Hybrid motor
First Claim
1. A hybrid actuator comprisinga housing defining a single fluid reservoir and containing a body of fluidan electrical actuator member within said housing, said member having a major movable displacing face which moves when electrically actuated to increase and decrease available volume for fluid in said reservoir and apply pressure on fluid in the reservoirsaid body of fluid filling the reservoira piston slidably extending into the body of fluid in the reservoir such that motion of the piston tracks displacement of fluid caused by motion of said displacing face, andwherein opposed ends of said piston are slideably supported by said housing, and a portion of said piston has fluid contacting surface regions which are of two different diameters located within the reservoirthe surface regions being acted upon by pressure of the body of fluid in the reservoir such that decrease in volume of said reservoir drives the piston in one direction while an increase in volume drives the piston in an opposite direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid actuator includes strain actuated elements that displace fluid to move a piston, with the elements forming a fluid housing, and being oriented and actuated to optimize force, stroke or bandwidth. In one preferred embodiment the elements are cylinders enclosing the fluid, with radial and axial components of strain-induced dimensional change adding together to enhance displacement. In another preferred embodiment, piezo bender elements produce large stroke, high bandwidth movements. Strokes of up to fifty percent of actuator length, and bandwidths above 500 Hz are achieved in light weight electrically actuated devices free of external piping or hydraulics. The actuator is readily integrated into a gate valve, sub-woofer, or other driven device.
43 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A hybrid actuator comprising
a housing defining a single fluid reservoir and containing a body of fluid an electrical actuator member within said housing, said member having a major movable displacing face which moves when electrically actuated to increase and decrease available volume for fluid in said reservoir and apply pressure on fluid in the reservoir said body of fluid filling the reservoir a piston slidably extending into the body of fluid in the reservoir such that motion of the piston tracks displacement of fluid caused by motion of said displacing face, and wherein opposed ends of said piston are slideably supported by said housing, and a portion of said piston has fluid contacting surface regions which are of two different diameters located within the reservoir the surface regions being acted upon by pressure of the body of fluid in the reservoir such that decrease in volume of said reservoir drives the piston in one direction while an increase in volume drives the piston in an opposite direction.
Specification