US 5,148,833 A · High-speed flow control valve

Abstract

A first conversion means amplifies the directly operated displacement of a laminated piezoelectric actuator and converts it to a rotary displacement. A second conversion means reversely converts this rotary displacement to a directly operated displacement for the purpose of driving a valve spool. The directly operated displacement of the piezoelectric actuator can be converted to a rotary displacement by placing the piezoelectric actuator in contact with a cam disposed on a first rotatable shaft so that a rotary tangential line force will act at a position deviated a fixed amount from the center of the first shaft. The displacement amount of the piezoelectric actuator is amplified by the combination of a gear disposed on the first shaft and a pinion disposed on a second shaft, with the second shaft being parallel to the first shaft. The second conversion means, which converts the rotation of the second shaft to the linear displacement of valve spool, can be a rack and pinion mechanism. The first conversion means can be a plate having a ball nut which is directly displaced by the piezoelectric actuator, with the ball nut rotating a ball screw shaft. The second conversion means can be a rotary cam on the shaft and a cam follower connected to the valve spool.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A high-speed flow control valve, comprising:

a laminated piezoelectric actuator which is a driving source;
first conversion means for converting a linear displacement of said laminated piezoelectric actuator to a rotary displacement;
second conversion means for returning said rotary displacement to a linear displacement;
and
a valve spool which operates in linkage with said second conversion means;
wherein said first conversion means includes a first rotatable shaft on which a gear lever is mounted, a second rotatable shaft on which a first pinion that engages with said gear lever is mounted, and a cam for receiving the linear displacement of said laminated piezoelectric actuator as a rotary tangential line force at a position deviated from the center of said first rotatable shaft, said cam being disposed on the first rotatable shaft.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High-speed flow control valve

Life of this patent

High-speed flow control valve

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20