TRIPLE-LAYERED THERMAL ACTUATOR, AND OPERATING METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal mechanical actuator operated in a pulse type mode, speedily reset and enabling quick repetition of operation. SOLUTION: This thermal actuator 15 includes an element 10 of a base part and a cantilever type element 20 extending from the element of the base part. The cantilever element 20 includes a deflecting layer 22 and a restoring layer 24 constituted of materials having the substantially same coefficient of thermal expansion and a barrier layer 23 existing between them and constituted of a low thermal conductive material. Additionally, the thermal actuator 15 further includes a device to directly apply a thermal pulse to the deflecting layer 22 and the deflecting layer 22 is deflected and deformed by thermal expansion. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO