Double bimorph electromechanical element

Patent 6437485 Issued on August 20, 2002. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 20, 2020. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Piezoelectric multimorph switches
Patent #: 4093883
Issued on: 06/06/1978
Inventor: Yamamoto

Camera with electronic flash and piezoelectric lens motor
Patent #: 4291958
Issued on: 09/29/1981
Inventor: Frank , et al.

Rotary magnetic head apparatus
Patent #: 4295172
Issued on: 10/13/1981
Inventor: Fukada , et al.

Rotative motor using a piezoelectric element
Patent #: 4339682
Issued on: 07/13/1982
Inventor: Toda , et al.

Integrated micromechanical piezoelectric motor
Patent #: 5049775
Issued on: 09/17/1991
Inventor: Smits

Displacement generating apparatus
Patent #: 5089740
Issued on: 02/18/1992
Inventor: Ono

Automatic focus control apparatus for a video camera
Patent #: 5101278
Issued on: 03/31/1992
Inventor: Itsumi, et al.

Two-axis motion apparatus utilizing piezoelectric material Patent #: 5170089
Issued on: 12/08/1992
Inventor: Fulton

Inventor

Johansson, Stefan

Assignee

Piezomotor Uppsala AB

Application

No. 739906 filed on 12/20/2000

US Classes:

310/332, Multimorph310/328With mechanical energy coupling means

Examiners

Primary: Budd, Mike

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Young & Thompson

Foreign Patent References

0143682 DE 09/19/1980
0993055 EP. 04/19/2013
660718 FR 03/19/1965
0177979 JP 10/19/1984
61177178 JP. 08/19/1986
2142365 JP. 05/19/1990
404058769 JP 02/19/1992
510153 SE. 04/19/1999

International Class

H01L 041/08

Abstract

The present invention discloses motors using electromechanical, preferably piezoelectric, elements (30). The element (30) comprises at least two movable parts or displacement portions (32A, 32B) interconnected by a passive part (31). Each displacement section (32A, 32B) comprises at least one bimorph (33A, 33B), where the active volumes extend in parallel out from the passive part (31), and so are the electrodes (12) arranged between the electromechanical layers. The displacement portions (32A, 32B) are positioned in substantially the same plane and parallel to the body (20) to be moved. Contact portions are arranged at the central passive part (31) and at the displacement portions (32A, 32B). In one embodiment, the central contact portion is an actuating surface (34C) and the other are attaching portions (36A, 36B) for attachment to a stator (24). In another embodiment, the central contact portion is an attaching portion and the other are actuating surfaces. The actuating surfaces (34C) are in both cases movable relative to the attaching portions (36A, 36B) in two dimensions.