Abstract: An electromechanical rotating actuator arrangement (10) includes a stator (20), a rotor (30), a guide arrangement (50) and an object (40) to be moved. The stator (20) has electromechanically active actuators (22), exhibiting shape changes upon excitation, rigidly attached to a common stator block (24). The rotor (30) has a planar drive surface (32). The electromechanically active actuators (22) have a respective driving surface (26), situated in a common plane (27) parallel to the drive surface (32), for mechanical interaction with the drive surface (32) of the rotor (30). The object (40) to be moved is attached to the rotor (30), giving a rigid mechanical connection between the object (40) and the drive surface (32). The guide arrangement (50) is arranged for restricting translational motions of the rotor (30) perpendicular to the rotation axis (12). A method for driving an electromechanical rotating actuator arrangement (10) is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electromechanical rotating actuator arrangement (10) includes a stator (20), a rotor (30), a guide arrangement (50) and an object (40) to be moved. The stator (20) has electromechanically active actuators (22), exhibiting shape changes upon excitation, rigidly attached to a common stator block (24). The rotor (30) has a planar drive surface (32). The electromechanically active actuators (22) have a respective driving surface (26), situated in a common plane (27) parallel to the drive surface (32), for mechanical interaction with the drive surface (32) of the rotor (30). The object (40) to be moved is attached to the rotor (30), giving a rigid mechanical connection between the object (40) and the drive surface (32). The guide arrangement (50) is arranged for restricting translational motions of the rotor (30) perpendicular to the rotation axis (12).

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator arrangement (50) comprises an electromechanical motor (10) and a rail arrangement (35). The rail arrangement (35) has a rail (30) relative which the electromechanical motor drives in a main displacement direction (3). The electromechanical motor has electromechanically active actuators attached to a motor block (20) and are arranged to provide an actuating action against the rail. The rail arrangement has further at least one guide member (31) provided parallel to the main displacement direction. The guide members have a guiding surface (36) facing the motor block. The motor block in turn has guidance surfaces (37) facing the guiding surface of the guide members. The guiding surface or the guidance surface has a tangent line parallel to the main displacement direction.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator arrangement (50) comprises an electromechanical motor (10) and a rail arrangement (35). The rail arrangement (35) has a rail (30) relative which the electromechanical motor drives in a main displacement direction (3). The electromechanical motor has electromechanically active actuators attached to a motor block (20) and are arranged to provide an actuating action against the rail. The rail arrangement has further at least one guide member (31) provided parallel to the main displacement direction. The guide members have a guiding surface (36) facing the motor block. The motor block in turn has guidance surfaces (37) facing the guiding surface of the guide members. The guiding surface or the guidance surface has a tangent line parallel to the main displacement direction.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator 10 is disclosed, having drive elements (14a–d) movable in two dimensions and connected to an actuator backing (12). The actuator backing (12) is made of a material being ferromechanically inactive. Furthermore, the joint between the drive element (14a–d) and the actuator backing (12) is stiff and highly stable. This is achieved by use of an irreversible joint made e.g. by thermoset plastic glues, diffusion bonding or co-sintering. Co-sintering is to prefer. The actuator backing (12) material is selected to be stiff, preferably having a stiffness above 70 GPa and more preferably above 100 GPa, and having a high heat conductivity, preferably above 5 W/mK and more preferably above 10 W/mK, Electrodes (22) are preferably integrated in the actuator backing to increase stiffness as well as improving the heat conductivity. The drive elements (14a–d) are preferably covered (28, 26), at least at the driving surface, by heat-conducting material.

Abstract: In an electromechanical motor, elongated electromechanical drive elements are mechanically and preferably also electrically attached to a carrier. A spring is arranged to apply a force on the electromechanical drive element by pressing the backside of the carrier at a pivot point. The carrier is allowed to pivot around the pivot point around an axis parallel to a the element elongation. The electromechanical drive element is thereby suspended in a floating manner. The electromechanical drive elements are arranged to present a bending motion having strokes perpendicular to the elongation. The pivot point, the mechanical joint between the carrier and the electromechanical drive element, and preferably also a nodal point of bending motions of the electromechanical element are situated at a common plane perpendicular to the element elongation. In one embodiment, the electromechanical drive element is provided with metallizations to which the carrier is soldered.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator 10 is disclosed, having drive elements (14a-d) movable in two dimensions and connected to an actuator backing (12). The actuator backing (12) is made of a material being ferromechanically inactive. Furthermore, the joint between the drive element (14a-d) and the actuator backing (12) is stiff and highly stable. This is achieved by use of an irreversible joint made e.g. by thermoset plastic glues, diffusion bonding or co-sintering. Co-sintering is to prefer. The actuator backing (12) material is selected to be stiff, preferably having a stiffness above 70 GPa and more preferably above 100 GPa, and having a high heat conductivity, preferably above 5 W/mK and more preferably above 10 W/mK, Electrodes (22) are preferably integrated in the actuator backing to increase stiffness as well as improving the heat conductivity. The drive elements (14a-d) are preferably covered (28, 26), at least at the driving surface, by heat-conducting material.

Abstract: In an electromechanical motor, elongated electromechanical drive elements are mechanically and preferably also electrically attached to a carrier. A spring is arranged to apply a force on the electromechanical drive element by pressing the backside of the carrier at a pivot point. The carrier is allowed to pivot around the pivot point around an axis parallel to a the element elongation. The electromechanical drive element is thereby suspended in a floating manner. The electromechanical drive elements are arranged to present a bending motion having strokes perpendicular to the elongation. The pivot point, the mechanical joint between the carrier and the electromechanical drive element, and preferably also a nodal point of bending motions of the electromechanical element are situated at a common plane perpendicular to the element elongation. In one embodiment, the electromechanical drive element is provided with metallizations to which the carrier is soldered.

Abstract: According to the present invention, electromechanical motors are driven in such a way that contact portions of driving elements (10) are moved along smooth trajectories. The velocity is varied, the average velocity being lower during the time when the element (10) is in contact with a moving object (22) than during the contact free time. Preferably, the main displacement velocity component is non-negligible when switching between sets of elements (10). When stopping the motor, the actuating sets of elements (10) are brought into a voltage-free condition, one set at a time. The contact portions of the elements (10) are lapped with such an accuracy, that the normal force applied between the moving object and the stator (2) is large enough to cause elastic deformations of the stator (2) that are in the same order of magnitude or larger than the accuracy of the lapping.

Abstract: According to the present invention, electromechanical motors are driven in such a way that contact portions of driving elements (10) are moved along smooth trajectories. The velocity is varied, the average velocity being lower during the time when the element (10) is in contact with a moving object (22) than during the contact free time. Preferably, the main displacement velocity component is non-negligible when switching between sets of elements (10). When stopping the motor, the actuating sets of elements (10) are brought into a voltage-free condition, one set at a time. The contact portions of the elements (10) are lapped with such an accuracy, that the normal force applied between the moving object and the stator (2) is large enough to cause elastic deformations of the stator (2) that are in the same order of magnitude or larger than the accuracy of the lapping.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromechanical actuator arrangement and a driving device for such an arrangement, having a plurality of drive element to be driven according to a wailing mechanism is provided. The driving device is characterised by an electrical power source (170) and at least two switches (172a, 172b) connected in series between the terminals (177) of the voltage source (170). An element terminal (178) is connected to a point (175) between said switches (172a, 172b), and a motor phase (174) of the actuator arrangement is connected to the element terminal (178). A control unit (171) is connected to control the switches (172a, 172b) in order to charge/discharge the drive elements. A charge control is thereby achieved by the use of the two switches (172a, 172b).

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromechanical actuator arrangement (10) and a method for driving such arrangement, having a plurality of drive elements (14a-d) according to a walking mechanism in a motion relative a body (22). A driving portion of the drive elements (14a-d) are independent movable tangentially and normally to the body (22) surface. The drive elements (14a-d) are driven in the fours cycle steps; gripping, moving the body, releasing and returning to the original position. The drive elements (14a-d) are divided into two exclusive sets. The driving of the sets is phase shifted. At least one of the sets is in contact with the body (22) surface at each instant. The present invention is characterised in that the driving of the drive elements (14a-d) during the gripping sequence is performed in such a way that the drive elements (14a-d) have a velocity, which has a significant tangential component.

Abstract: This invention relates to an actuator or motor comprising an electromechanical material which alters its shape under the influence of an electrical voltage. Said actuator comprises at least a monolitic module (1,2) with electrodes integrated in said electromechanical material and in that the force or displacement due to the applied voltages is transferred, to the point to be actuated or moved by the shape change of the material, using at least two independent contact points. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating said actuator or motor.