PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR, ROBOT HAND, ROBOT, FINGER ASSIST APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT CONVEYING APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT INSPECTING APPARATUS, LIQUID FEEDING PUMP, PRINTING APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC TIMEPIECE, AND PROJECTION APPARATUS

• US 20150114164A1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: URANO, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 9,742,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/490.03
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/004 Rectangular vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/008 Means for controlling vibration frequency or phase, e.g. for resonance tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/0095 producing combined linear and rotary motion, e.g. multi-direction positioners
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/026 by pressing one or more vibrators against the driven body
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/103 by pressing one or more vibrators against the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/23 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

A first driving signal is supplied to a first electrode of a vibrating body. A second driving signal is supplied to a second electrode of the vibrating body. A common driving signal is supplied to a common electrode of the vibrating body. A phase of the first driving signal is set changeable with respect to a phase of the common driving signal. A phase of the second driving signal is set changeable with respect to the phase of the common driving signal. Then, it is possible to switch a driving direction of a piezoelectric motor according to which phase of the first driving signal or the second driving signal is varied from the phase of the common driving signal. If the phase is simply changed, a switch is unnecessary. It is possible to reduce a driving circuit in size.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric motor comprising:

a vibrating body including a piezoelectric material;

a common electrode arranged on one surface of the vibrating body;

a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on a surface different from the surface on which the common electrode is arranged; and

a driving-signal supplying section configured to supply a common driving signal to the common electrode, supply a first driving signal to the first electrode, and supply a second driving signal to the second electrode, wherein

the driving-signal supplying section is capable of supplying the first driving signal with a phase varied from a phase of the common driving signal and supplying the second driving signal with a phase varied from the phase of the common driving signal.

2. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein

the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on a surface on an opposite side of the surface on which the common electrode is arranged.

3. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein a waveform of the first driving signal and a waveform of the second driving signal are same as a waveform of the common driving signal.

4. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein the driving-signal supplying section is capable of supplying the common driving signal, the first driving signal, and the second driving signal in a same phase.

5. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein

the first electrode is connected to a first low-pass filter circuit, and

the second electrode is connected to a second low-pass filter circuit.

6. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein the first the driving-signal supplying section is capable of supplying the first driving signal and the second driving signal having phases different from the phase of the common driving signal but having a same phase each other.

7. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein the driving-signal supplying section is capable of changing the phase of the first driving signal with respect to the phase of the common driving signal and capable of changing the phase of the second driving signal with respect to the phase of the common driving signal.

8. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein

a third electrode is provided on a surface on an opposite side of the surface on which the common electrode is arranged, and

the driving-signal supplying section is capable of supplying a third driving signal having a phase different from the phase of the common driving signal.

9. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein the body to be driven is a turning body.

10. The piezoelectric motor according to claim 1, wherein the body to be driven is a linearly moving body.

11. A robot comprising:

an arm section provided with a turnable joint section;

a hand section provided in the arm section; and

a main body section provided with the arm section,

the robot including a piezoelectric motor provided in the joint section and configured to bend or drive to rotate the joint section, wherein

the piezoelectric motor includes;

a vibrating body including a piezoelectric material;

a common electrode arranged on one surface of the vibrating body;

a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on a surface different from the surface on which the common electrode is arranged; and

a driving-signal supplying section configured to supply a common driving signal to the common electrode, supply a first driving signal to the first electrode, and supply a second driving signal to the second electrode, and

the driving-signal supplying section is capable of supplying the first driving signal with a phase varied from a phase of the common driving signal and supplying the second driving signal with a phase varied from the phase of the common driving signal.

12. A piezoelectric motor comprising a vibrating body provided with a common electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode and configured to perform bending vibration, wherein

the piezoelectric motor is capable of supplying a driving signal having a phase different from a phase of the common electrode to the first electrode and supplying a driving signal having a phase different from the phase of the common electrode to the second electrode.