The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1988
Filed:
Jan. 22, 1987
Charles W Staufenberg, Jr, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Robert J Hubbell, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Micro Pulse Systems, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Abstract
An electromechanical translation apparatus comprising a driven member which is adapted to be incrementally moved in a selected direction, and a piezoelectric multiaxis micropositioner adapted to produce incremental movement of the driven member in the selected direction wherein the micropositioner includes a mounting means, at least one piezoelectric driver assembly having a housing, an engaging member formed of a hard material having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end at the other end wherein the engaging member's one end is positioned to selectively engage and translate said driven member in response to a driving force, and at least three piezoelectric driver elements positioned between the driven end of the engaging member and the housing wherein the piezoelectric driver elements are positioned in a spaced, angular relationship to the others and wherein each piezoelectric driver element is capable of separately responding to an electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimension to apply a driving force on the engaging member which imparts an incremental movement to the driven member in the selected direction is shown. The use of an electromechanical translation apparatus as a piezoelectric multiaxis micropositioner for incrementally rotating a sphere having an optical element affixed thereto for use in an optical path is also shown.