Tdk Corporation

Amer R Rathore

Teruo Mori

Kiyoshi Uchida

Shigeo Okamoto

Hiroshi Eda

Yoshio Yamamoto

To provide a multi-purpose type magnetostrictive device that may be used as an acceleration sensor or a vibration sensor capable of detecting forces acting in more than one direction and which may also be employed as a torque sensor, an actuator, a motor and the like. Coils 110 to 310 of magnetostrictive bodies 10 to 30 are wound around magnetostrictive members 120 to 320 in such a manner that voltages corresponding to enlongation/contraction of the magnetostrictive members 120 to 320 are generated. The magnetostrictive members 120 to 320 are each constrained at the two ends. The magnetic circuits 130 to 330 apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetostrictive members 120 to 320. The magnetostrictive bodies 10 to 30 are positioned so that they are all aligned in the direction of the Z axis which is taken in the direction of the two ends of each of the magnetostrictive members 120 to 320 and they are also arranged in such a manner that a relationship is maintained in which, on the flat plane formed by the X axis and the Y axis running at a right angle to the direction of the Z axis, a polygonal flat plane S is constituted by connecting the points P1 to P3 at which the magnetostrictive bodies 10 to 30 are positioned, the number of sides of which corresponds to the number of bodies.

Magnetostrictive device

A micro pump which employs magnetostrictive or electrostrictive elements as solid drive elements and is capable of self-priming even though its flow rate is increased. In the pump, disk-shaped valve elements respectively having tapered protrusions on one side are used as check valves to reduce weight and made to follow the motion of liquids so as to smoothly open and close. Retainers for regulating the gap h between the valve seats and the valve elements are respectively provided with tapered recesses for guiding the protrusions of the valve elements, whereby the valves are prevented from contacting the retainers, thus undergoing less friction therewith, to ensure smooth opening and closure of the valves. Moreover, ringlike or sheetlike elastic materials are provided on the bottoms of the recesses to improve responsivity in the direction in which the valves are closed.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Amer R Rathore