Design of Unimorph Type 3DOF Ultrasonic Motor

Vytautas Jūrėnas,Dalius Mažeika,Gražvydas Kazokaitis

doi:10.3390/app10165605

Vytautas Jūrėnas, Dalius Mažeika + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165605

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Abstract

A new design of 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) piezoelectric ultrasonic motor (USM) is introduced in this paper. The concept of this design is to incorporate a spherical rotor between two piezoelectric transducers. Each transducer is coupled with a flange, and it operates like a unimorph structure. Such a design of the transducer allows to increase the amplitude of the vibrations and to generate the higher torque and driving force used to achieve 3DOF rotary motion of the spherical rotor. The proposed USM may be used for humanoid robots, optomechanical systems, or small satellites. This USM consists of several components, is lightweight and reliable. Numerical analysis and experimental studies were performed to validate the feasibility of this drive, to find out proper resonant frequencies for the unimorph, and optimize the shape of the flange. Experimental studies were accomplished to validate the results of the numerical analysis and to validate the operating principles of the piezoelectric motor.

Highlights

Nowadays, piezoelectric devices are very common in a wide range commercial and industrial areas
Each transducer is coupled with a flange, and it operates like a unimorph structure
Such a design of the transducer allows to increase the amplitude of the vibrations and to generate the higher torque and driving force used to achieve 3DOF rotary motion of the spherical rotor

Summary

Introduction

Piezoelectric devices are very common in a wide range commercial and industrial areas. Because of the small size and mass, the inertia force of the device is low, and the response time is short. These features of the piezoelectric actuator allow to achieve good performance and power/volume ratio. Piezoelectric actuators are able to reach extremely high precision with micro- or even nano-resolution and are driven at high-frequency modes that can generate unlimited linear or rotary motion. These features allow to integrate them into a wide variety of applications

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