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Class 361/287 - Mechanically variable


Subclass of Class 361 - Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Definition: Subject matter in which the capacitance of the capacitor
No. of patents: 58
Last issue date: 04/26/2011


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NumberTitleIssue Date
7933112Micro-electromechanical voltage tunable capacitor and and filter devices
Disclosed are one-port and two-port voltage-tunable micro-electromechanical capacitors, switches, and filter devices. High aspect-ratio metal micromachining is used to implement very high quality factor (Q) tunable and fixed capacitors, fixed inductors, and low inse...
04/26/2011
7796372Manufacture of 3 dimensional MIM capacitors in the last metal level of an integrated circuit
A method is for fabricating an integrated circuit formed from a substrate and including several metallic interconnection levels in which, in a same plane parallel to the main plane of the substrate, is a plurality of thick horizontal metallic interconnection lines, ...
09/14/2010
7646582Temperature-compensated micro-electromechanical device, and method of temperature compensation in a micro-electromechanical device
A micro-electromechanical device includes a semiconductor body, in which at least one first microstructure and one second microstructure of reference are integrated. The first microstructure and the second microstructure are arranged in the body so as to undergo equ...
01/12/2010
7616425Photo-sensitive MEMS structure
A heat-sensitive apparatus includes a substrate with a top surface, one or more bars being rotatably joined to the surface and having bimorph portions, and a plate rotatably joined to the surface and substantially rigidly joined to the one or more bars. Each bimorph...
11/10/2009
7505246Variable capacitance with dielectric fluid
The variable capacitance (1) according to the invention is based on a novel principle: a dielectric fluid (20) is placed in the air gap constituted by two capacitor electrodes (12, 14), the fluid being able to be displaced in a direction and out...
03/17/2009
7499257Micro-electro-mechanical system varactor
A micro-electro-mechanical system varactor. The varactor includes a substrate, a lower bias conductor partially overlaying the substrate, a first signal conductor partially overlaying the substrate, a dielectric layer at least partially overlaying the first signal c...
03/03/2009
7385800Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) capacitors, inductors, and related systems and methods
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a MEMS fixed capacitor and a method for fabricating the MEMS fixed capacitor. The MEMS fixed capacitor can include a first stationary, capacitive plate on a substrate. Further, the MEMS fixed capa...
06/10/2008
7324323Photo-sensitive MEMS structure
A heat-sensitive apparatus includes a substrate with a top surface, one or more bars being rotatably joined to the surface and having bimorph portions, and a plate rotatably joined to the surface and substantially rigidly joined to the one or more bars. Each bimorph...
01/29/2008
7319580Collapsing zipper varactor with inter-digit actuation electrodes for tunable filters
According to one embodiment a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch is disclosed. The MEMS switch includes a substrate, a plurality of actuation electrodes mounted on the substrate, a plurality of bottom electrodes mounted on the substrate, a capacitor having subcomp...
01/15/2008
7283347Low cost digital variable capacitor
A digital variable capacitor package is provided as having a ground plane disposed on predetermined portion of the top surface of a substrate. An elongated signal electrode may also be disposed on the substrate and including a first end defining an input and a secon...
10/16/2007
7277267Multi-layer capacitive transducer
A capacitive transducer of multi-layer construction includes two rotor plates supported by flexible springs, the plates being spaced apart and rigidly connected by a stem. One rotor plate my be used as either a pickup electrode or a grounded target electrode for det...
10/02/2007
7245131Capacitance detection apparatus
A capacitance detection apparatus includes a detection electrode for detecting approach of an object on the basis of a change of capacitance, a calculating circuit for calculating a value associated with the capacitance change, a judging circuit for judging whether ...
07/17/2007
7242569Tunable capacitors using fluid dielectrics
Capacitors 10, 20, 40, 50, 70, 80) having a fluid dielectric material that is transported or undergoes a phase change are disclosed. The dielectric medium change results in a change in the total dielectric constant of the material between the electrodes (1...
07/10/2007
7215529Capacitive sensor having flexible polymeric conductors
A capacitive sensor having a first and a second polymeric conductor are embedded within a non conducting body, wherein the body maintains a fixed separation distance between the first and the second polymeric conductor. The body can include a non conducting web, whe...
05/08/2007
7190565Capacitor having reduced non-capacitive impedance
An adjustable capacitor has a tubular housing including a first insulating section and a second section having a conductive portion at the exterior surface thereof forming an external terminal. An external terminal conductor is joined to an exterior terminal portion...
03/13/2007
7161791Variable capacitance membrane actuator for wide band tuning of microstrip resonators and filters
A device for varying the capacitance of an electronic circuit is disclosed. The device comprises a flexible membrane located above the electronic circuit, a metal layer connected to the flexible membrane, and bias circuitry located above the membrane. Variation of t...
01/09/2007
7092232Variable capacitance capacitor, circuit module, and communications apparatus
A variable capacitance capacitor has a plurality of variable capacitance elements, using a thin-film dielectric layer whose dielectric constant varies with voltage application, connected in series with one another between the high-frequency signal input and output t...
08/15/2006
7085122MEMS tunable capacitor based on angular vertical comb drives
A MEMS tunable capacitor with angular vertical comb-drive (AVC) actuators is described where high capacitances and a wide continuous tuning range is achieved in a compact space. The comb fingers rotate through a small vertical angle which allows a wider tuning range...
08/01/2006
7082024Component comprising a variable capacitor
A variable capacitor having a groove portion formed in an insulating substrate, two upper portions of the substrate located on either side of the groove portion forming two lateral edges, a conductive layer covering the inside of the groove portion, a flexible condu...
07/25/2006
7078915Angular position sensor for rotating components such as steering columns
A semi-circular dielectric rotor is attached to a steering column for rotation with the steering column. Straddling the rotor but not contacting it are an excitation electrode member which generates an electric field and a receiver electrode member that outputs sign...
07/18/2006
7046118Signal processing circuit board with variable resistor which is hardly declined in the mechanical strength while its variable resistor is not limited to one particular location for the installation
A signal processing circuit board includes a board body, a variable electronic element, and a hole. The variable electronic element is mounted in a mounting side of the board body. The variable electronic element has an operating member to control an output outputte...
05/16/2006
7023210NMR systems employing inverted variable capacitors
According to some embodiments, NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) circuits include one or more variable capacitors each having two concentric cylindrical conductors. The inner conductor is connected to an upper external contact disposed closer to the NMR sample coil t...
04/04/2006
7023684Variable position sensor employing capacitance
A variable position sensor has a stationary portion and a moveable portion. A plurality of plates are positioned on one of the members with the surfaces of the plates forming segments of a larger surface. A single plate is mounted on the other of the two members. On...
04/04/2006
7006342Variable capacitor having a rigidity-increasing feature
A variable capacitor. The variable capacitor has a movable capacitor electrode including a major surface and a fixed capacitor electrode including a major surface. The major surface of the fixed capacitor electrode is opposite the major surface of the movable capaci...
02/28/2006
7002787Capacitor apparatus of the capacity variable type
The present invention is directed to a capacitor apparatus of the capacity variable type. This capacitor apparatus is manufactured by Micro Electro-Mechanical System technology, and comprises an insulating substrate (2) in which at least two capacitor electro...
02/21/2006
6954348Tunable MEMS capacitor
Various embodiments of tunable capacitors are disclosed. One embodiment is in the form of a tunable capacitor (368) having a pair of stationary capacitor electrodes (392) that are fixed to and disposed the same distance above a substrate (388) i...
10/11/2005
6865066Voltage-controlled variable-capacitance device
First and second varactors are disposed on a surface of a P-type substrate. The first varactor includes an N well disposed in the surface of the P-type substrate, a gate insulator disposed on the N well, and an N-type polysilicon layer disposed on the gate insulator...
03/08/2005
6853534Tunable capacitor
A tunable capacitor. The tunable capacitor has a first fixed capacitor electrode and a second fixed capacitor electrode opposite to one another. The tunable capacitor also has a movable element formed of a conductive material. The movable element is moveable between...
02/08/2005
6785117Capacitive device
A capacitive device includes a substrate, a movable electrode, and a fixed electrode. The movable electrode is located above a surface of the substrate and is movable with respect to the substrate along directions that are substantially orthogonal to the surface. Th...
08/31/2004
6704186Capacity type pressure sensor and method of manufacturing the pressure sensor
A capacitive pressure sensor includes a first substrate (1), a first flat electrode (1a) formed on the first substrate (1), a pressure-sensing frame (4) surrounding the first flat electrode (1a) provided on the first substrate (1), second substrates (2, 3...
03/09/2004
6646525Microelectro-mechanical system actuator device and reconfigurable circuits utilizing same
A microelectro-mechanical device which includes a fixed electrode formed on a substrate, the fixed electrode including a transparent, high resistance layer, and a moveable electrode formed with an anisotropic stress in a predetermined direction and dispos...
11/11/2003
6628501Capacitive moisture sensor
A capacitive moisture sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, which has a hole. A silicon oxide film is located to close the hole. A pair of electrodes is located on the silicon oxide film. Each electrode is in the shape of a comb, and the electrodes m...
09/30/2003
6501637Trimmer capacitor
A trimmer capacitor includes anchor portions that are arranged to be stepped down from the surface of a fixed electrode and are embedded in a stator near the upper surface of the stator at the tip portions of the fixed electrode. Because the tip portion o...
12/31/2002
6437965Electronic device including multiple capacitance value MEMS capacitor and associated methods
An electronic device, such as a filter or phase shifter, for example, includes a substrate, and a MEMS capacitor on the substrate and having a plurality of selectable capacitance values. The MEMS capacitor preferably includes a lower capacitor electrode o...
08/20/2002
6430023Input device
An input device for a personal computer or the like has an elastic member, a slider horizontally movable on the elastic member, and a key top operatively connected to the elastic member through the slider. The elastic member 5 has a coupling portion provi...
08/06/2002
6236556Variable capacitor tuning apparatus
A tuning head for use with a variable capacitor includes a coupler having a gap, a first optical fiber operatively coupled to the coupler, and a second optical fiber operatively coupled to the coupler. The first and second optical fibers are optically cou...
05/22/2001
6218632Capacitive weight sensor
The present invention is directed to a weight sensing apparatus (10) for a vehicle seat (22). The weight sensing apparatus (10) includes a differential capacitor (150) including a first capacitor (152) and a second capacitor (176). The first capacitor (15...
04/17/2001
6211684Internal unbalance detection in capacitors
A capacitor is made up of a housing; a first plurality of capacitors within the housing; a second plurality of capacitors within the housing; a first electrode coupled to a first terminal, with the first terminal being electrically contactable outside the...
04/03/2001
6127908Microelectro-mechanical system actuator device and reconfigurable circuits utilizing same
A microelectro-mechanical device which includes a fixed electrode formed on a substrate, the fixed electrode including a transparent, high resistance layer, and a moveable electrode formed with an anisotropic stress in a predetermined direction and dispos...
10/03/2000
5991177Capacitive voltage transformer for a metal-enclosed, gas-filled high-voltage system
The capacitive voltage transformer is provided for a metal-enclosed, gas-filled high-voltage system. It has a cylindrical capacitor having two coaxially arranged, electrically conducting cylinders (12, 13), of which one internally arranged cylinder (12) i...
11/23/1999
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