Patents by Inventor Ken Maxwell Hays

Ken Maxwell Hays has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6639289
    Abstract: The method of the present invention provides a process for manufacturing MEMS devices having more precisely defined mechanical and/or electromechanical members. The method of the present invention begins by providing a partially sacrificial substrate and a support substrate. In order to space the mechanical and/or electromechanical members of the resulting MEMS device above the support substrate, mesas are formed on the support substrate. By forming the mesas on the support substrate instead of the partially sacrificial substrate, the mechanical and/or electromechanical members can be more precisely formed from the partially sacrificial substrate since the inner surface of the partially sacrificial substrate is not etched and therefore remains planar. As such, trenches can be precisely etched through the :planar inner surface of the partially sacrificial substrate to define mechanical and/or electromechanical members of the MEMS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Maxwell Hays
  • Patent number: 6143583
    Abstract: The method of the present invention provides a process for manufacturing MEMS devices having more precisely defined mechanical and/or electromechanical members. The method of the present invention begins by providing a partially sacrificial substrate and a support substrate. In order to space the mechanical and/or electromechanical members of the resulting MEMS device above the support substrate, mesas are formed on the support substrate. By forming the mesas on the support substrate instead of the partially sacrificial substrate, the mechanical and/or electromechanical members can be more precisely formed from the partially sacrificial substrate since the inner surface of the partially sacrificial substrate is not etched and therefore remains planar. As such, trenches can be precisely etched through the planar inner surface of the partially sacrificial substrate to define mechanical and/or electromechanical members of the MEMS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Honeywell, Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Maxwell Hays