Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches – Electrothermally actuated switches – With bimetallic elements
Reexamination Certificate
2005-06-28
2005-06-28
Vortman, Anatoly (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches
Electrothermally actuated switches
With bimetallic elements
C337S036000, C337S016000, C337S365000, C060S529000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06911891
ABSTRACT:
A bistable structure provided by the invention is characterized as including a deflection element that has mechanically constrained end points and a compliant span between the end points that is substantially free to deflect between two stable positions when a force is applied at a point along the span. The deflection element span is provided, as-fabricated, curved in one of the two stable positions and in a mechanically unstressed condition along the length of the span. The as-fabricated curve of the deflection element span includes a curve maxima at a point along the span length that is at least about ¼ of the span length from the end points of the span. The deflection element span is constrained to substantially prohibit development of a second bending mode that is characteristic for the span as the element deflects between the two stable positions.
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Brenner Michael P.
Lang Jeffrey H.
Li Jian
Qiu Jin
Slocum Alexander H.
Lober Theresa A.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Vortman Anatoly
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