Patent Application
20060082615
The present invention relates generally to micro-electromechanical devices and, more particularly, to thermally actuated liquid drop emitters such as the type used for ink jet printing.
Micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) are a relatively recent development. Such MEMS are being used as alternatives to conventional electro-mechanical devices as actuators, valves, and positioners. Micro-electromechanical devices are potentially low cost, due to use of microelectronic fabrication techniques. Novel applications are also being discovered due to the small size scale of MEMS devices.
Many potential applications of MEMS technology utilize thermal actuation to provide the motion needed in such devices. For example, many actuators, valves and positioners use thermal actuators for movement. In some applications the movement required is pulsed. For example, rapid displacement from a first position to a second, followed by restoration of the actuator to the first position, might be used to generate pressure pulses in a fluid or to advance a mechanism one unit of distance or rotation per actuation pulse. Drop-on-demand liquid drop emitters use discrete pressure pulses to eject discrete amounts of liquid from a nozzle.
Drop-on-demand (DOD) liquid emission devices have been known as ink printing devices in ink jet printing systems for many years. Early devices were based on piezoelectric actuators such as are disclosed by Kyser et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 and Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120. A currently popular form of ink jet printing, thermal ink jet (or “bubble jet”), uses electroresistive heaters to generate vapor bubbles which cause drop emission, as is discussed by Hara et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,421.
Electroresistive heater actuators have manufacturing cost advantages over piezoelectric actuators because they can be fabricated using well developed microelectronic processes. On the other hand, the thermal ink jet drop ejection mechanism requires the ink to have a vaporizable component, and locally raises ink temperatures well above the boiling point of this component. This temperature exposure places severe limits on the formulation of inks and other liquids that may be reliably emitted by thermal ink jet devices. Piezoelectrically actuated devices do not impose such severe limitations on the liquids that can be jetted because the liquid is mechanically pressurized.
The availability, cost, and technical performance improvements that have been realized by ink jet device suppliers have also engendered interest in the devices for other applications requiring micro-metering of liquids. These new applications include dispensing specialized chemicals for micro-analytic chemistry as disclosed by Pease et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,695; dispensing coating materials for electronic device manufacturing as disclosed by Naka et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,648; and for dispensing microdrops for medical inhalation therapy as disclosed by Psaros et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,882. Devices and methods capable of emitting, on demand, micron-sized drops of a broad range of liquids are needed for highest quality image printing, but also for emerging applications where liquid dispensing requires mono-dispersion of ultra small drops, accurate placement and timing, and minute increments.
A low cost approach to micro drop emission is needed which can be used with a broad range of liquid formulations. Apparatus and methods are needed which combines the advantages of microelectronic fabrication used for thermal ink jet with the liquid composition latitude available to piezo-electro-mechanical devices.
A DOD ink jet device which uses a thermo-mechanical actuator was disclosed by T. Kitahara in JP 2,030,543, filed Jul. 21, 1988. The actuator is configured as a bi-layer cantilever moveable within an ink jet chamber. The beam is heated by a resistor causing it to bend due to a mismatch in thermal expansion of the layers. The free end of the beam moves to pressurize the ink at the nozzle causing drop emission. Recently disclosures of a similar thermo-mechanical DOD ink jet configuration have been made by K. Silverbrook in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,067,797; 6,087,638; 6,239,821 and 6,243,113. Methods of manufacturing thermo-mechanical ink jet devices using microelectronic processes have been disclosed by K. Silverbrook in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,427; 6,254,793 and 6,274,056.
Thermo-mechanically actuated drop emitters employing a moving cantilevered element are promising as low cost devices which can be mass produced using microelectronic materials and equipment and which allow operation with liquids that would be unreliable in a thermal ink jet device. However, the design and operation of cantilever style thermal actuators and drop emitters requires careful attention to the input energy needed to eject a drop of a given volume, as well as to the rapid dissipation of this energy, in order to maximize the sustainable repetition frequency of the device. The required input energy may be reduced by configuring the cantilevered element so as to minimize drag effects on the backside of the cantilevered element during its motion.
Locations of potentially excessive heat, “hot spots”, within the cantilevered element, especially any that may be adjacent to the working liquid, are detrimental in that reliability limitations may be imposed on the peak temperatures that may be employed, limiting overall energy efficiency. When the cantilevered element is deflected by supplying electrical energy pulses to an on-board resistive heater, the pulse current is, most conveniently, directed on and off the moveable (deflectable) structure where the cantilevered element is anchored to a base element. The current reverses direction at some locations on the cantilevered element that may become places of higher current density and power density, resulting in hot spots.
An alternate configuration of the thermal actuator, an elongated beam anchored within the liquid chamber at two opposing walls, is a promising approach when high forces are required to eject liquids having high viscosities.
Design concepts which reduce the back pressure drag on the movable portions of beam actuators are also valuable in reducing the required energy input or in otherwise increasing the efficiency of drop ejection.
The space required to configure a thermal actuator capable of ejecting a given drop volume is an important determiner of the linear density that can be achieved in forming an array of drop emitters. Higher spatial densities of drop emitters in an array may, in turn, lead to lower costs per emitter and higher emitter numbers in an array a particular size. Higher emitter-number arrays may provide higher net fluid pumping capability and higher resolution and throughput when used for ink jet printing
Designs for thermally actuated drop emitters are needed that can be operated with decreased input energy, improved heat dissipation, and reduced spatial extent, while avoiding locations of extreme temperature or generating vapor bubbles.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thermally actuated drop emitter using a moving element that can be operated at lower input energy per drop by reducing drag forces on the moving element.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a thermally actuated drop emitter using a moving cantilevered element having a configuration that improves heat dissipation thereby allowing an improved frequency of drop emission.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a thermally actuated drop emitter using a moving cantilevered element that does not have locations which reach excessive temperatures, and can be operated at lower input energy per drop.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid drop emitter configuration requiring reduced overall space.
The foregoing and numerous other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon a review of the detailed description, claims and drawings set forth herein. These features, objects and advantages are accomplished by constructing a liquid drop emitter comprising a chamber, formed in a substrate, filled with a liquid and having a nozzle for emitting drops of the liquid. A thermo-mechanical actuator, extending into the chamber from at least one wall of the chamber, and having a movable element resides in a first position proximate to the nozzle. The movable element is configured with a bending portion which bends when heated, the bending portion having at least one actuator opening for passage of the liquid. Apparatus is adapted to apply heat pulses to the bending portion resulting in rapid deflection of the movable element to a second position, ejection of a liquid drop, and passage of liquid through the at least one actuator opening. The movable element may be configured as a cantilever extending from an anchor wall of the chamber. The moveable element may also be configured as a beam anchored at opposite first and second anchor walls. The thermo-mechanical actuator may be formed as a laminate structure including a deflector layer constructed of a deflector material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion and that is electrically resistive, for example, titanium aluminide. Apparatus adapted to apply heat pulses may comprise a resistive heater formed in the deflector material in the bending portion.
Liquid drop emitters of the present inventions are particularly useful in ink jet printheads for ink jet printing.
FIGS. 2(a)-2(b) are enlarged plan views of an individual ink jet unit which does not have an important element of the present inventions;
FIGS. 3(a)-3(b) are enlarged plan views of an individual ink jet or liquid drop emitter unit according to the present invention;
FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are side views formed along the line A-A in
FIGS. 12(a)-12(d) are side views of the final stages of the process illustrated in
FIGS. 18(a)-18(c) are side views of completed liquid drop units according to the designs illustrated in
FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b) are enlarged plan views of an individual ink jet or liquid drop emitter unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 20(a)-20(b) are side views formed along the line B-B in
FIGS. 21(a)-21(b) are side views of completed drop emitter units of another embodiment of the present invention;
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
As described in detail herein below, the present invention provides apparatus for a drop-on-demand liquid emission device. The most familiar of such devices are used as printheads in ink jet printing systems. Many other applications are emerging which make use of devices similar to ink jet printheads, however which emit liquids other than inks that need to be finely metered and deposited with high spatial precision. The terms ink jet and liquid drop emitter will be used herein interchangeably. The inventions described below provide drop emitters based on thermo-mechanical actuators which are configured so as minimize the spatial width of individual units to thereby facilitate close packing in an array of jets. The configurations of the present inventions are also designed to reduce fluid backpressure effects and to promote heat dissipation, thereby facilitating operation of emitters at higher drop repetition frequencies.
Turning first to
The cantilevered element 97 of the actuator has the shape of a paddle, an extended flat shaft 95 ending with a disc 27 of larger diameter than the shaft width. The paddle shape aligns the nozzle 30 with the center of the cantilevered element disc-shaped free end portion 27. The area of the free end portion 27 is sized to cause sufficient fluid volume displacement adjacent the nozzle so that a liquid drop of the desired size is emitted. The fluid chamber 12 has a curved wall portion at 16 which conforms to the curvature of the free end portion 27, spaced away to provide clearance for the actuator movement. The fluid chamber 12 is significantly wider than the width WS of shaft 95 of cantilevered element 96 in order to provide sufficient fluid refill cross sectional area from lower chamber 12 to upper chamber 11.
In practice the unshaped resistor 25 design illustrated in
Making the cantilevered element 96 wider or longer makes each individual drop emitter larger, thereby reducing the spatial packing density that may be achieved in an array of drop emitters. The cost of printhead fabrication is sensitive to the spatial packing density of individual emitters since device arrays are fabricated on a substrate using expensive microelectronic processes. The smaller the liquid drop emitter configuration, the more that are fabricated simultaneously on the substrate (i.e. a silicon wafer), the lower is the cost/emitter.
In order to eject a liquid drop, a moving element of the thermal actuator must accelerate sufficient liquid volume in the vicinity of the nozzle. When operated, fluid adjacent the nozzle 30 is accelerated by free end portion 27. However, the extended rectangular shaft 95 of the cantilevered element 96 also moves and displaces liquid. As the cantilevered element deflects about anchor location 14 it pushes liquid on one side and drags fluid on the opposite side. The drag of fluid beneath free end 27 cannot be avoided since this displacement is required to achieve drop emission. However, the push and drag of fluid along the shaft 95 of the thermal actuator represents an energy inefficiency which might be reduced to improve the net amount of energy used per drop emission.
Simply narrowing the cantilever element shaft will reduce the liquid push and drag energy losses. The paddle shapes illustrated in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show some narrowing of the shaft 95 relative to the free end disc 27. In general, the deflection of the free end of a cantilevered thermal actuator is proportional to the length squared, L2. The strength of the deflection force is proportional to the width of the heat-actuated portion of shaft 95, Ws. The shaft 95 cannot be narrowed without compromising the amount of force produced if the heated area is also narrowed. Further, a narrowed shaft is prone to twist. It may be difficult to fabricate the narrowest shaft permitted by force requirements without causing some material or geometrical asymmetries perpendicular to the elongation direction that result in twisted actuators, post-fabrication. Twisted actuators will not move as intended in the upper and lower liquid chambers causing poor drop emission.
The inventors of the present inventions have realized that the thermal actuator inefficiencies and fabrication difficulties described above with respect to paddle-shaped cantilevered element 96 may be overcome by using a novel actuator design. The novel thermal actuators of the present inventions are a result of combining at least the following several considerations. The movable length of the actuator is selected, in part, to achieve a target amount of deflection of a nozzle fluid moving portion of the actuator that is in close proximity to the nozzle. This nozzle fluid moving portion of the actuator may be the tip end of a cantilevered element, a center portion of a beam element, or the like.
The width, Wfm, of the nozzle fluid moving portion of the thermal actuator is selected, in part, so that, when combined with the target amount of deflection and other factors, including fluid resistances and compliances within the liquid chamber, a drop of sufficient volume is produced.
The width, Wa, of the heated portion of the actuator is selected, in part, to achieve sufficient force to eject a droplet of the target volume and target velocity, given the working fluid properties that are necessary for the drop emitter application. Energy efficiency is optimized, in part, by selection of the narrowest heated portion possible. It is further advantageous to narrow the moving element of a thermal actuator, in areas other than the fluid moving portion adjacent the nozzle, in order to reduce the energy spent in pushing and dragging fluid, unnecessarily.
Following, in part, the above considerations, the inventors of the present inventions have found that the heated actuator portion width may be made substantially narrower than the fluid moving portion, Wa<Wfm, for many important applications of fluid drop emitters. The inventors have further realized that an effective “narrowing” of the heated portions and of the moving element of a thermal actuator may be accomplished by the use of through openings which eliminate, or render stationary, areas of the moving element.
Cantilevered element 20 has the shape of a tongue, an extended flat shaft ending with a curved free end portion 27. The area of free end portion 27 is sized to cause sufficient fluid volume displacement adjacent nozzle 30 so that a liquid drop of the desired size is emitted. The lower fluid chamber 12 is formed slightly wider than cantilevered element 20, including a curved wall portion at 16 which conforms to the curvature of the free end portion 27, spaced away to provide clearance for the cantilevered element movement.
Actuator opening 32 is located in the center of the moving portion cantilevered element 20, but away from the fluid moving portion adjacent the nozzle, free end 27. Actuator opening 32 is symmetric about lengthwise axis 72 so as to counteract twisting tendencies about this axis. Actuator opening 32 has a curved shape of radius rao at the end adjacent free end 27. For the embodiment illustrated in
Actuator opening 32 contributes at least several functions to the liquid drop emitter. Firstly, it narrows the portion of the moving element, cantilevered element 20, that pushes and drags fluid during a drop emission event, saving energy. Secondly, it reduces the volume of the cantilevered element that is heated, also saving energy. Thirdly, the width reduction of the moving element is accomplished while retaining a wide effective stance arising from the two-armed nature of the resulting cantilever shaft, counteracting any tendencies for twisting. Fourthly, the current path within heater resistor 25 changes direction in the widest possible arc following a path outside radius rao of actuator opening 32. And fifthly, actuator opening 32 provides a path for the refill of liquid from lower to upper liquid chambers without necessitating a wider drop emitter unit, thereby optimizing emitter packing density in an array of emitters.
Element 90 of printhead 100 or 102 is a mounting structure which provides a mounting surface for microelectronic substrate 10 and other means for interconnecting the liquid supply, electrical signals, and mechanical interface features.
FIGS. 5(a)-5(b) illustrate, in sectional side view along line A-A, a liquid drop emitter 110 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).
In an operating emitter of the cantilevered element type illustrated, the quiescent first position may be a partially bent condition of the cantilevered element 20 rather than the horizontal condition illustrated
For the purposes of the description of the present inventions herein, the cantilevered element will be said to be quiescent or in its first position when the free end is not significantly changing in deflected position. For ease of understanding, the first position is depicted as horizontal in
Cantilevered element 20 is constructed of several layers. Deflector layer 24 causes upward deflection when it is thermally elongated with respect to other layers in the cantilevered element 20. It is constructed of an electrically resistive material, preferably intermetallic titanium aluminide, that has a large coefficient of thermal expansion. A low expansion layer 26 is attached to the deflector layer 24. The low expansion layer 26 is constructed of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, with respect to the material used to construct the deflector layer 24. The thickness of low expansion layer 26 is chosen to provide the desired mechanical stiffness and to maximize the deflection of the cantilevered element for a given input of heat energy. Low expansion layer 26 may also be a dielectric insulator to provide electrical insulation for resistive heater segments and current coupling devices formed into the deflector layer. The low expansion layer may be used to partially define electroresistor and coupler segments formed as portions of deflector layer 24.
Low expansion layer 26 may be composed of sub-layers, laminations of more than one material, so as to allow optimization of functions of heat flow management, electrical isolation, and strong bonding of the layers of the cantilevered element 20.
Passivation layer 22 shown in
A heat pulse is applied to deflector layer 24, causing it to rise in temperature and elongate. Low expansion layer 26 does not elongate nearly as much because of its smaller coefficient of thermal expansion and the time required for heat to diffuse from deflector layer 24 into low expansion layer 26. The difference in length between deflector layer 24 and the low expansion layer 26 causes the cantilevered element 20 to bend upward as illustrated in
The passivation material for the cantilevered element thermal actuator is deposited as a thin layer so to minimize its impedance of the upward deflection of the finished actuator. A chemically inert, pinhole free material is preferred so as to provide chemical and electrical protection of the deflector material which will be formed on the bottom layer. A preferred method of the present inventions is to use silicon wafer as the substrate material and then a wet oxidation process to grow a thin layer of silicon dioxide. Alternatively, a high temperature chemical vapor deposition of a silicon oxide, nitride or carbon film may be used to form a thin, pinhole free dielectric layer with properties that are chemically inert to the working fluid.
First and second resistor segments 62 and 64 are formed in deflector layer 24 by removing a pattern of the electrically resistive material. In addition, a current coupling segment 66 is formed in the deflector layer material which conducts current serially between the first resistor segment 62 and the second resistor segment 64. The current path is indicated by an arrow and letter “I”. Coupling segment 66, formed in the electrically resistive material, will also heat the cantilevered element when conducting current. However this coupler heat energy, being introduced at the free end of the cantilever, is not important or necessary to the deflection of the thermal actuator. The primary function of coupler segment 68 is to reverse the direction of current.
Addressing electrical leads 42 and 44 are illustrated as being formed in the deflector layer 24 material as well. Leads 42, 44 may make contact with circuitry previously formed in base element substrate 10 or may be contacted externally by other standard electrical interconnection methods, such as tape automated bonding (TAB) or wire bonding.
FIGS. 12(a)-12(c) illustrate side views of the emitter through a section indicated as A-A in
In
In
If narrow actuator opening 36 provides enough fluid refill cross section up around central stationary portion 35, then refill areas 33 may be eliminated and free edge area 18 extended instead to fully release cantilevered element 20. This configuration is illustrated in
The preferred amount of total cross sectional area for refill provided by one or more actuator openings 32 is related to the area of nozzle 30, An. The amount of liquid which will flow out during a drop emission event is scaled by An. The total refill area which allows liquid to replace the emitted liquid volume is preferably at least a large as the nozzle area, An, otherwise the time for refill will be unduly restricted and drop repetition frequency severely limited. On the other hand, if the amount of refill area is too large, then excessive pressure pulse energy will be lost to the large refill pathway, compromising drop emission velocity, or requiring additional pressure pulse energy to be used per emission event. The refill cross sectional area is preferably designed to less than 10An to balance drop repetition frequency goals with energy efficiency and drop velocity goals.
For the present inventions, liquid refill may occur both around the thermal actuator moving element and through openings in the moving element. Several embodiments of the present inventions seek to promote spatial packing density and heat dissipation by employing through actuator openings as a primary fluid refill pathway. Therefore, some preferred embodiments of the present invention are configured so that the total cross sectional area of the one or more actuator openings, Am, have the above discussed relationship to nozzle area: An<Am<10 An.
The addition of refill areas 33 in the configuration illustrated in
An additional embodiment of the present inventions is illustrated in perspective view in
FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b) illustrate in sectional side view a liquid drop emitter of the configuration illustrated in
The through actuator opening 32 has a large area for liquid refill 37 which is indicated by a phantom oval in
An additional feature of some embodiments of the present inventions, heat dissipation element 82, is illustrated in
Heat dissipation element 82 is formed to make good thermal contact with heat sink portion 45. To facilitate good thermal contact, passivation layer 22 material has been removed in a contact area adjacent anchor wall 14. This arrangement provides a more thermally conductive pathway for dissipating heat from the heated portions of the cantilever element 20 adjacent central stationary portion 35.
Alternative embodiments of the present inventions may be formed by incorporating a heat dissipation material onto the central stationary portion 35 in any combination with the other fabrication layers. That is, the heat dissipation material could replace any, all or none of the passivation, deflector, low expansion and chamber structure materials in the central stationary portion 35. Since the central stationary portion 35 is located adjacent the heated portions of cantilevered element 20, this is an ideal location at which to position materials which have high thermal conductivity and heat capacity. From the perspective of maximum heat dissipation, the passivation, deflector, low expansion materials could be removed from the central stationary portion 35 prior to the formation of the sacrificial layer pattern 29 illustrated in
The present inventions have been illustrated heretofore employing a cantilevered element configuration for the moving portion of a thermal actuator. Many other configurations of the moving portion of the thermal actuator may be conceived which will benefit from incorporation of the elements of the present inventions. Through actuator openings in the moving portion of the thermal actuator may be configured to reduce the mass of heated portions, to reduce the total area of the actuator that moves through the liquid, to provide liquid refill passages and to provide stationary positions adjacent moving elements for the location of strengthening and heat dissipation means.
FIGS. 19(a)-22 illustrate one such alternative configuration of the present inventions wherein the moving element of the thermal actuator is an elongated beam anchored to two opposing anchor walls of the liquid chamber. The performance characteristics, fabrication process sequences and design alternatives discussed above with respect to cantilevered element thermal actuators are applicable in analogous fashion to a beam element thermal actuator and liquid drop emitter. Elements with like functions are indicated by the same element numbers used for the cantilevered element drop emitters illustrated in FIGS. 1-18(c).
FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b) illustrate, in enlarged plan view, a single drop emitter unit 120 having a beam element 70 as the moving portion of thermal actuator 85. Beam element 70 is indicated by phantom lines beneath an upper liquid chamber structure 28 in
Beam element 70 extends from first anchor wall 78 to second anchor wall 79 of lower liquid chamber 12 which is formed in substrate 10. Beam element 70 is bonded to substrate 10. Beam element 70 has the shape of an elongated flat plate having a central liquid displacement portion 77 in close proximity to a nozzle 30. The area of central liquid displacement portion 77 is sized to cause sufficient fluid volume displacement adjacent nozzle 30 so that a liquid drop of the desired size is emitted. The lower fluid chamber 12 is formed slightly wider than cantilevered element 20 to provide clearance for the beam element movement.
First actuator opening 74 and second actuator opening 75 are located in the center of the moving portion of beam element 70 and away from the central liquid displacement portion 77. First and second actuator openings 74, 75 are symmetric about lengthwise axis 72 so as to counteract twisting tendencies about this axis. They are also positioned and shaped to be symmetric to each other about beam center axis 73. This symmetric arrangement promotes the deflection of beam element 70 in a direction normal to nozzle 70.
Although desirable from the perspective of overall deflection efficiency and drop emission in a direction normal to the nozzle face, the symmetric arrangement of actuator openings about beam center axis 73 is not necessary for the construction of a functioning beam element liquid drop emitter according to the present inventions. Configurations having one or more actuator openings on only one side of the center of a beam element are contemplated by the inventors as useful embodiments of the present inventions for some applications of liquid drop emitters.
First and second actuator openings 74, 75 contribute at least several functions to liquid drop emitter 120. Firstly, they narrow the portion of the moving element, beam element 70, that pushes and drags fluid during a drop emission event, saving energy. Secondly, they reduce the volume of beam element 70 that is heated, also saving energy. Thirdly, the width reduction of the moving element is accomplished while retaining a wide effective stance arising from the two-armed nature of the resulting beam shaft, counteracting any tendencies for twisting. And fourthly, first and second actuator openings 74, 75 provide a path for the refill of liquid from lower to upper liquid chambers without necessitating a wider drop emitter unit, thereby optimizing emitter packing density in an array of emitters.
FIGS. 20(a)-20(c) illustrate in sectional side view a liquid drop emitter 120 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b). FIGS. 20(a) and 20(b) illustrate a sectional view along line B-B in
Beam element 70 is constructed of several layers in analogous fashion to the cantilevered elements discussed above. As illustrated in FIGS. 20(a)-20(c), deflector layer 24 causes upward deflection when it is thermally elongated with respect to other layers in the beam element 70. The bending response of beam element 70 must be rapid enough to sufficiently pressurize the liquid at the nozzle. Typically, electroresistive heating apparatus is adapted to apply heat pulses and an electrical pulse duration of less than 4 μsecs. is used and, preferably, a duration less than 2 μsecs.
FIGS. 21(a) and 21(b) illustrate in sectional view an alternate embodiment of the present inventions employing a beam element thermal actuator. In this embodiment, first and second stationary portions are delineated by narrow first and second actuator openings in analogous fashion to the cantilevered configuration illustrated in
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to obtain all of the ends and objects. The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modification and variations are possible and will be recognized by one skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. Such additional embodiments fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
This is a Continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/608,498 filed Jun. 27, 2003.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10608498 | Jun 2003 | US |
| Child | 11294252 | Dec 2005 | US |
