Piezoelectric actuator or motor, method therefor and method for fabrication thereof
First Claim
1. An actuator or motor having electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electric field, whereby motion relative a body is created by non-resonant repetition of small steps, said actuator or motor comprising at least one monolithic module with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material, said monolithic module being a sintered block and having at least one passive part and at least two active elements, one independent contact point at each active element being provided against said body, which contact points are positionable independently of each other in at least two independent directions relative to said passive part of said monolithic module, whereby said monolithic module by itself or in combination with others is used for creating said motion.
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Abstract
This invention relates to an actuator or motor comprising an electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electrical voltage. Said actuator comprises at least a monolitic module (1,2) with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material and in that the force or displacement due to the applied voltages is transferred, to the point to be actuated or moved by the shape change of the material, using at least two independent contact points. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating said actuator or motor.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. An actuator or motor having electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electric field, whereby motion relative a body is created by non-resonant repetition of small steps, said actuator or motor comprising at least one monolithic module with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material, said monolithic module being a sintered block and having at least one passive part and at least two active elements, one independent contact point at each active element being provided against said body, which contact points are positionable independently of each other in at least two independent directions relative to said passive part of said monolithic module, whereby said monolithic module by itself or in combination with others is used for creating said motion.
- 16. An actuator or motor arrangement having an actuator or motor having electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electric field, and a body, whereby motion relative said body is created by non-resonant repetition of small steps, said actuator or motor comprising at least one monolithic module with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material, said monolithic module being a sintered block and having at least one passive part and at least two active elements, one independent contact point at each active element being against said body, which contact points are positionable independently of each other in at least two independent directions relative to said passive part of said monolithic module, whereby said monolithic module by itself or in combination with others is used for creating said motion, and in that said body has a wedge shape.
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19. An actuator system having a number of modules comprising electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electric field, whereby motion relative a body is created by non-resonant repetition of small steps, said modules being monolithic modules with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material, each of said monolithic modules being a sintered block and having at least one passive part and at least two active elements, one independent contact point at each active element being provided against said body, which contact points are positionable independently of each other in at least two independent directions relative to said passive part of said monolithic module, and a bellow-shaped tube arranged for creating a normal force between said monolithic modules.
- 20. Method of driving an actuator or motor having electromechanical material altering its shape under the influence of an electric field, comprising the step of moving said actuator or motor by repeating small steps, said step of moving further comprises the step of driving at least one monolithic module by itself or in combination with other monolithic modules, said monolithic module being a sintered block and having electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material, positioning at least two contact points on each of said monolithic modules independently of each other in at least two independent directions relative to a passive part of said monolithic modules, and the step of rotating at least one of said monolithic modules relative to another, having a wedge shape, or relative to a separate unit having a wedge shape, thereby transferring a rotating motion into a tilting motion.
Specification