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Publication Number
US-12178538-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
A micro-engine including a rotation structure, the rotation structure including a head portion, a rear portion, and a deformable portion connecting both portions. The deformable portion is deformable in elongation or compression along a main axis and includes a spring element displaying a free end. The free end of the spring element includes at least an abutment member. The deformable portion further includes a wheel-platform which displays a first and a second face, being configured to cooperate with the free end of the spring element in order to transform a back-and-forth movement of the at least one spring element into a rotational movement of the wheel-platform.
Core Innovation
The micro-engine is configured to move a micro-structure and includes a rotation structure having a head portion, a rear portion, and a deformable portion connecting the head portion and the rear portion. The deformable portion is deformable in elongation or compression along a main axis extending from the head portion to the rear portion, and comprises at least one spring element with a rear end attached to the rear portion and a free end.
The free end comprises at least one abutment member. An actuator aligned with the deformable portion along the main axis is configured to actuate sequentially elongation and compression phases of the deformable portion, and the deformable portion further comprises a wheel-platform having a first and a second face, where the second face is configured to cooperate with the free end of the at least one spring element.
The wheel-platform transforms a back-and-forth movement of the at least one spring element into a rotational movement of the wheel-platform. The dependent refinements described include that the wheel-platform can be a notched wheel with multiple notches on the first and second faces for cooperating with the abutment members, with additional refinements defining relationships between notch spacing and abutment course during elongation and notch surfaces for abutment and sliding cooperation.
Claims Coverage
The identified independent claim covers one inventive feature centered on actuator-driven sequential elongation/compression of a main-axis deformable portion and its conversion into wheel-platform rotation, with dependent claims refining the actuator and notch geometry.
Actuator-driven sequential elongation/compression deformable portion along main axis
The rotation structure includes a deformable portion deformable in elongation or compression along a main axis, the deformable portion comprising at least one spring element, and an actuator aligned with the deformable portion along the main axis configured to actuate sequentially elongation and compression phases of the deformable portion.
Spring free-end abutment members converting back-and-forth motion into wheel rotation
The free end of the at least one spring element comprises at least one abutment member, and the deformable portion comprises a wheel-platform with first and second faces such that the second face cooperates with the free end to transform a back-and-forth movement of the at least one spring element into a rotational movement of the wheel-platform.
Electromagnetic actuator with coil and permanent magnet
The micro-engine wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetic actuator including an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet extending along the main axis.
Notched wheel-platform with multiple notches on first and second faces
A micro-engine including a notched wheel-platform where the first and second faces each have at least three notches configured to cooperate with abutment members of the at least one spring element.
Notch spacing versus abutment course in elongation phase
The micro-engine wherein, during a spring element elongation phase, a distance between two notches of the wheel-platform is smaller than the course of at least one abutment element.
Notch surfaces for abutment and sliding cooperation
The micro-engine wherein each notch has a first surface configured for abutment with the abutment members and a second surface configured for sliding cooperation with the abutment members of first and second spring elements.
The claim coverage is directed to converting actuator-driven sequential elongation and compression of a main-axis deformable spring portion into rotational motion of a wheel-platform via free-end abutment-member cooperation, with dependent refinements specifying electromagnetic actuation and notch-based kinematics and surface interactions.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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