The invention relates to a compliant structure comprising a frame, a shuttle distant from the frame and mounted on a cantilever that is supported by the frame, wherein the cantilever with the shuttle is movable transversely to and out of a plane of the frame, and wherein the structure further comprises one or more flexures that connect the cantilever with the frame.
WO2017086785A1 describes an ortho-planar spring comprising a frame and a shuttle that is perpendicularly movable with respect to the frame, wherein flexible members connect the shuttle to the frame, and wherein in an unloaded condition the frame, the flexible members and the shuttle provide the spring with a flat configuration.
US2013/0038175 describes a compliant structure comprising a frame, a shuttle distant from the frame mounted on a cantilever that is supported by the frame, wherein the cantilever with the shuttle is movable transversely to and out of a plane of the frame, and wherein the structure further comprises one or more flexures that connect the cantilever with the frame, wherein the cantilever has a body at least in part extending in a first direction which points to the shuttle, and that the one or more flexures connect to the shuttle and/or to the cantilever in the vicinity of the shuttle, wherein the flexures are oriented in a second direction, which second direction is generally transversely with respect to the first direction.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a compliant structure comprise flexures, the flexures being preloaded causing the flexures to buckle so as to provide a selectable stiffness to the cantilever and to provide the cantilever with a preferential position out of the plane of the frame.
The cantilever may be straight, but it may also have another configuration, such as zigzag shape or a tapered shape.
With the structure of the invention, the Eigen frequency of the structure can be remarkably reduced and the mechanical efficiency and the range of motion of the cantilever can be improved. It is also possible that the out of plane stiffness of the cantilever can be fully compensated such that static balancing can be achieved.
Advantageously the manufacturing cost of the structure of the invention and be kept low by implementing the structure as a unitary micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) structure.
Preferably the cantilever of the compliant structure of the invention is piezoelectric. Motion of the cantilever translates then to electric power, which makes possible that the structure of the invention can be used for energy harvesting. However also other applications are feasible such as use as an oscillator, an accelerometer, a geophone, a microphone, a force sensor.
Beneficially the frame is clamped between a top package element and a bottom package element so as to provide the required sturdiness to the construction.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:
Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.
Structure 1 comprises frame 2, shuttle 3 distant from frame 2 mounted on cantilever 4 that is supported by frame 2, wherein cantilever 4 with shuttle 3 is movable transversely out of a plane of frame 2, as is depicted in
As will be understood from
Flexures 5 are preloaded causing the flexures to buckle and to provide a selectable stiffness to cantilever 4 and to provide cantilever 4 with a preferential position out of the plane of frame 2. Accordingly, cantilever 4 represents a bi-stable system.
The structure of the invention is preferably a unitary MEMS structure, but it is also possible to construe the structure with 3D printing and laser micro-machining.
For particular applications it is preferable that the cantilever is piezoelectric. This makes the structure particularly suitable as a micro-energy harvester.
For practical applications it is desirable that frame 2 is clamped between top package element 7 and bottom package element 8. An exploded view thereof is provided by
Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the structure of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.
Embodiments of the present invention can include every combination of features that are disclosed herein independently from each other. Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the disclosed embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless specifically stated as being “essential” above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and/or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another. The terms, “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” mean “one or more” unless context explicitly dictates otherwise.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2028025 | Apr 2021 | NL | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/NL2022/050161, entitled “A Compliant Structure”, filed Mar. 24, 2022, which claims priority to Netherlands Patent Application No. 2028025, entitled “A Compliant Structure”, filed Apr. 21, 2021, and the specifications and claims thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/NL2022/050161 | Mar 2022 | US |
Child | 18490167 | US |