Actuators, motors and wheelless autonomous robots using vibratory transducer drivers
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- a first vibratory transducer;
a second vibratory transducer orthogonal to said first vibratory transducer;
means to attach said first vibratory transducer to a driving member;
further means to attach said second vibratory transducer to said driving member;
a driven member moved relative to said driving member by said driving member through frictional forces;
both said first vibratory transducer and said second vibratory transducer driven at an identical frequency with an ability to selectively set the phase relationship between said first vibratory transducer and said second vibratory transducer for the purpose of selecting direction of movement and the speed of said driven member.
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Abstract
A device providing one of an actuator, motor and a wheelless autonomous robot using vibratory transducer drivers. The vibratory transducer driver is connected to a reciprocating element, driven reciprocally by the vibration driver. A friction surface is provided for translating reciprocating movement of the reciprocating element into motion. A driven member is moved by contact with the friction surface.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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a first vibratory transducer; a second vibratory transducer orthogonal to said first vibratory transducer; means to attach said first vibratory transducer to a driving member; further means to attach said second vibratory transducer to said driving member; a driven member moved relative to said driving member by said driving member through frictional forces; both said first vibratory transducer and said second vibratory transducer driven at an identical frequency with an ability to selectively set the phase relationship between said first vibratory transducer and said second vibratory transducer for the purpose of selecting direction of movement and the speed of said driven member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A low-speed high-torque alternating current motor comprising:
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a vibratory transducer, a yoke member having friction surfaces on interior surfaces of said yoke member, and, a drum having a periphery thereof covered with anisotropic friction material such as oriented fiber, said yoke member contacting said drum periphery with said interior friction surfaces of said yoke, said transducer linearly reciprocating said yoke thereby rotating said drum in one direction, wherein motor speed of said motor is adjustable by varying either the stroke of the said vibratory transducer or the frequency of the alternating current supply or both.
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20. A bidirectional linear actuator comprising a vibratory transducer, a driven bar, and a rocking power tip comprised of a plurality of hardened parts, a chassis and a first and second drive block,
said chassis being resiliently bonded to a base and to each of said drive blocks by elastomeric elements, said transducer being rigidly bonded to said base, said transducer being controllable to vibrate from a neutral position to either of two opposite directions depending on the direction of the driving power source, said first drive block having a surface adjacent to said driven bar covered with an anisotropic friction material such as oriented fiber in a specific direction, said second drive block having a surface adjacent to said driven bar covered with an anisotropic friction material such as oriented fiber in a direction opposite to that of said first drive block, said transducer being coupled to said chassis member such that in a first mode of operation, said chassis member is rocked from a neutral position in a clockwise rotation and then back to neutral, wherein, in said first mode, said first drive block contacts said driven bar through said anisotropic friction surface and moves said bar to the right a small distance with each vibration, and wherein, in a second mode of operation, said transducer causes said chassis member to rotate from a neutral position in a counter-clockwise rotation and then back to neutral with each vibration, wherein further, in said second mode of operation said second drive block contacts said driven bar through said anisotropic friction surface and moves said driven bar to the left a small distance with each said vibration.
Specification