Piezoelectric vibrating apparatus

• US 6,392,329 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Face International Corp.
• Original Assignee: Face International Corp.
• Inventors: Rogers, Glenn F. Jr., Bryant, Timothy D., Face, Samuel A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDLEY, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US09/417,150
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/330, 310/331, 310/332
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 1/04 subjecting the grinding or polishing tools, the abrading or polishing medium or work to vibration, e.g. grinding with ultrasonic frequency polishing or abrading surfaces on work by means of tumbling apparatus B24B31/00, involving oscillating or vibrating containers B24B31/06; superfinishing surfaces on work, e.g. by means of abrading blocks reciprocating with high frequency, B24B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/04 with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/18 for grinding floorings, walls, ceilings or the like machines or devices for cleaning floorings A47L11/00, A47L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2048 having non-planar shape

Abstract

A piezoelectrically actuated vibratory motor comprises actuators that are mounted “vertically” with their edges attached to top and bottom mounting members. An oscillating voltage applied to the actuators causes them to contract and expand to move the attached mounting members in a direction essentially parallel to the faces of the actuators. The force transmitted to the mounting members at the edges of actuators is greater than the typical force taken at the center of a face of the actuator.

Claims

1. A vibratory motor, comprising:

a first mounting member having a first attachment point;

a second mounting member having a second attachment point;

a first piezoelectric actuator comprising an electroactive ceramic layer bonded to a substrate;

said first piezoelectric actuator having an arcuate shape such that first and second arced edges of said first actuator are disposed on nonadjacent sides of said arcuate shape and such that first and second ends of said first actuator are disposed on nonadjacent sides of said arcuate shape;

said first end of said first actuator being attached to said first mounting member at said first attachment point;

said second end of said first actuator being attached to said second mounting member at said second attachment point;

a variable magnitude of curvature of said arcuate shape being characterized by a distance between said first and second ends of said first actuator at said first and second attachment points along a plane intersecting said first and second attachment points;

electrical energizing means for applying a voltage across said electroactive ceramic layer;

said distance between said first and second ends of said first actuator being increasable by application of a first voltage of a first polarity across said electroactive ceramic layer, whereby said magnitude of curvature of said first actuator decreases when said distance between said first and second ends of said first actuator increases;

said distance between said first and second ends of said first actuator being decreasable by application of a second voltage of a second opposite polarity across said electroactive ceramic layer, whereby said magnitude of curvature of said first actuator increases when said distance between said first and second ends of said first actuator decreases;

and whereby said application of said first or second voltage across said electroactive ceramic layer causes said first and second mounting members to move with respect to each other parallel to said plane.

2. The vibrating motor of claim 1,

wherein said first mounting member comprises a first polygonal solid having a first thickness and a first cross section perpendicular to said first thickness;

wherein said second mounting member comprises a second polygonal solid having a second thickness and a second cross section perpendicular to said second thickness;

and wherein said first cross-section is of substantially the same shape as said second cross section.

3. The vibrating motor of claim 2, further comprising:

a second piezoelectric actuator comprising an electroactive ceramic layer bonded to a substrate;

said second piezoelectric actuator having an arcuate shape such that first and second arced edges of said actuator are disposed on nonadjacent sides of said arcuate shape and such that first and second ends of said actuator are disposed on nonadjacent sides of said arcuate shape;

said first end of said second actuator being attached to said first mounting member at a third attachment point;

said second end of said second actuator being attached to said second mounting member at a fourth attachment point.

4. The vibrating motor of claim 3,

wherein said first attachment point and said third attachment point are disposed on a first side of said first polygonal solid;

wherein said second attachment point and said fourth attachment point are disposed on a first side of said second polygonal solid.

5. The vibrating motor of claim 3,

wherein said first attachment point is disposed on a first side of said first polygonal solid;

wherein said third attachment point is disposed on a second side of said first polygonal solid;

wherein said second attachment point is disposed on a first side of said second polygonal solid;

wherein said fourth attachment point is disposed on a second side of said second polygonal solid;

wherein said first piezoelectric actuator is attached to said first mounting member on said first side of said first polygonal solid;

wherein said first piezoelectric actuator is attached to said second mounting member on said first side of said second polygonal solid;

wherein said second piezoelectric actuator is attached to said first mounting member on said second side of said first polygonal solid;

and wherein said second piezoelectric actuator is attached to said second mounting member on said second side of said second polygonal solid.

6. The vibrating motor of claim 5,

wherein said first side and said second side of said first polygonal solid are adjacent each other;

and wherein said first side and said second side of said second polygonal solid are adjacent each other.

7. The vibrating motor of claim 5,

wherein said first side and said second side of said first polygonal solid are non-adjacent;

and wherein said first side and said second side of said second polygonal solid are non-adjacent.

8. The vibrating motor of claim 6,

wherein said cross section of said first or second polygonal solid has four sides.

9. The vibrating motor of claim 8,

wherein a piezoelectric actuator is attached to said first mounting member and said second mounting member on each of said four sides of said first or second polygonal solid.

10. The vibrating motor of claim 3,

wherein said first mounting member further comprises a mounting surface at said first attachment point, said mounting surface forming a first angle with said plane;

wherein said first end of said first piezoelectric actuator has a first face, said first face forming a second angle with said plane;

and wherein said first angle is equal to said second angle.

11. The vibrating motor of claim 10,

wherein said mounting surface comprises a beveled side of said first or second polygonal solid.

12. The vibrating motor of claim 10,

wherein said first mounting member further comprises a recess in said first polygonal solid;

and wherein said mounting surface comprises at least one spacer member rotatably mounted within said recess to engage said first end of said first piezoelectric actuator.