Double saggital push stroke amplifier

• US 4,952,835 A
• Filed: 12/27/1988
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Loral Aerospace Corp. (MHR Holdings LLC (New York))
• Original Assignee: Ford Aerospace Corporation
• Inventors: Stahlhuth, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US07/289,884
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/346, 310/366
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/043 Mechanical transmission means, e.g. for stroke amplification

Abstract

A piezoelectric motor actuated amplifier mechanism that utilizes a pair of saggital linkages having one relatively fixed saggital midpoint and joined at their end points to obtain a doubled amplification factor push stroke output from one relatively movable saggital midpoint. Thermal compensators are employed between the piezoelectric actuator and the saggital linkages to stabilize the amplifier throughout a wide range of temperatures.

Claims

1. A double saggital stroke amplifier, comprising:

an electroexpansive actuator energizable to responsively expand in length by a predetermined amount;

a relatively rigid reference support frame;

means providing a first saggital linkage having first and second ends connected to respective ends of said electroexpansive actuator, and the midpoint of said first linkage being connected to said support frame;

means providing a second saggital linkage having first and second ends connected to respective ends of said electroexpansive actuator, and the midpoint of said second linkage being free to move in response to said electroexpansive actuator and with respect to the fixed midpoint of said first linkage;

wherein said midpoints of said first and second linkages are separated from each other by a distance that is less than the distance between connected endpoints.

2. An amplifier as in claim 1, wherein said means providing said first and second saggital linkages is a unitary structure comprising four relatively rigid links having predetermined and equal lengths;

a flexure area defined at the end of each link; and

bridge means for interconnecting the ends of the electroexpansive actuator and the ends of the first and second saggital linkages at the corresponding flexure areas.

3. An amplifier as in claim 2, wherein said bridge means further includes a threaded aperture extending coaxial with said electroexpansive actuator and an adjustable means is provided to be inserted into said aperture that is adjustable along said axis of said electroexpansive actuator to tighten the connection between said actuator and the first and second linkages.

4. An amplifier as in claim 3, wherein the midpoint of said first saggital linkage is located between a first pair of flexure areas and is formed as part of said unitary structure for permanent connection to said support frame.

5. An amplifier as in claim 4, wherein said the midpoint of said second saggital linkage is located between a second pair of flexure areas and is formed as part of said unitary structure to define the output connection for the amplifier.

6. An amplifier as in claim 5, and further including means for providing thermal compensation located between the ends of the electroexpansive actuator having a known first coefficient of thermal expansion and the unitary structure having a known second coefficient of thermal expansion.

7. An amplifier as in claim 6, wherein said thermal compensation means is formed of a material having a known third coefficient of thermal expansion selected to maintain the midpoint of the second linkage at a fixed position independent of environmental temperature changes when the electroexpansive actuator is deenergized.

8. A double saggital stroke amplifier, comprising:

an electroexpansive actuator energizable to responsively expand in length by a predetermined amount;

a relatively rigid reference support frame;

means providing a first saggital linkage having first and second ends connected to respective ends of said electroexpansive actuator, and the midpoint of said first linkage being connected to said support frame;

means providing a second saggital linkage having first and second ends connected to respective ends of said electroexpansive actuator, and the midpoint of said second linkage being separated from the midpoint on said first linkage by a first predetermined distance and being free to move in response to said electroexpansive actuator and with respect to the fixed midpoint of said first linkage;

wherein said first predetermined distance is less than the distance between the connected ends.

9. A double saggital push stroke amplifier comprising:

a first bow-shaped saggital linkage having a defined midpoint and pivotal end points;

a second bow-shaped saggital linkage having a defined midpoint and pivotal end points;

a pair of bridge elements rigidly connecting and separating corresponding pivotal end points on said first and second linkages by a predetermined first distance;

an electroexpansive actuator connected between said bridge elements for forcing said bridge elements away from each other a prescribed distance when energized;

said midpoints of said first and second bow-shaped saggital linkages are separated by a distance that is less than said first distance of end point separation;

a relatively rigid reference support frame connected to said midpoint of said first linkage;

whereby said midpoint of said second linkage provides an amplified push stroke output with respect to said fixed midpoint when said electroexpansive drive element is energized to expand by a predetermined amount in its length dimension between said bridge elements.