micromachined comb drive includes an electrostatic actuator capacitor configured to drive the probe, along with the indenter tip. The micromachined comb drive includes a plurality of sensing capacitors forming a differential capacitive displacement sensor, each sensing capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors and each configured to provide capacitance levels which, together, are representative of a position of the probe, wherein each of the comb capacitors of the actuator capacitor and the sensing capacitors includes a fixed electrode comb coupled to the body and a moveable electrode comb coupled to the probe.