Physik Instŕumente (pi) Gmbh & Co. Kg

Newport Corporation

Micronix USA

Physik Instrumente Gmbh & Co. Kg

William Culpi

John M Rickman

William E Bryant

Jérôme Kneipp

Thomas Rigney

Manfred Schneider

Karl R Honigmann

Aziz A Mahmoud

The present disclosure relates to a piezoelectric stick-slip-motor and control method. An exemplary method to enable speed variation of the piezoelectric stick-slip-motor with a reduced noise generation, includes: applying a cyclic sawtooth-waveform drive voltage signal with a constant frequency in which the drive voltage (V) increases to and decreases from a peak voltage (Vp) for operating the motor with a constant speed; and changing the motor speed by gradually increasing or decreasing the gradient (dV/dt) of increasing the drive voltage (V) to the peak voltage (Vp) with each subsequent sawtooth-waveform drive voltage signal cycle (C) while keeping the frequency of the drive voltage signal constant.

Piezoelectric stick-slip-motor and method of controlling same

A motion control system and method for controlling a stick-slip piezo motor includes an electronic controller and an analog driver for moving a mechanical device. When operating in a digital circuit mode, an electronic controller controls a digital-to-analog converter for moving the stick-slip piezo motor at a low speed. When operating in a faster analog circuit mode, the electronic controller, via an analog driver, operates to control an analog hardware circuit to move the stick-slip piezo motor at a high speed. The electronic controller operates in the digital circuit mode at start-up of the piezo motor.

Dual mode motion control system and method for piezo motor

A piezo-electric motorincludes an actuation portion including an actuation surfaceand a piezo stackthat is operable in response to the application of a voltage to move the actuation surface along an actuation axisbetween a retracted position and an extended position. A spring strappartially surrounds the actuation portion and is operable to bias the actuation surface toward the retracted position and a movable portionis frictionally engaged with the actuation surface. The voltage is selected such that the movable portion sticks to the actuation surface as the actuation surface moves toward one of the retracted position and the extended position and slips on the actuation surface as the actuation surface moves toward the other of the retracted position and the extended position.

Piezo-electric motor with piezo stack and spring strap

A motion control system that includes a base, a stage supported by the base and movable with respect to the base, and a motor coupled to the base and operable to move the stage. The motor includes a mounting base arranged to connect the motor to the base, a friction pad engageable with the stage, and a coupling portion including a first end connected to the mounting base and a second end. The friction pad is connected to the coupling portion between the first end and the second end. A piezoelectric element is disposed between the mounting base and the second end and is operable in response to an electrical signal to move the friction pad and the stage. A mounting screw is accessible from an exterior of the base and engages the coupling portion. The mounting screw is the sole attachment mechanism between the motor and the base.

Compact versatile stick-slip piezoelectric motor

A stick-slip piezo motor. A piezo housing holds at least two piezo elements. The piezo elements are both rigidly connected to the piezo housing. At the end of each of the piezo elements is a piezo friction element. Each of the piezo friction elements is in friction contact with a moving friction element. While oscillating between a stick phase and a slip phase, both of the friction elements operate in conjunction to move the moving friction element in a desired travel direction. The piezo elements oscillate out of phase such that when one of the oscillating piezo elements is operating in the slip phase and moving in a direction opposite to the desired travel direction, the other oscillation piezo element is operating in the stick phase and is moving in the travel direction in order to counteract and overcome unwanted dragging of the moving piezo element.

Multi-element, stick-slip piezo motor

Systems and methods are disclosed for displaying a strip chart on an electronic display. A furthest extremum value of the measured quantity is recorded over a period of time and a plurality of values of the measured quantity are displayed on the strip chart. The furthest extremum value is used to automatically rescale the strip chart, providing for at least one bound of the zoomed range. In response to receiving a selection of a zoom factor defining a degree of magnification of the strip chart, the strip chart is automatically scaled to a degree of magnification commensurate with the zoom factor and the strip chart may be automatically scaled such that the strip chart is bounded on one side by one of a furthest extremum maximum or minimum value and the other one of the furthest extremum maximum or minimum value is not displayed on the strip chart.

Auto-scaling strip chart

A self-centering zoom system includes a display device to indicate a measured quantity, and first and second bar graphs displayed on the display device. The first bar graph displays both a current value and a peak value of the measured quantity. The second bar graph displays an automatically zoomed range generally centered about one of the peak value, the current value, and a point lying between the peak and current values of the measured quantity.

Self-centering zoom bar graph

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a linear actuator in which the play and backlash in the linear motion of a stepper motor is reduced through the use of a torsion spring coupled to the stepper motor splined shaft. Also, embodiments of the invention include a controller designed for holding in the hand or mounting to a table with a bi-directional self-zeroing control knob which controls actuator speed and displacement. A flash memory unit may be included in some embodiments in order to save position information and other information about the linear actuator when power to the linear actuator is stopped.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, CA, United States of America

William Culpi