New Class Of Piezoelectric Bending Actuators With Ultra-high Energy Density
- Technology Benefits
- Increased actuation energy density for a fixed volume of piezoelectric material Improved performance, durability and reliabilityCan be driven at very high fields without depoling
- Technology Application
- The application that motivated the development of this new class of bending actuators was micro-mechanical robots that fly by emulating insect locomotion. However, the enabling concepts of these actuators can be beneficially applied to small or large bending actuators in numerous existing applications as well as potential new applications -- such as:Shape control for fixed or rotating foils;Active damping for vibration control;Device excitation for angular rate sensors;Precision positioning systems for force microscopy;Actuation for micro-pumps;Drivers and sensors for haptics interfaces;Servo replacement for autonomous or remote controlled milli-systems;High speed drive mechanisms for flapping or oscillating systems, such as miniature robots that swim or crawl (or fly);
- Detailed Technology Description
- None
- Supplementary Information
- Patent Number: US7368860B2
Application Number: US200556974A
Inventor: Wood, Robert J. | Fearing, Ronald S. | Hickerson, Jacoby L.
Priority Date: 11 Feb 2005
Priority Number: US7368860B2
Application Date: 11 Feb 2005
Publication Date: 6 May 2008
IPC Current: H01L004104 | H01L004108
US Class: 310367 | 310330 | 310331 | 310332
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: High performance piezoelectric actuator
Usefulness: High performance piezoelectric actuator
Summary: For inkjet printer, robotic flying insect, optical switch and micropump.
Novelty: Piezoelectric actuator for inkjet printer, has width-tapered piezoelectric layer to which electric field is selectively applied by drive system
- Industry
- Agriculture
- Sub Category
- Pest/Insect
- Application No.
- 7368860
- Others
-
Related Technologies
Tech ID/UC Case
17415/2004-108-0
Related Cases
2004-108-0
- *Abstract
-
Piezoelectric bending actuators have the potential to be used as the muscles in a variety of autonomous, micro-mechanical robotics devices under development. While commercially available bending actuators have the requisite high levels of mechanical energy for these miniature robotics applications, the mass of these existing actuators are too high -- by orders of magnitude.
To address this problem, researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a new class of piezoelectric bending actuators with ultra-high energy densities. These new actuators have been optimized for low-mass applications using sophisticated math models, and their benefits are based a variety of innovative design features and fabrication methods. The actuators can be tailored for most kinematic and dynamic requirements.
Whereas commercial piezoelectric bending actuators have energy densities that range from 0.15 to 0.007 Jkg(-1), and masses that range from 340 to 120,00 mg, a bimorph version of this new class of actuators exhibited an energy density of 2.5 Jkg(-1) with a mass of just 11 mg.
- *IP Issue Date
- May 6, 2008
- *Principal Investigator
-
Name: Ronald Fearing
Department:
Name: Jacoby Hickerson
Department:
Name: Robert Wood
Department:
- Country/Region
- USA
