Abstract: A flexural actuator is fitted with an actuator means, the flexural actuator being fitted at its functional section with a sensor means for determination of the longitudinal stretch. This sensor means is placed at a position, and/or is placed in the longitudinal direction symmetrically on either side of such position, at which there is a constant longitudinal stretch independent from the setting force when the functional section is thrusting against a resistance.

Abstract: A flexural actuator is fitted with an actuator means, the flexural actuator being fitted at its functional section with a sensor means for determination of the longitudinal stretch. This sensor means is placed at a position, and/or is placed in the longitudinal direction symmetrically on either side of such position, at which there is a constant longitudinal stretch independent from the setting force when the functional section is thrusting against a resistance.

Abstract: A microstructure relay is provided, having a body that includes upper and lower portions. The lower portion is formed from a substrate, and the upper portion is formed on the substrate to avoid bonding of the lower portion to the upper portion. A support member is fixed to the body at a first end of the support member to form a cantilever, wherein an upper surface of the support member and a lower surface of the upper portion of the body form a cavity. A first contact region is located on the upper surface at a second end of the support member. The first contact region comprises a first contact, wherein pivoting the support member toward the lower surface causes the first contact to be electrically coupled to a counter contact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a relay, especially a miniaturized electrostatic relay, comprising a bridge-type make contact. The contact spring is designed as a torsion spring that is linked with a switching spring (3) via multiply bent spring parts (7). It is thus possible in particular to compensate fixed contacts (2) of different heights. The invention further relates to a method for producing the relay as a micro-mechanical electrostatic relay.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a micromechanical electrostatic relay that includes a base substrate and a carrier layer deposited onto the base substrate. The carrier layer includes an armature and stationary-contact spring tongues that engage each other at their respective free ends. Once engaged, the armature spring tongue moving contacts overlaps the respective stationary-contact spring tongue stationary contacts. During an electrostatic rest state, the armature and stationary-contact spring tongues curve away from the base substrate wherein their respective free ends no longer engage.

Abstract: In an ink print head of sandwich type construction which works according to the bubble-jet principle, the heating elements, electric lines and contacts, as well as the shoot out openings are advantageously produced in the same chip by planar processing steps (back-shooter principle). The heating elements and the shoot out openings are arranged so as to be laterally offset relative to one another in such a way that the spreading direction of the steam bubble is directed opposite to the ink shooting direction. Such an arrangement results in a simple and accordingly inexpensive production of such ink print heads since all precision processing steps are advantageously effected in a planar process and joined on one element.

Abstract: The micromechanical electrostatic relay has, on the one hand, a base substrate with base electrode and a base contact piece and, on the other hand, an armature substrate with an armature spring tongue that is etched free and curved away from the base substrate, and that has an armature electrode and an armature contact piece. When a control voltage is applied between the two electrodes, the spring tongue unrolls on the base substrate until it is stretched and causes the two contact pieces to touch. In order to obtain a high contacting force given an optimally large electrode area, the armature contact piece is arranged on a contact spring section that is cut free from the spring tongue via spring webs in the form of a sun wheel with spoke sections helically interengaging such that it is surrounded on all sides by the spring tongue.

Abstract: A micromechanical relay is provided having a cantilevered armature (53) which is etched out from an armature substrate (52). The armature is in the form of a tongue, is elastically connected to the armature substrate, and forms an electrostatic drive with a base electrode (58) of a base substrate (51) located underneath. In addition, a piezo-layer (60) is provided on the armature (53). The piezo-layer (60) acts as a bending transducer and forms a supplemental actuator for a quick response time. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes of the armature (53), base substrate (51) and piezo-layer (60), the armature is attracted toward the base substrate and then rests over a large area on the base, closing at least one contact (55, 56).

Abstract: A micromechanical electrostatic relay has a base substrate with a base electrode and a base contact piece. The relay also has an armature substrate with an armature spring tongue that curves away from the base substrate, and an armature electrode and an armature contact piece. When a control voltage is applied between the two electrodes, the spring tongue unrolls on the base substrate and thus closes the contact. The curvature of the spring tongue in the quiescent condition is produced by a coating with a compressive strain layer. In order to avoid undesired transverse arcs of the spring tongue, the compressive strain layer is subdivided into strips by slots in a longitudinal direction of the spring tongue. A tensile stress layer applied in surface-wide fashion over the strips and slots reinforces the compensation effect.

Abstract: A micromechanical electrostatic relay has, on the one hand, a base substrate with a base electrode and a base contact piece and, on the other hand, an armature substrate with an armature spring tongue that is etched free and curved away from the base substrate and that has an armature contact piece. When a control voltage is present between the two electrodes, the spring tongue unrolls on the base substrate until it is stretched and causes the two contact pieces to touch. In order to prevent a creeping contacting and make the closing and opening of the contact abrupt, a geometric discontinuity is provided in the wedge-shaped air gap between the two electrodes. This discontinuity is formed by a partially curved, partially straight design of the spring tongue, by an offset of the beginning of the electrode relative to the spring attachment, and/or by an air gap between the spring attachment and the base electrode.

Abstract: A pressure difference sensor having a semiconductor measuring diaphragm clamped between two bearing parts of insulating material thereby forming two inner chambers is described. Each of the bearing parts holds a flat electrode on its inside. An internal, pressurized, equalization chamber is provided in the clamping region of the pressure difference sensor and extends into both bearing parts around the inner chambers. The equalization chamber compensates for static pressure influences on the accuracy of the measurement of the sensor. A method for producing the sensor is also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making an oblique-sided recess in a substrate in which areas of the surface of the substrate corresponding to the recess to be made are covered with an etching mask which is not attacked by an isotropic etching liquid, whereupon an isotropic etching is effected. In order to be able to make oblique sides of very slight slope with such a process, a layer (4) which is removable by the isotropic etching liquid is applied to the surface areas (3) of the substrate (2) before the application of the etching mask (5).

Abstract: A detachable multiple splicing connector for light waveguides comprises splicing halves (1, 2) formed by support parts (3, 4, 5, 6) mutually aligned with maximum precision by means of guide grooves (19, 20, 21) and corresponding guide parts (22, 23). The support parts (3, 4, 5, 6) have at least one guide groove (19, 20, 21) along one side and are mutually connected in such a way that the latter is freely accessible. Guide strips (22, 23) can be easily inserted in the guide grooves (19, 20, 21). The arrangement and design of the guide grooves and guide strips improves the precision of alignment. This detachable multiple splicing connector is useful for optical components with light waveguide connections, in particular for commutatable connections.