An Umbrella-Shaped Linear Piezoelectric Actuator Based on Stick-Slip Motion Principle

Jiafeng Yao,Jianping Li,Nen Wan,Yili Hu,Junjie Cai,Hao Wang,Jianming Wen

doi:10.1109/access.2019.2947449

Abstract

Piezoelectric actuators are widely utilized in many research and industrial fields, since they could achieve high positioning accuracy based on inverse piezoelectric effect. However, the working stroke of piezoelectric actuators is always limited, which restricts the further application of piezoelectric actuators. In order to solve this problem on short working stroke, this study introduces an umbrella-shaped linear piezoelectric actuator to achieve a large working stroke. Unlike traditional stick-slip actuators, the PZT stack inside the umbrella-shaped flexure mechanism is assembled vertically to the slider. The composition and motion principle are discussed, and FEM (Finite Element Method) and experiments are utilized to explore the performance of the proposed actuator. Experimental results show that the minimum stepping displacement is $0.495~\mu \text{m}$ in the case that the input voltage $U=30\text{V}$ and the frequency $f=1$ Hz; the maximum speed is $992.4~\mu \text{m}$ /s under the condition of the input frequency $f=400$ Hz and the input voltage $U=120\text{V}$ ; the maximum load is 220g in the case of the input voltage $U=120\text{V}$ and the frequency $f=1$ Hz. This study indicates that the proposed umbrella-shaped linear piezoelectric actuator is feasible and could achieve a stable large working stroke.

Highlights

With the fast development of the nano technology, nano positioning has been applied gradually in our modern advanced fields such as aviation, optical engineering, biomedical engineering, and semiconductor processing [1]–[5]
Piezoelectric actuator based on the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric material is becoming a new way which could meet the requirement of nano/micro accuracy to solve the problem
The stick-slip type actuator which mainly consists of piezoelectric element, flexure hinge mechanism and mover could achieve a large working stroke via the step motion of the mover based on the inertia and friction force; its simple structure and easy control make it being a research hot direction [17]–[23]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

With the fast development of the nano technology, nano positioning has been applied gradually in our modern advanced fields such as aviation, optical engineering, biomedical engineering, and semiconductor processing [1]–[5]. J. Yao et al.: Umbrella-Shaped Linear Piezoelectric Actuator Based on Stick-Slip Motion Principle in every motion cycle is minor, every step is accumulated to achieve a large working stroke [11], [12]. The stick-slip type actuator which mainly consists of piezoelectric element, flexure hinge mechanism and mover could achieve a large working stroke via the step motion of the mover based on the inertia and friction force; its simple structure and easy control make it being a research hot direction [17]–[23]. Some researchers have investigated utilization of flexure mechanisms to achieve stick-slip motion, which makes it possible to assemble the PZT stacks vertically to the slider (high stiffness direction). Based on the stick-slip principle and the umbrella-shaped flexure mechanism, a linear piezoelectric actuator which could achieve large working stroke is obtained.

RESULTS

PERFORMANCES

CONCLUSION