Microelectromechanical system with spring for magnet placement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10125013-B2
Application number	US-201615354761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods associated with placement of magnets within a microelectromechanical system device are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a method of affixing at least one magnet in a microelectromechanical system, may include affixing an electromagnetic actuator to a base structure of the microelectromechanical system, the affixing including affixing the electromagnetic actuator within a recess formed in the base structure. The method may further include placing a magnet within the recess, wherein the recess includes at least a portion of a spring, the spring affixed to the base structure and extending into the recess, the placing including placing the magnet on a side of the electromagnetic actuator, between the spring and the side of the electromagnetic actuator, the spring pressing the magnet against the side of the electromagnetic actuator and maintaining a position of the magnet in response to the placing the magnet within the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of affixing at least one magnet in a microelectromechanical system, comprising:
affixing an electromagnetic actuator to a base structure of the microelectromechanical system, the affixing including affixing the electromagnetic actuator within a recess formed in the base structure; and
placing a magnet within the recess, wherein the recess includes at least a portion of a spring, the spring affixed to the base structure and extending into the recess, the placing including placing the magnet on a side of the electromagnetic actuator, between the spring and the side of the electromagnetic actuator, the spring pressing the magnet against the side of the electromagnetic actuator and maintaining a position of the magnet in response to the placing the magnet within the recess.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is a first magnet, wherein the spring is a first spring, wherein the side is a first side, and the method further comprising:
placing a second magnet within the recess on a second side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein the recess includes at least a portion of a second spring, the second spring affixed to the base structure and extending into the recess, wherein placing the second magnet includes placing the second magnet between the second spring and the second side of the electromagnetic actuator, the second spring pressing the second magnet against the second side of the electromagnetic actuator and maintaining a position of the second magnet.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
applying epoxy to the base structure within the recess, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are placed on the epoxy; and
curing the epoxy with the first magnet and the second magnet placed on the epoxy.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein curing the epoxy includes applying ultraviolet light to the epoxy.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
affixing the first spring to the base structure, the affixing the first spring including affixing the first spring with the first spring extending into the recess on the first side of the electromagnetic actuator; and
affixing the second spring to the base structure, the affixing the second spring including affixing the second spring with the second spring extending into the recess on the second side of electromagnetic actuator.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first side of the electromagnetic actuator is opposite to the second side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein placing the first magnet within the recess includes placing the first magnet within the recess with a positive pole of the first magnet abutting the first side of the electromagnetic actuator, and wherein placing the second magnet within the recess includes placing the second magnet within the recess with a negative pole of the second magnet abutting the second side of the electromagnetic actuator.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
placing a third magnet within the recess on a third side of the electromagnetic actuator, the placing including placing the third magnet between a third spring and the third side of the electromagnetic actuator, the third spring pressing the third magnet against the third side of the electromagnetic actuator and maintaining a position of the third magnet in response to placing the third magnet within the recess; and
placing a fourth magnet within the recess on a fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator, the placing including placing the fourth magnet between a fourth spring and the fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator, the fourth spring pressing the fourth magnet against the fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator and maintaining a position of the fourth magnet in response to placing the fourth magnet within the recess.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third side of the electromagnetic actuator is opposite to the fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein placing the third magnet within the recess includes placing the third magnet within the recess with a positive pole of the third magnet abutting the third side of the electromagnetic actuator, and wherein placing the fourth magnet within the recess includes placing the fourth magnet within the recess with a negative pole of the fourth magnet abutting the fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third magnet and the fourth magnet are placed on epoxy, and wherein the epoxy is cured with the third magnet and the fourth magnet placed on the epoxy.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
affixing the third spring to the base structure, the affixing the third spring including affixing the third spring with the third spring extending into the recess on the third side of the electromagnetic actuator; and
affixing the fourth spring to the base structure, the affixing the fourth spring including affixing the fourth spring with the fourth spring extending into the recess on the fourth side of the electromagnetic actuator.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator has four sides, and wherein the electromagnetic actuator is encompassed on the four sides by the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet.

12. A microelectromechanical system, comprising:
a base structure with a recess formed in the base structure;
an electromagnetic actuator affixed to the base structure within the recess;
a magnet located within the recess on a side of the electromagnetic actuator; and
a spring affixed to the base structure, wherein the spring extends into the recess on the side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein the magnet is further located between the spring and the electromagnetic actuator, and wherein the spring is to press the first magnet against the side of the electromagnetic actuator.

13. The microelectromechanical system of claim 12 , wherein the magnet is a first magnet, wherein the side of the electromagnetic actuator is a first side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein the spring is a first spring, and wherein the microelectromechanical system further comprises:
a second magnet located within the recess on a second side of the electromagnetic actuator; and
a second spring affixed to the base structure, wherein the second spring extends into the recess on the second side of the electromagnetic actuator, the second magnet located between the second spring and the electromagnetic actuator, and wherein the second spring is to press the second magnet against the second side of the electromagnetic actuator.

14. The microelectromechanical system of claim 13 , wherein the first magnet is affixed to the base structure via epoxy, wherein the first magnet abuts the first side of the electromagnetic actuator, wherein the second magnet is affixed to the base structure via epoxy, and wherein the second magnet abuts the second side of the electromagnetic actuator.

15. The microelectromechanical system of claim 13 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator includes a mirror, wherein the mirror is to rotate in response to changes in a magnetic field generated by the first magnet and the second magnet.

16. The microelectromechanical system of claim 13 , wherein the first magnet and the second magnet comprise neodymium magnets.

17. The microelectromechanical system of claim 13 , wherein the recess formed in the base structure is a clover-shaped recess, and wherein the electromagnetic actuator is located within a center portion of the clover-shaped recess, the first magnet is located within a first leaf p

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Starkston Robert
• Abebaw Amanuel M
• Wang Liwei
• Saltas Mark
• Iyer Sandeep S
• Labanok Nick

Classifications

• B81B3/0054

  For holding or placing an element in a given position · CPC title

• B81C1/00182 Primary

  Arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures, e.g. membrane and cavity for use in a transducer · CPC title

• B81B2203/051

  Translation according to an axis parallel to the substrate · CPC title

• B29C65/4805

  characterised by the type of adhesives · CPC title

• B81B2201/042

  Micromirrors, not used as optical switches · CPC title