V-mode piezomotor using flexural bending mode

Abstract

The earlier "butterfly" type piezomotor (5 x 5 x 6 mm(3) size) developed by authors had a driving force up to 0.5 N. Two identical resonators with a bending-type vibration were joined to one "shaking beam" system for generating an elliptical trajectory of the actuator's contact point. The researchers at Korean Institute of Science and Technology have improved the contacting elements of the motor and increased the driving force up to 3 N. In the present work, research on increasing the driving force of the motor was continued. The research proceeded in three directions: optimization of the actuator's eigenmode, optimization of the contacting layer (actuator-driving element) and a determination of the best fixing points of the actuator to the motor's base. To estimate the characteristics of the current piezomotor, a three-dimensional numerical FEM analysis using ANSYS, was performed. The validity of analysis was confirmed by comparing the experimental results with the numerical ones. As a result of the research, a flat piezoelectrical linear motor with a driving force up to 20 N was fabricated. The mechanical characteristics of the proposed piezomotor are presented in this paper.