The present invention relates to an inertia drive motor and a method for controlling the inertia drive motor. In particular, the invention relates to an inertia drive motor which is configured to drive an element to be driven by stick-slip effect.
Such inertia drive motors are known from the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,033 B2 discloses a stick-slip piezo motor comprising two piezo elements, which are connected to a common holding element. Each piezo element is provided with a friction element at its end. Accordingly, each piezo element is configured to displace its corresponding friction element upon excitation with an excitation voltage signal.
EP 3 089 348 B1 discloses a piezoelectric motor comprising two piezoelectric actuators which are coupled by two elastic elements. The elastic elements are displaced upon excitation of the piezoelectric actuators with the same excitation voltage signal. In order to achieve the desired stick-slip drive of an element to be driven, the piezoelectric actuators differ in their polarization direction, so as to expand and contract oppositely to each other. It is deemed disadvantageous that different piezoelectric actuators are required, as this increases production complexity and costs.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inertia drive motor, which requires a smaller number of different parts, thereby reducing production complexity and costs.
This object is solved by an inertia drive motor comprising: an element to be driven, and a stator, the stator comprising: an elastic frame, at least one friction element arranged on the elastic frame and configured to be brought into frictional contact with the element to be driven, and a first electromechanical and preferably piezoelectric actuator and a second electromechanical and preferably piezoelectric actuator, which are configured to cause, by interaction, a deformation of the elastic frame, upon excitation with different excitation voltages having a sawtooth signal, so as to displace the at least one friction element for driving the element to be driven by stick-slip contact with said friction element. According to this configuration, identical electromechanical actuators can be used in the inertia drive motor.
Advantageous further developments are the subject matters of the dependent claims.
It may be useful when the excitation voltage signal of the first electromechanical actuator is a first excitation voltage signal and the excitation voltage signal of the second electromechanical actuator is a second excitation voltage signal, and the first excitation voltage signal and the second excitation voltage signal are mirrored to each other.
It may be advantageous when a decrease of the second excitation voltage signal between its maximum voltage level and its minimum voltage level is the negative gradient of an increase of the first excitation voltage signal between its minimum voltage level and its maximum voltage level and/or wherein a decrease of the first excitation voltage signal between its maximum voltage level and its minimum voltage level is the negative gradient of an increase of the second excitation voltage signal between its minimum voltage level and its maximum voltage level.
It may prove to be convenient when the first excitation voltage signal has its maximum voltage level at a time at which the second excitation voltage signal has its minimum voltage level and/or wherein the first excitation voltage signal has its minimum voltage level at a time at which the second excitation voltage signal has its maximum voltage level. With such excitation voltage signals, the contraction and expansion of both electromechanical actuators can be coordinated most efficiently so as to optimize the driving movement imparted to the element to be driven.
It may also be useful when the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator are identical to each other in terms of structure and/or polarization and/or orientation. This feature minimizes production efforts and costs, respectively.
It may be of advantage when the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator are configured to expand and contract along parallel vibration paths, which are perpendicular to the moving direction of the element to be driven. With such configuration, the expansion and contraction of the actuators can easily be converted into a reciprocating cyclic deformation of the elastic frame for driving the element to be driven.
It may be prove to be convenient when the at least one friction element is provided on a portion of the elastic frame, which is configured to incline with respect to the moving direction of the element to be driven upon excitation of the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator. The inclining portion of the elastic frame may serve as a rocker element driven by the expansion and contraction of the actuators for imparting the drive movement of the element to be driven by the rocking movement of the friction element.
It may be useful when a side of the elastic frame facing the element to be driven corresponds to a first side of the elastic frame and an opposite side of the elastic frame facing away from the element to be driven corresponds to a second side of the elastic frame, wherein two friction elements are arranged on the first side of the elastic frame, or wherein, in case another element to be driven is provided on the second side of the elastic frame, the same number of friction elements is arranged on each of the first side and the second side of the elastic frame, wherein preferably one or two friction elements are arranged on each of the first side and the second side of the elastic frame. With such configuration, two elements can be driven by one inertia drive motor.
It may be also useful when the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator are provided symmetrically with respect to a stator symmetry plane running through the at least one friction element, or passing in between two friction elements. This configuration enhances the precision of the drive movement of the element to be driven in both directions along the axis of movement.
It may be advantageous when the elastic frame comprises a first receptacle, in which the first electromechanical actuator is accommodated, and a second receptacle, in which the second electromechanical actuator is accommodated, wherein both receptacles preferably open to the same side of the elastic frame, wherein said same side is more preferably different from a side facing the element to be driven and different from a side facing away from the element to be driven. This design allows the actuators to be easily coupled with the elastic frame in friction fit and/or form fit manner. In order to secure the actuator in the respective receptacle, an adhesive connection also proves helpful.
It may, however, also be useful when the elastic frame comprises at least one further opening between the first receptacle and the second receptacle and/or the friction element, wherein preferably portions of the elastic frame surrounding the opening are configured as flexure hinges. Such design allows the elastic frame to effectively convert the expansion and contraction of the actuators into a drive movement of the friction element and finally the element to be driven.
It may be of advantage when the elastic frame comprises at least one and preferably a pair of set screws, which is respectively configured to adjust pretension of the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator against a portion of the elastic frame provided with the friction element. With such set screws, essential drive force parameters of the inertia drive motor can be easily adjusted.
Furthermore, it may be convenient when the at least one friction element is located between the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator along the moving direction of the element to be driven. With such configuration, the friction element may impart the highest possible drive power onto the element to be driven.
It may be useful when the inertia drive motor further comprises a control device, which is configured to generate the excitation voltage signals of the first electromechanical actuator and the second electromechanical actuator required for driving the element to be driven by stick-stick slip contact with the friction element. Due to the motor's own control unit, an external drive source is dispensable.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling the inertia drive motor according to any one of the preceding embodiments by actuating said first and second electromechanical actuators, so as to interact, upon excitation with different excitation voltages having sawtooth signals which are preferably mirrored to each other, in order to cause deformation of the elastic frame, so as to displace the at least one friction element for driving the element to be driven by stick-slip contact with said friction element. In the method according to the claimed invention, the element to be driven is actually moved along its axis of movement by stick-slip-contact with the friction element of the stator. The same effects ensue as mentioned above in contact with claim 1.
The stick-slip-effect denotes the stick-slip of bodies, which are relatively moved to each other, and is known from the prior art. In this case, the adjustment of the element to be driven along the stator by means of stick-slip-effect comprises a stick phase in which a frictional element of the stator is engaged with the element to be driven by means of static friction, and a slip phase in which the friction element moves relative to the element to be driven due to inertia effects.
The term electromechanical actuator denotes an actuator comprising or consisting of an electromechanical material that undergoes physical deformation upon application of an electrical voltage. Such electromechanical materials including especially piezoelectric and electrostrictive materials.
The interaction of the first and second electromechanical actuator upon excitation with different excitation voltages having a sawtooth signal denotes the interaction of said actuators when the first electromechanical actuator is excited by a first excitation voltage having a sawtooth signal during a certain time interval and the second electromechanical actuator is excited by a second excitation voltage having a sawtooth signal during the same time interval, wherein the second excitation voltage is different to the first excitation voltage.
A first embodiment of the inertia drive motor 1 is illustrated in
The elastic frame 4 has a plate-like shape. The receptacle 7 extends in the elastic frame 4 along its longitudinal direction and entirely penetrates the elastic frame 4 in its width direction. With respect to the height direction of the elastic frame 4, the receptacle 7 is located such that a thin portion of the elastic frame 4 is formed above the receptacle 7. The friction element 6 is arranged on an outer surface of said thin portion constituting a part of the upper side surface of the elastic frame 4 facing the element to be driven 2. In this embodiment, the friction element 6 has a half-spherical shape and is in contact with the element to be driven 2 via its spherical part, wherein the flat circular part of the friction element 6 is in contact with the elastic frame 4.
Within the receptacle 7, the first piezoelectric actuator 5a and the second piezoelectric actuator 5b are provided symmetrically with respect to a stator symmetry plane running through the friction element 6. Contact surfaces of each the first piezoelectric actuator 5a and the second piezoelectric actuator 5b, which are in contact with the elastic frame 4, are firmly bonded to the elastic frame 4, preferably by an adhesive. The first and second piezoelectric actuators 5a and 5b are identical actuators having the same polarization direction and the same shape and are accommodated in the receptacle 7 in the same orientation. Preferably the dimensions of the actuators 5a, 5b in a neutral (non-excited) state are slightly oversized compared to the dimensions of the receptacles 7, so that the actuators 5a, 5b have to be press-fit into the receptacles 7 and maintain firm contact with the elastic frame 4 defining the interior of the receptacles 7.
Excitation voltage signals, which are applied to the first piezoelectric actuator 5a and the second piezoelectric actuator 5b by a control device, are illustrated in
In this embodiment, the maximum voltage level of the first and second excitation voltage signals V1 and V2 is a positive voltage value and the minimum voltage level of the first and second excitation voltage signals V1 and V2 is a negative voltage value. It is to be noted that the excitation voltage signals V1 and V2 are not limited to sawtooth signals having a transition from a negative voltage value to a positive voltage value or the other way round. In general, the first and second piezoelectric actuator 5a and 5b can be also excited by excitation voltage signals which exclusively have positive or negative voltage values as long as the respective excitation voltage signals are mirrored to each other.
In
Deformations of the elastic frame 4 occurring during the afore-mentioned excitation of the first and second piezoelectric actuators 5a and 5b with the excitation voltage signals V1 and V2 or V3 and V4 are illustrated in
Accordingly, the tip of the friction element 6 is displaced upon inclination of the thin portion.
Alternating expansion and contraction of the first and second piezoelectric actuators 5a and 5b caused by the afore-mentioned excitation voltage signals V1 and V2 or V3 and V4 lead to movement of the element to be driven 2 due to the stick-slip effect. In particular, with respect to the excitation voltage signals V1 and V2, the slow increase of the excitation voltage signal V1 between its minimum voltage level and its maximum voltage level and the simultaneous slow decrease of the excitation voltage signal V2 between its maximum voltage level and its minimum voltage level lead to slow displacement of the tip of the friction element 6 in the moving direction of the element to be driven 2. Subsequently, the fast decrease of the excitation voltage signal V1 between its maximum voltage level and its minimum voltage level and the simultaneous fast increase of the excitation voltage signal V2 between its minimum voltage level and its maximum voltage level lead to a fast displacement of the tip of the friction element 6 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the element to be driven 2. The slow displacement of the tip of the friction element 6 in the moving direction of the element to be driven 2 constitutes a stick phase, wherein the tip of the friction element 6 sticks to a friction surface of the element to be driven 2. During said stick phase, friction force applied by the tip of the friction element 6 to the element to be driven 2 pushes the element to be driven 2 in the moving direction. The fast displacement of the tip of the friction element 6 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the element to be driven 2 constitutes a slip phase, wherein the tip of the friction element 6 slips along the friction surface of the element to be driven 2. During said slip phase, friction force applied by the tip of the friction element 6 to the element to be driven 2 is smaller than the inertia force of the element to be driven 2. Accordingly, the tip of the friction element 6 is displaced in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the element to be driven 2 without causing a movement of the element to be driven 2 in said opposite direction. Multiple repetitions of said slow and fast displacements of the tip of the friction element 6 lead to continuous movement of the element to be driven 2. An analogous drive concept is achieved by excitation of the first and second piezoelectric actuator 5a and 5b with the excitation voltage signals V3 and V4. However, as mentioned above, with this actuation, the element to be driven 2 moves in a rearward direction.
A second embodiment of the inertia drive motor 1 is shown in
The inertia drive motor 1 according to the second embodiment comprises an elastic frame 4 having two receptacles 7. The first piezoelectric actuator 5a is accommodated in one receptacle 7 and the second piezoelectric actuator 5b is accommodated in the other receptacle 7. The receptacles 7 are not closed along their circumferences. Accordingly, a gap is formed on each end of the elastic frame 4 between the respective thin portion, on which a friction element 6 is arranged, and the lower portion of the elastic frame 4. In this embodiment, a set screw 9 is provided at each end of the elastic frame 4 so as to adjust the size of the respective gap, thereby pressing the thin portion of the elastic frame 4 against the respective piezoelectric actuator 5a, 5b.
Furthermore, an opening 8 of the elastic frame 4 is provided between the receptacles 7 in the longitudinal direction of the elastic frame 4. The portions of the elastic frame 4, which are located between the receptacles 7 and the opening 8 are configured as flexure hinges. In addition, two friction elements 6 having a triangular shape are arranged on the side of the elastic frame 4 facing the element to be driven 2. In particular, the wedge-shaped friction elements 6 are arranged such that their tips are located on vertical lines passing through the portions of the elastic frame 4 constituting the flexure hinges, wherein one leg of each friction element 6 connects to the elastic frame 4, wherein two respective parallel legs/faces of both triangular and wedge-shaped friction elements 6 face each other and wherein the respective hypotenuse of the triangular and wedge-shaped friction elements 6 faces away from each other and from the elastic frame 4 towards the element to be driven 2. The first and second piezoelectric actuators 5a and 5b are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane of the stator 3 passing along a vertical center line of the elastic frame 4.
A third embodiment of the inertia drive motor is shown in
A fourth embodiment of the inertia drive motor 1 is shown in
A fifth embodiment of the inertia drive motor 1 is shown in
The inertia drive motors 1 according to the first to fifth embodiment differ in their dynamical properties. Depending on the requirements, a suitable embodiment may be chosen.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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19180082 | Jun 2019 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/066122 | 6/10/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2020/249632 | 12/17/2020 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220255467 A1 | Aug 2022 | US |