Integrated micromechanical piezoelectric motor
AssigneeBoston University
InventorJohannes G. Smits
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Small piezoelectric machines comprised of pairs of cantilever beams covered with a piezoelectric material are driven to perform various mechanical tasks. A robot utilizes a plurality of pairs of these piezoelectrically driven beams to move itself and grab, carry or manipulate other objects.
Claims36
A piezoelectric actuation machine for displacing rigid objects comprising:
- first and second cantilever beams extending from a frame, the beams comprising a piezoelectric material such that application of an electric potential across the material of each beam rotationally displaces the first and second beams relative to each other;
- and
- an actuating member secured between displaceable surfaces on the first and second beams and extending orthogonally from a plane through the beams such that relative displacement of the first and second beams displaces a portion of the member in a direction orthogonal to beam displacement and translates a rigid object contacting the displaced portion of the member relative to the member and the frame.
A piezoelectric machine comprising a plurality of piezoelectrically driven members that support the machine that is positioned on a support surface such that correlated movement of the members displaces the machine relative to the support surface, each piezoelectrically driven member comprising a first beam secured to the machine and having a piezoelectric material covering a surface of the first beam, and a second beam secured to the machine and having a piezoelectric material covering a surface of the second beam.
A piezoelectric micromachine comprising:
- a support frame from which a flexible semiconductor structure extends;
- a rigid object in contact with the flexible structure;
- and
- a piezoelectric material secured to the semiconductor structure such that application of an electric field across the material causes a displacement of the flexible structure to actuate movement of the object relative to the frame.
A piezoelectrically driven member comprising:
- a silicon support frame having a silicon member with one end integral with the frame and a second end displaceable relative to the frame;
- piezoelectric material secured to a surface of the silicon member such that an expansion or contraction of the material displaces the second end of the member;
- a rigid body to be contacted by the displaceable end of the member;
- and
- an electrical contact grid formed adjacent to the piezoelectric material to provide an electric potential across the material such that the application of an electric potential displaces the rigid body contacting the silicon member relative to the frame.
A piezoelectrically driven machine comprising:
- a semiconductor member having a plurality of flexible piezoelectrically driven arms that support the member relative to a support surface;
- and
- a control circuit on the semiconductor member to control the application of an electric field to each of the piezoelectrically driven arms to produce correlated movement of the arms such that the semiconductor member is displaced relative to the support surface by the arms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.