Piezo ceramic operated mechanism
AssigneePBT (IP) Limited
InventorSimon Powell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An over-center clamping mechanism is disclosed having a pivot guide to guide the pivot of one of the link arm members of the mechanism which comprises a piezoelectric actuator. The actuator is arranged to withdraw the pivot guide from the plane of the action of the mechanism, thereby allowing the guided pivot free movement of the plane of action which has the effect of collapsing the mechanism when is a clamped state.
Claims19
An over-center clamping mechanism comprising an actuating lever member arranged to rotate about a fixed pivot, a link arm member rotatably attached to said actuating lever member by a first moveable pivot, and an actuable pivot guide means arranged to constrain the movement of a second moveable pivot provided on said link arm member within a plane of action, wherein said actuable pivot guide means is electrically actuable to collapse the clamping mechanism when said clamping mechanism is set;
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- wherein said actuable pivot guide means comprises a linear piezo-ceramic bender actuator arranged to bend in a direction transverse to the plane of action to release said second moveable pivot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.