Elastomer - Based Micromechanical Energy Storage System

An elastomer-based energy storage system for MEMS has been designed, built, and tested. Micro rubber 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 micro rubber 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 μJ. 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.