Vibration Actuator Pressurizing Structure for Stable Thrust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vibration type actuators face challenges in maintaining consistent pressurizing and reaction forces between the contact body and vibrating body due to shape accuracy issues and deformation, leading to variations in thrust and torque, as well as potential damage from excessive frictional forces.
Innovation Solution
The vibration type actuator design includes a vibrating body unit with a holding portion, pressurizing unit, and connecting portion, allowing for relative movement between the contact body and vibrating body, with the connecting portion linking the holding portion to a connection object, enabling displacement of the vibrating body unit to maintain consistent pressurizing forces and reduce reaction force variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a plurality of vibrating bodies is arranged in series to increase thrust and torque, then the drive capability is improved, but the size of the contact body in the longitudinal direction increases, making it difficult to maintain shape accuracy and suppress deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The contact body is divided into multiple contact body units, each corresponding to a vibrating body. Each contact body unit has a smaller size in the longitudinal direction, making it easier to manufacture with high shape accuracy and maintain its shape over time, while the plurality of units collectively provides the required thrust and torque
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the length of a single contact body in the longitudinal direction, the solution distributes the contact function across multiple smaller contact body units arranged in series, effectively using the series arrangement dimension to achieve the required total thrust and torque without compromising the shape accuracy of individual units
2Power
If the contact body size increases to accommodate multiple vibrating bodies, then the drive capability is improved, but deformation occurs in the contact body, causing variation in pressurizing force and reaction force
Solution Approach 1:
The contact body is segmented into multiple contact body units, each with its own pressurizing unit. This segmentation ensures that each unit maintains consistent pressurizing force independently, preventing the deformation and force variation that would occur in a single large contact body
Solution Approach 2:
Each contact body unit is equipped with an independent pressurizing unit that can dynamically adjust and maintain the pressurizing force. This dynamic control compensates for any dimensional changes or deformation, ensuring consistent pressurizing force and reaction force across all vibrating bodies
3Power
If the pressurizing force increases to improve thrust, then the drive capability is improved, but deformation and damage occur in the vibrating body and holding components
Solution Approach 1:
The total thrust requirement is distributed across multiple vibrating bodies, each generating a portion of the total thrust. This allows the pressurizing force on each individual vibrating body to be reduced to a safe level that prevents deformation and damage, while the cumulative effect of all vibrating bodies achieves the required total thrust
Solution Approach 2:
Each vibrating body generates only the partial thrust needed for its portion of the load, rather than each vibrating body attempting to generate the full thrust. This partial action approach ensures that the pressurizing force on each component remains within safe limits while achieving the overall thrust objective through the combined effect of multiple units
4Adaptability or versatility
If the pressurizing force varies due to contact body deformation, then the drive characteristics change, but this leads to inconsistent thrust and premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
Each contact body unit is equipped with a pressurizing unit that can detect and respond to changes in pressurizing force. This feedback mechanism ensures that the pressurizing force is maintained at the optimal level, providing consistent drive characteristics and preventing premature wear due to force variation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively reduces changes in pressurizing and reaction forces, ensuring consistent thrust and torque generation while minimizing damage from frictional forces, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of the actuator.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element joined to the elastic body, wherein the piezoelectric element generates the vibration in the vibrating body
Implementation Method 2
generates vibration in combination of different vibration modes in a vibrating body to generate thrust between the vibrating body and a contact body
Implementation Method 3
change a frictional force between the vibrating body and a contact body
Data Source
AI summary
A vibration type actuator capable of reducing a change in force generated between a contact body and a vibrating body. The vibration type actuator comprising a vibrating body unit including a vibrating body and a holding portion that holds the vibrating body, a pressurizing unit, a contact body that contacts with the vibrating body by a pressurizing force by the pressurizing unit, and a connecting portion, wherein when predetermined vibration is excited in the vibrating body, the contact body and the vibrating body unit move relative to each other in a first direction, and wherein the connecting portion connects the holding portion to a connection object in the first direction, such that the vibrating body unit is displaced at least in a pressurizing direction by the pressurizing unit when the contact body and the vibrating body unit move relative to each other in the first direction.