Piezoelectric actuator, and apparatus and method for actuating the same
AssigneeSamsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
InventorSeung-bong Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A linear actuator using a metal beam-type piezoelectric material, and an apparatus and a method for actuating the same. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a moving member having a predetermined length and moving in a forward or a backward direction; and a piezoelectric portion contacting the moving member and moving the moving member linearly using a vibration generated when a piezoelectric element contracts or expands in response to an electrical signal.
Claims36
A piezoelectric actuator comprising:
- a moving member having a predetermined length;
- and
- a piezoelectric portion contacting the moving member, the piezoelectric portion comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of regions;
- a first electrode layer divided into the same number of regions as the piezoelectric layer, disposed on a first side the piezoelectric layer, and applying electrical signals to the regions of the piezoelectric layer;
- a second electrode layer divided into the same number of regions as the piezoelectric layer, disposed on a second side of the piezoelectric layer that is opposite the first side, and applying electrical signals to the regions of the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a metal layer transmitting the vibration of the piezoelectric layer to the moving member;
- wherein the piezoelectric layer generates a contraction vibration or an expanding vibration in response to an electrical signal to move the moving member linearly in response to the contraction vibration or the expanding vibration.
An apparatus for actuating a piezoelectric actuator, comprising:
- a piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises:
- a moving member having a predetermined length and moving in a forward or a backward direction;
- and
- a piezoelectric portion contacting the moving member, wherein the piezoelectric portion moves the moving member linearly using a vibration generated when the piezoelectric portion contracts or expands in response to an electrical signal;
- and
- an actuating unit comprising:
- a controlling unit outputting a moving direction, a moving speed, and a motion amount of the piezoelectric actuator in response to a received command;
- a switching unit changing the moving direction, forward or backward, of the piezoelectric actuator in response to a moving direction signal of the controlling unit;
- an oscillation unit generating the moving speed signal of the controlling unit as a sinusoidal wave having a predetermined amplitude;
- and
- a synthesizing unit synthesizing the switched direction signal and the sinusoidal wave to output the synthesized signal to the piezoelectric actuator and apply the sinusoidal wave to a first/fifth region and a third/seventh region of the piezoelectric element to move the piezoelectric actuator in a forward direction at the moving speed.
A method of actuating a piezoelectric actuator including a moving member having a predetermined length and moving in a forward or a backward direction, and a piezoelectric portion contacting the moving member, divided into at least eight regions, and moving the moving member linearly using a vibration generated when the piezoelectric portion contracts or expands in response to an electrical signal, the method comprising:
- receiving a signal for controlling a motion of the piezoelectric actuator to generate a sinusoidal wave having a predetermined amplitude;
- and
- applying the sinusoidal wave to arbitrary regions of the piezoelectric portion to move the piezoelectric actuator in a forward or backward direction,
- wherein, if the sinusoidal wave is applied to a first/fifth region and a third/seventh region of the piezoelectric portion, the moving member moves in a forward direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.