Abstract: Piezoelectric motor that provides high speed and bi-directional operation. A first rotor is disposed about a first shaft, and a second rotor separate from the first rotor is disposed about the first shaft and a second shaft. Each of the rotors and shafts are centered on a common axis. An annular shaped first piezoelement is centered on the axis and fixed to the housing. First and second annular piezoelements are disposed within the first rotor, configured to motivate rotation of the second shaft in a first rotation direction when stimulated with a first exciter voltage. The third and fourth piezoelement are disposed within the second rotor, configured to motivate rotation of the second shaft in a second direction (opposed from the first direction) when stimulated with an exciter voltage.

Abstract: A piezoelectric generator includes a piezoelectric ring having upper and lower plane surfaces and a first quality factor (Q-factor), a sound-wave conducting gasket acoustically coupled to the upper plane surface, a metal resonator ring positioned acoustically coupled to the conducting gasket, the metal resonator ring having a second Q-factor substantially greater than the first Q-factor, and at least one bent elastic pusher extending from a periphery of the metal resonator ring. In the generator, an external diameter of the conducting gasket is less than half of an external diameter of the metal resonator ring and the piezoelectric ring, the conducting gasket, and the metal resonator ring are concentrically aligned with respect to a rotational axis.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor includes a piezoresonator body (3) having opposing front and back surfaces and opposing first and second end surfaces. The front (17) and the back (18) surfaces are substantially parallel to first (15) and second (16) longitudinal axes of the piezoresonator body. The end surfaces (2) are substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis and substantially parallel to the second longitudinal axis and are separated by a length (L) of the piezoresonator body. The motor also includes at least one common electrode (6) disposed on the back surface and at least 6n excitation electrodes (7-12) disposed across the front surface in two symmetric rows extending along L, where n is an integer ?1. In the motor, the piezoelectric body has an nth order longitudinal vibration frequency (?1) along L and a 3nth order bending vibration frequency (?2) along L, and where ?1 and ?2 are substantially equal.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a piezoresonator body (3) having opposing first and second surfaces and opposing third and fourth surfaces. The device also includes at least one common electrode (8) disposed on the second surface (15) and electrodes (4a, 4b) disposed on the first surface (14) in pairs along a first longitudinal axis. The device further includes contact elements (5) disposed on the third (16) and the fourth (17) surfaces at contact locations along the first longitudinal axis and aligned between each pair of excitation electrodes. In the device, the piezoelectric body has a first order natural resonance frequency (?1) along a second longitudinal axis and an even order natural resonance frequency (?2) along the first longitudinal axis, where a percent difference between ?1 and ?2 is greater than 0% and less than or equal to 20%.

Abstract: A pump body is provided including at least one inlet valve, at least one outlet valve, a substantially rigid top portion, a substantially rigid bottom portion, and collapsible side portions. The pump body also includes a base on or in the bottom portion and defining a rotational axis extending from the bottom portion. The pump body further includes a rotor shaft disposed along the rotational axis within the enclosure, a first end of the rotor shaft mechanically and rotatably coupled to the base, and a second end of the rotor shaft providing a cam surface for engaging the top portion and operable to cause motion of the top portion response to rotation of the rotor shaft. The pump body also includes at least one piezoelectric actuator engaging a surface of the rotor shaft, the piezoelectric actuator configured to cause the rotation of the rotor shaft.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor (100) includes a stator (2) having a stator shaft (9). The motor also includes an annular piezoelement (4) having upper and lower surfaces and inner and outer rims retained on the stator. The motor further includes an annular wave shell (6) on an outer rim of the piezoelement and a rotor coupled to the stator shaft, where the rotor has a rotor inner circumferential surface (20). The motor additionally includes elastic pushers (8), each having an end coupled to the wave shell and another end extending to and contacting the rotor inner circumferential surface. In the motor, a radius of the outer rim is at least twice the radius of the inner rim and an annular width of the piezoelement is at least twice its thickness.

Abstract: A piezoelectric valve is provided that includes a valve body includes a plug and a drive body coupled to the valve body and operable to cause the rotatable plug to rotate about a rotational axis. The drive body includes a shaft disposed along the axis, the shaft statically coupled to the plug and rotatably coupled to the drive body. The drive body also includes a rotor assembly disposed about the axis and rotatably coupled to the drive body. The drive body further includes a first piezoelectric actuator disposed about the axis and statically coupled to the drive body, the first piezoelectric actuator configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the rotor assembly. The drive body additionally includes a second piezoelectric actuator disposed about the axis and statically coupled to the shaft, the second piezoelectric actuator configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the rotor assembly.

Abstract: A piezoelectric generator includes a piezoelectric ring having upper and lower plane surfaces and a first quality factor (Q-factor), a sound-wave conducting gasket acoustically coupled to the upper plane surface, a metal resonator ring positioned acoustically coupled to the conducting gasket, the metal resonator ring having a second Q-factor substantially greater than the first Q-factor, and at least one bent elastic pusher extending from a periphery of the metal resonator ring. In the generator, an external diameter of the conducting gasket is less than half of an external diameter of the metal resonator ring and the piezoelectric ring, the conducting gasket, and the metal resonator ring are concentrically aligned with respect to a rotational axis.

Abstract: A rotational and translational microposition apparatus includes a first rotary motor, a second rotary motor and a linear motor. The first rotary motor surmounts an upstanding bracket mounted to a support surface. A rigid link having a right angle bend formed in it interconnects the first and second rotary motors to one another. A first end of the rigid link is secured to an output shaft of the first rotary motor and a second end of the rigid link is secured to a mounting plate to which is secured the second rotary motor. A linear motor has an output shaft connected to the output shaft of the second rotary motor. Selective operation of the three motors enables a probe to be positioned in an infinite plurality of positions that collectively form a cone where the tip of the probe is coincident with the vertex of the cone.