Motor conversion mechanism utilizing elastic action

Claim 2

A motion conversion mechanism for converting micro-amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous motion related to said oscillatory motion: a moving mechanism including a moving member, a housing supporting said moving mechanism a plurality of actuator sets equally spaced around said moving mechanism, each actuator set including at least an actuator and an elastic mechanism operatively connected in series with the said actuator, each actuator set also including an output extremity and a stationary extremity attached to a fixed point on the housing, said moving mechanism further including a working member which drives the moving member to produce the continuous motion; said working member having a shaped working surface acted on by all of said actuator sets the elastic mechanism of each actuator set continuously applying a bias force on said shaped working surface producing an elastic field, said shaped working surface deflecting the elastic mechanism of the actuator sets to produce different preloads on the elastic mechanism, the displacement of one or more actuators upsetting equilibrium in said elastic field and producing motion of the working member.

Claim 3

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein one end of the elastic mechanism is said stationary extremity.

Claim 4

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said moving mechanism is a free rotating spindle, the said working member comprising an eccentric journal located at one end of the spindle and a bearing fit over the journal, each of the said elastic mechanisms comprising a plunger with one end in contact with the said bearing and a spring pressing against the plunger.

Claim 5

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said moving member and/or working member is a straight member capable of moving in a straight line and with at least one periodically undulant smooth working surface, each of the said elastic mechanisms comprising roller in contact with the said working surface and a plunger on which the roller is attached and a spring pressing against the plunger, the elastic mechanisms being lined up with at least one mutually parallel and equi-distant group, the distance t' between the elastic mechanisms and the period t of the working surface satisfying a certain relation.

Claim 6

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said working member has two axially symmetric working surfaces, the elastic mechanisms being lined up in two symmetric and oppositely disposed group, the said t' and t satisfy the following relation: t'=mt±t/n (1)

Claim 7

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said moving member is a free rotating spindle, the said working member comprising an eccentric journal located at one end of the spindle and a bearing fitted over the journal, each of the said elastic mechanisms comprising an elastic lever with its actuating pivot connected to the micro-amplitude actuator and its resisting end, as the output extremity of the actuator set pressing against the said bearing.

Claim 8

A motion conversion mechanism, for converting micro amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous motion related to the micro amplitude motion comprising: a moving mechanism including a moving member; a housing supporting said moving mechanism; a plurality of actuator sets equally spaced around said moving mechanism; each actuator set including; at least an actuator, and an elastic mechanism operatively connected to each actuator; said actuator set further including a lever mechanism having a fulcrum and a resisting end with its fulcrum end as the output extremity of the actuator set and its resisting end as the output extremity of the actuator set, its actuating point being connected to one end of the actuator; said elastic mechanism including an elastic member and being disposed between an end of the actuator and another stationary extremity of the actuator set, the lever mechanism having an actuating arm which is smaller than a resisting arm; and said moving mechanism including a working member which drives the moving member to produce a motion, said working member having a shaped working surface operatively connected with each elastic mechanism to continuously apply a bias force field on said shaped working surface to produce an elastic field, said shaped working surface deflecting the elastic mechanism of the actuator set to produce different preloads on the elastic mechanism, the displacement of one or more actuators upsetting equilibrium in said elastic field and producing motion of said working member.

Claim 9

A motion conversion mechanism, for converting micro amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous motion related to the micro amplitude motion comprising: a moving mechanism including a moving member; a housing supporting said moving mechanism; a plurality of actuator sets equally spaced around said moving mechanism; each actuator set including; at least an actuator, and an elastic mechanism operatively connected to each actuator; said actuator set further including a lever mechanism having a fulcrum and a resisting end with its fulcrum end as the output extremity of the actuator set and its resisting end as the output extremity of the actuator set, its actuating point being connected to one end of the actuator; said elastic mechanism including an elastic member and being disposed between an end of the actuator and another stationary extremity of the actuator set, the lever mechanism having an actuating arm which is smaller than a resisting arm; and said moving mechanism including a working member which drives the moving member to produce a motion, said working member having a shaped working surface operatively connected with each elastic mechanism to continuously apply a bias force field on said shaped working surface to produce an elastic field, said shaped working surface deflecting the elastic mechanism of the actuator set to produce different preloads on the elastic mechanism, the displacement of one or more actuators upsetting equilibrium in said elastic field and producing motion of said working member.

Claim 10

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2, wherein each the said actuator set further includes a lever mechanism with its resisting point as the output extremity of the actuator set, and its actuating point connected to one end of the actuator, the other end of said actuator being the stationary extremity, the said elastic mechanism including a stationary supporting block with an elastic arm, the stationary supporting block being another stationary extremity of the actuator set, the said elastic arm being connected to the fulcrum of the lever mechanism.

Claim 11

A motion conversion mechanism according to claims 1, 2, 7 or 8, characterized in that a roller in contact with the working surface is attached to the output extremity of the actuator set, the said specially shaped working surface being central symmetric multi-wave cylindrical surface, the number of waves m and the number of actuator sets n satisfy the following relation: m=qn±r (2) m, n, q, r are integers and n/r≧3.

Claim 12

The motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said moving member is a free rotating spindle, the said working member comprising an elliptical rotor attached to the spindle and a flexible bearing fitted over the elliptical rotor, each of the said elastic mechanisms comprising a segmental block made of elastomer, the segmental surface being acted upon by the said micro-amplitude actuator and the curved inner surface being in contact with the outer race of the said flexible bearing, all other surfaces being restrained rigidly.

Claim 13

The motion conversion mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said moving member is a free rotating spindle, the said working number comprises an inclined disc attached to the spindle and a thrust bearing fitted over the inclined disc and a thrust disc on the thrust bearing, the normal of the said inclined disc making a small acute angle with the axis of the spindle, each of the said elastic mechanisms comprising a plunger with one end in contact with the said thrust disc and a spring pressing against the plunger.

Claim 14

A motion conversion mechanism for converting micro-amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous related motion, comprising: a moving mechanism with a moving member; a housing surrounding the moving member; a plurality of actuator sets equally spaced around the said moving mechanism, each said actuator set comprising at least an actuator and an elastic mechanism, each actuator set having an output extremity and a stationary extremity attached to a fixed point on the housing,; the said moving mechanism further including a working member which drives the moving member to produce the related motion, the said working member having a shaped working surface simultaneously biased by all of said elastic mechanisms to establish a potential energy field between said moving mechanism and said elastic mechanisms; the said actuators deflecting the elastic mechanism of the actuator sets to produce different preloads on the shaped working surface to cause said moving member to move continuously toward the moving minimum potential energy position of the system in the form of continuous motion.

Claim 15

A motion conversion mechanism for converting micro-amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous related motion, comprising: a moving mechanism with a moving member; a housing surrounding the moving member; a plurality of actuator sets equally spaced around the said moving mechanism, each said actuator set comprising at least an actuator and an elastic mechanism, each actuator set having an output extremity and a stationary extremity attached to a fixed point on the housing,; the said moving mechanism further including a working member which drives the moving member to produce the related motion, the said working member having a shaped working surface simultaneously biased by all of said elastic mechanisms to establish a potential energy field between said moving mechanism and said elastic mechanisms; the said actuators deflecting the elastic mechanism of the actuator sets to produce different preloads on the shaped working surface to cause said moving member to move continuously toward the moving minimum potential energy position of the system in the form of continuous motion.

Claim 16

A motion conversion mechanism for converting micro amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous motion related to the oscillatory motion comprising: a moving mechanism including a moving member; elastic force field means encompassing and being operatively connected to said moving member for providing a continuous elastic bias on said moving member, said elastic bias providing a substantially balanced force on said working member in the absence of an additive force; and actuator means for presenting an additive force to said elastic force field means, said actuator means effecting a perturbation of the elastic force means by upsetting balance of forces acting on the moving member at rest to cause an unbalance of force resulting in an output motion of the moving member.

Claim 17

A motion conversion mechanism for converting micro amplitude oscillatory motion into continuous motion related to the oscillatory motion comprising: a moving mechanism including a moving member; elastic force field means encompassing and being operatively connected to said moving member for providing a continuous elastic bias on said moving member, said elastic bias providing a substantially balanced force on said working member in the absence of an additive force; and actuator means for presenting an additive force to said elastic force field means, said actuator means effecting a perturbation of the elastic force means by upsetting balance of forces acting on the moving member at rest to cause an unbalance of force resulting in an output motion of the moving member.

Claim 18

A motion conversion mechanism as in one of claims 1, 2, 7, or 8 in which the number of actuator and elastic mechanisms is six.

Claim 19

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the said micro-amplitude actuators are electrostrictive actuators.

Claim 20

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 1 wherein one end of the actuator is the stationary extremity.

Claim 21

A motion conversion mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said elastic mechanism includes a spring surrounding said actuator.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein upon actuation of the actuator sets, balance of forces acting on the moving member at rest are upset to cause an unbalance of force resulting in an output motion of the moving member.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein upon actuation of the actuator sets, balance of forces acting on the member at rest are upset to cause an unbalance of force resulting in an output motion of the moving member.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19 further including means for moving the moving member in an orbit path upon actuation of the actuator means.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the moving member has a wavy surface.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 19 further including a housing surrounding and containing, the moving mechanism, the elastic force field means and the actuator means.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said actuator means includes a plurality of actuator sets.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said actuator sets are attached to said housing and are substantially equally spaced from each other.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein upon actuation of the actuator sets, balance of forces acting on the moving member at rest are upset to cause an unbalance of force resulting in an output motion of the moving member.

Claim 30

The motion conversion mechanism of claim 13 wherein said elastic force field means and actuator means are collectively formed of at least one elastic actuator.

Claim 31

The motion conversion mechanism of claim 26 wherein said elastic actuator is a piezoelectric elastic actuator.