scanner and mirror with shape memory alloy hinges
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respect to fixed points of reference upon the
substrate. Each beam thereby has a fixed end and
a relatively moveable free end. Compressive axial force induced by axial movement, applied to the
movable end of a beam, will cause that beam to
deform or buckle. Buckling occurs transversely
in-plane due to a high aspect ratio profile of each
beam. The amount of lateral or transverse
movement of a beam due to buckling is relatively
large in relation to the applied axial force or axial
movement which causes it. By arranging these
beams in cooperating perpendicular pairs as
micromotion amplifier stages, an input axial
force/movement applied to the movable free end
of a first beam generates a transverse motion ot
buckling movement of that beam.
Patent number: US 6183097
Publication date: 6 February 2001
Inventors: M.T.A. Saif, N.C. MacDonald
Polymer microactuator array with macroscopic force and displacement Applicant: Honeywell International Inc., USA
This microactuator array device includes a
plurality of generally parallel thin flexible
polymer sheets bonded together in a predetermined pattern to form an array of unit
cells on at least one layer. Thin conductive and
dielectric films are deposited on the sheets to
form a plurality of electrodes associated with the
array of unit cells. A source of electric potential
operably connects the electrodes, whereby
electrostatic forces are generated most intensely
near the point where the gap between the sheets
is smallest. Inlets and outlets for each cell permit
displacement of fluid during generation of the
electrostatic forces. In a preferred embodiment,
the plurality of sheets forms a stack of layers of
arrays of unit cells. The layers are configured
such that bi-directional activation is caused by
pairs of actuators working opposite each other.
At least one of every pair of the sheets may be
preformed into corrugations or into flaps to
provide a predetermined mechanical bias
between the pairs, or the sheets may form curved
portions by an applied load to provide a
displacement between the pairs. The sheets are
preferably from about 1 .mu.m to about 100
.mu.m thick and rhe cells preferably have an
individual displacement of from about 5 .mu.m
to about 200 .mu.m.
Patent number: US 6184608
Publication date: 6 February 2001
Inventors: C. Cabuz, R.D. Horning, W.R. Herb
Magnetorheological brake with integrated flywheel Applicant: Lord Corporation, USA
A magnetorheological brake includes an outer,
rotating flywheel member having a hollow
interior space, and an inner fixed member
disposed in the hollow interior space. The inner
fixed member is sized so that a working space is
provide between the surfaces of the fixed
member and the inner wall of the rotating
member. A controllable medium of magnetically
permeable metal particles is disposed in the
working space. A field generator is mounted in
the interior space ro the fixed member to
selectably generate a field acting on the outer
and inner members and the controllable
medium in the working space. The rheology
change in the medium produced by the field
generares resistance to rotation of the outer
member about the inner member. A device
according to the invention may be used as a
flywheel/brake or resistance-generating device in
exercise equipment, rotating equipment, such as
conveyors, and vehicles.
Patent number: US 6186290
Publication date: 13 February 2001
Inventor: J.D. Carlson
Scanner and mirror with shape memory alloy hinges Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc., USA
An integrated scanner for scanning a barcode is
formed on a common substrate. The scanner
may include a micro-machined mirror, a laser
diode, and a detector, mounted on a single
substrate or several connected substrates. Lenses
can be used to focus a laser beam from the laser
diode as well as expand a laser beam deflected by
the micro-machined mirror. The scanner may
also scan a barcode without using a micro-
machined mirror by rotating the laser diode.
Patent number: US 6186399
Publication date: 13 February 200 1
Inventors: M. Stern, C. Ray
Packaged microelectromechanical devices and systems Applicant: Lucent Technologies Inc., USA
This invention relates to a packaged
microelectromechanical device having a housing
with a plurality of ports. A bundle of a plurality
of optical fibres is mounted in one of the
plurality of ports by a welded or brazed flange.
An array-type microelectromechanical device is
mounted in another port of the housing by a
welded or brazed flange and includes a plurality
of elements adapted for interacting with the
plurality of optical fibres. By this means,
information may be transmitted into the
housing via one of the optical fibres and may be
transferred out of the housing via another of the
optical fibres. The array-type micro-
electromechanical device has a plurality of electrical control pins protruding outside the
housing. A pair of windows in the housing
provides ports for optical sensory signals for the
array-type microelectromechanical device. Two
conduits for providing pressurised inert gas are
mounted in the housing by welded or brazed
flanges. The housing provides a hermetically
sealed enclosure for the bundle of the plurality of
optical fibres, the windows, the array-type
microelectromechanical device, and the
conduits. The pressurised inert gas is used to
remove dust and moisture during assembly but
remains in the finished assembly. Helium in the
gas enables detection of leaks.
Patent number: US 6188814
Publication date: 13 February 2001
Inuentor: K.S. Bhalla
Device for controlling rigidity and deformation of car body Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki
Kaisha, Japan
A device for controlling rigidity of a car body
includes a device for adjusting rigidity of a right
side frame and a left side frame extending in the
longitudinal direction of a car. The device is
attached to the side frames. The control device
has a controller for controlling operation of the
device for adjusting rigidity of the right and left
side frames according to a form of collision
judged by an output of a collision detector such
as an acceleration sensor. Further, a control
device for controlling deformation of a frame has
an actuator for generating a force in a direction
of restricting or facilitating deformation of a frame, an external force detection sensor for
detecting an external force inputted into the
frame, and a controller for controlling operation
of the actuator according to an output signal of
the external force detection sensor. The actuator
is arranged in a portion of the frame in which
deformation of the frame greater than that of the
periphery is predicted. Due to the foregoing,
rigidity of rhe right and left side frames can be
adjusted to a value appropriate for a form of
collision by the device for adjusting rigidity of a
right and a left side frame. Accordingly, it is
possible to absorb an impact of collision
appropriately in any form of collision including
overall collision and partial collision.
Patent number: US 6193303
Publication date; 27 February 200 1
Inventors: Y. Urushiyama, E. Higuchi
Electromagnetic induction heating device and image recording device Applicant: Fugi Xerox Co., Ltd, Japan
The electromagnetic induction heating device
has a simple construction, holds an objecr to be
heated in a favourable heating condition while
effectively suppressing the irregularities of heat
generation of the object to be heated, and
reduces an energy consumption. The
electromagnetic induction heating device which
heats the object to be heated provided with at
cc3 Smart Materials Bulletin May 2001