Claims
- 1. An actuator comprising:
a shaft for delivering mechanical power to a load; a first active element adapted to be driven by an oscillating signal; and a first mechanical diode operatively connected to the shaft and the first active element.
- 2. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first active element is a smart material.
- 3. The actuator of claim 2 wherein the smart material is selected from the set comprising PZT, piezoelectrics, magnetostrictives, shape memory alloys, electroactive polymers, and electromagnets.
- 4. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first mechanical diode is a linear mechanical diode.
- 5. The actuator of claim 4 wherein the linear mechanical is bi-directional.
- 6. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first mechanical diode is a rotary mechanical diode.
- 7. The actuator of claim 6 wherein the first mechanical diode is a roller clutch.
- 8. The actuator of claim 6 wherein the rotary mechanical diode is bi-directional.
- 9. The actuator of claim 1 further comprising a second mechanical diode operatively connected to the shaft and the first active element.
- 10. The actuator of claim 8 wherein the first mechanical diode is adapted for permitting relative motion of the shaft in a first direction and the second mechanical diode is adapted for preventing motion in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction.
- 11. The actuator of claim 1 further comprising a second mechanical diode operatively connected to the shaft and the first active element; a second active element operatively connected to the second mechanical diode and adapted to be driven by an oscillating signal; and a third mechanical diode operatively connected to the shaft and the second active element.
- 12. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first active element is a bimorph beam.
- 13. The actuator of claim 12 wherein the first mechanical diode is a roller clutch.
- 14. The actuator of claim 12 further comprising a mass operatively connected to the dimorph beam.
- 15. The actuator of claim 1 further comprising an electrical circuit electrically connected to the first active element for providing the oscillating signal to the first active element.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending provisional application U.S. Serial No. 60/213,751 filed Jun. 23, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference.
GRANT REFERENCE
[0002] Work for this invention was funded in part by a grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), ARPA Orde No. E782/00. Work for this invention was further funded in part by a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), DARPA Grant No. MDA972-97-3-0016. The government may have certain rights in this invention.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60213751 |
Jun 2000 |
US |