Solid state gimbal system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A solid state gimbal system comprising:
- (a) a gimbal housing including a hemispherical cap and an annular cap, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap forming a spherically shaped cavity when attached, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap having at least two channels disposed along the interiors thereof;
(b) a rotatable sphere having a radius less than said spherically shaped cavity; and
(c) at least two shear mode curvilinear actuators, each said shear mode curvilinear actuator including a piezoelectric layer disposed between two electrodes, one said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed within each said channel, said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed between and compressed by said gimbal housing and said rotatable sphere, said shear mode curvilinear actuators rotating said rotatable sphere with respect to said gimbal housing when at least one said shear mode curvilinear actuator is electrically activated.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-mechanical gimbal system is presented. The gimbal system includes a gimbal housing, including hemispherical and annular caps, rotatable sphere, and at least two curvilinear actuators. The hemispherical cap is attached to the annular cap in a removable fashion so as to surround the rotatable sphere. The curvilinear actuators are disposed between the rotatable sphere and gimbal housing. Curvilinear actuators rotate the rotatable sphere, via shear induced motion, with respect to the interior surface of the gimbal housing. The present invention has immediate applicability within security devices, games, toys, weapons (including guidance systems and aiming), and communication systems.
236 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A solid state gimbal system comprising:
-
(a) a gimbal housing including a hemispherical cap and an annular cap, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap forming a spherically shaped cavity when attached, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap having at least two channels disposed along the interiors thereof; (b) a rotatable sphere having a radius less than said spherically shaped cavity; and (c) at least two shear mode curvilinear actuators, each said shear mode curvilinear actuator including a piezoelectric layer disposed between two electrodes, one said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed within each said channel, said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed between and compressed by said gimbal housing and said rotatable sphere, said shear mode curvilinear actuators rotating said rotatable sphere with respect to said gimbal housing when at least one said shear mode curvilinear actuator is electrically activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A solid state gimbal system comprising:
-
(a) a gimbal housing including a hemispherical cap and an annular cap, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap forming a spherically shaped cavity when attached, said hemispherical cap and said annular cap having at least two channels disposed along the interiors thereof; (b) a rotatable sphere having a radius less than said spherically shaped cavity; and (c) at least two shear mode curvilinear actuators, each said shear mode curvilinear actuator including a piezoelectric layer disposed between two electrodes, one said electrode having a plurality of protrusions, said one said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed within each said channel, said shear mode curvilinear actuator disposed between and compressed by said gimbal housing and said rotatable sphere so that said protrusions contact said rotatable sphere, said shear mode curvilinear actuators rotating said rotatable sphere with respect to said gimbal housing when at least one said shear mode curvilinear actuator is electrically activated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification