Multi Drive-Mode Actuators
AssigneeAcuvi AB
InventorAndreas DANELL
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Abstract
An electromechanical actuator comprises a volume comprising electromechanically active material, a set of electrodes and a single drive pad. The single drive pad protrudes in a direction parallel to the third axis. The volume of electromechanically active material has a first and second part volume situated at a first longitudinal side, along the first axis, and a third and fourth part volume are situated at a second opposite longitudinal side. The first and third part volumes are situated at a first transverse side and the second and fourth part volumes are situated oppositely. The set of electrodes is provided for allowing excitation of the part volumes independently of each other. A motor comprising such an actuator is also disclosed as well as methods for driving the actuator and motor.
Claims21
-50. (canceled)
An electromechanical actuator, comprising:
- a volume comprising electromechanically active material;
- said volume comprising electromechanically active material having a general rectangular cuboid shape with a first, main, axis that is longer than a second and third axis, mutually perpendicular and both perpendicular to said first axis;
- a set of electrodes arranged for exciting said volume of electromechanically active material by means of electrical signals;
- and
- a single drive pad protruding from said volume of electromechanically active material in a direction parallel to said third axis;
- wherein said volume of electromechanically active material has a first and second part volume situated at a first longitudinal side, along said first axis, with respect to said single drive pad and a third and fourth part volume situated at a second longitudinal side, opposite to said first longitudinal side, along said first axis, with respect to said single drive pad;
- wherein said first and third part volumes being situated at a first transverse side, along said second axis, with respect to said single drive pad and said second and fourth part volumes being situated at a second transverse side, opposite to said first transverse side, along said second axis, with respect to said single drive pad;
- said set of electrodes being provided for allowing excitation of said first, second, third and fourth part volumes independently of each other.
A method for driving an electromechanical actuator, comprising:
- exciting a volume of electromechanically active material by providing electrical signals to a set of electrodes provided thereto;
- said volume of electromechanically active material having a general rectangular cuboid shape with a first, main, axis that is longer than a second and third axis, mutually perpendicular and both perpendicular to said first axis;
- wherein a single drive pad is provided, protruding from said volume of electromechanically active material in a direction parallel to said third axis;
- wherein said step of exciting a volume of electromechanically active material comprises exciting of a first, a second, a third and a fourth part volume of said volume of electromechanically active material independently of each other;
- wherein said first and second part volumes are situated at a first longitudinal side, along said first axis, with respect to said single drive pad and said third and fourth part volume are situated at a second longitudinal side, opposite to said first longitudinal side, along said first axis, with respect to said single drive pad;
- wherein said first and third part volumes are situated at a first transverse side, along said second axis, with respect to said single drive pad and said second and fourth part volumes are situated at a second transverse side, opposite to said first transverse side, along said second axis, with respect to said single drive pad.
The method according to 62, wherein said first vibration mode is achieved by exciting said first, second, third and fourth part volumes with signals having the same frequency;
- wherein said first and third part volumes are excited in-phase with each other;
- wherein said second and fourth part volumes are excited in-phase with each other;
- and wherein said first and second part volumes are excited out-of-phase relative each other.
The method according to 64, wherein said second vibration mode is achieved by exciting said first, second, third and fourth part volumes with signals having the same frequency;
- wherein said first and second part volumes are excited in-phase with each other;
- wherein said third and fourth part volumes are excited in-phase with each other;
- and wherein said first and third part volumes are excited out-of-phase relative each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.