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:
Sep. 21, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 19, 1998
Kenji Uchino, State College, PA (US);
Burhanettin Koc, State College, PA (US);
The Penn State Research Foundation, University Park, PA (US);
Abstract
An improved motor employs a stator which includes a piezoelectric wafer that is poled across its thickness dimension so that a signal applied thereacross results in either an inward or outward movement of the periphery of the wafer. A pair of end caps are placed on opposed surfaces of the wafer and are adhered thereto at their respective peripheries. Each end cap includes a centrally located driving segment, a series of peripheral segments adhered to periphery of the wafer and a plurality of arms connecting the peripheral segments to the driving segment. A rotor includes a driven portion which mates with the driving segment and is driven thereby. Application of a signal across the thickness of the piezoelectric wafer results in rotary motion being imparted to the driving segment via flexure of the arms (as a result of movement of the peripheral segments of the end caps). Further embodiments provide both rotary and linear motions.