Biaxial transducer

• US 5,262,696 A
• Filed: 07/05/1991
• Issued: 11/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Culp, Gordon W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US07/726,441
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 310/357-359, 310/365, 310/366, 310/328, 310/330-332
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2027 having cylindrical or annular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/204 using bending displacement, e.g. unimorph, bimorph or multimorph cantilever or membrane benders
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/503 with non-rectangular cross-section orthogonal to the stacking direction, e.g. polygonal, circular

Abstract

This invention is for a single lamina biaxial transducer made of an electrodeformable material. Several methods form making biaxial transducers are taught. The biaxial transducer has responsivity vectors which are directed along radial lines from the axis and change in in intensity with distance from the axis so that when an electric field is applied the transducer will biaxially deform. The biaxial lamina can be stacked with a common electrode between them. Biaxers can be used for reducing stress between layers in bodies. They are also useful in deforming bodies and for making pumps.

Claims

1. A transducer comprising,

one lamina of electrodeformable material having responsivity vectors, a responsive surface, a support surface, and connections receptive of electric power attached to the lamina, wherein the responsivity vectors are radially distributed about an axis, and wherein power is transduced by said vectors with varying magnitude as a function of the radial distance from the axis to forcibly biaxially deform said responsive surface and the converse.

2. A transducer as in claim 1 wherein the responsivity vector'"'"'s magnitude is constant as a function of the radial distance from said axis and the electric influence of said connections varies as a function of the radial distance from said axis.

3. A transducer as in claim 1 wherein the responsivity vector'"'"'s magnitude varies as a function of the radial distance from said axis and the electric influence of said connections varies as a function of the radial distance from said axis.

4. A transducer as in claim 1 wherein the connections receptive to electric power are an electrode affixed to the responsive surface and an electrode affixed to the support surface.

5. A transducer as in claim 4 wherein two laminae are joined to a common electrode.

6. A transducer as in claim 5 wherein the directions of said responsivity vectors are antiparallel.

9. A transducer as in claim 2 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of said receptive connections having a spiral of electrically resistive material.

10. A transducer as in claim 3 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of said receptive connections having a spiral of electrically resistive material.

11. A transducer as in claim 4 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of said receptive connections having electrical resistivity that increases with proximity to said axis.

12. A transducer as in claim 5 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of said receptive connections having electrical resistivity that increases with proximity to said axis.

13. A transducer as in claim 4 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of a plurality of said receptive connections connected in annuluses, each annulus activated by a magnitude of said electric power that decreases with proximity to said axis.

14. A transducer as in claim 3 wherein said electric influence is varied by means of a plurality of said receptive connections connected in annuluses, each activated by a magnitude of said electric power that decreases with proximity to said axis.

7. An actuator having a body comprising a lifter affixed to biaxer.

8. An actuator as in claim 7, wherein said body has a top and a bottom, the body having a plurality of lifters with a biaxer affixed at the top and a biaxer affixed at the bottom.

15. A biaxial transducer comprising a substrate having an axis and a plurality of biaxer segments attached to the substrate.

16. A biaxial transducer as in claim 15 where the biaxers are biaxmorphs.

17. A biaxial transducer as in claim 15 where the biaxer segments are equally sized and spaced at equal intervals along arms of a set of involute spirals.

18. A biaxial transducer as in claim 17 where the biaxers are biaxmorphs.

19. A biaxial transducer as in claim 18 where there is a wafer attached to the biaxmorphs opposite the substrate.

20. A biaxial transducer as in claim 19 where the substrate has a cooling channel for fluid to pass through and remove heat from the substrate.

21. A deformable object comprising a substrate, a plurality of biaxer segments attached to the substrate, a deformable object attached to the biaxer segments, wherein the biaxers shear and bend the deformable object when the biaxers are activated.

22. A deformable object as in claim 21 where the biaxers are biaxmorphs.