A reusable micromechanical energy storage/quick release system with assembled elastomers

A reusable, elastomer-based energy storage/quick release system for MEMS has been designed, built and tested. Microrubber bands have been fabricated from silicone using two different methods, laser cut and molded, and assembled into silicon microstructures fabricated in a two-mask silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. Using silicon hooks and force gauges designed in this process, these microrubber bands have been characterized as to their energy storage potential and efficiency by stretching them with a probe tip. These tests showed recovered energy efficiencies up to 92% at strains over 200% with a maximum stored energy over 19 mu J. In addition, a fully integrated micromechanical energy storage system to both store and release energy has been demonstrated using an electrostatic inchworm motor to stretch the elastomer band and release it. Using the inchworm motor, an estimated 4.9 nJ of energy was stored in the elastomer spring and quickly released.