National University Corporation Shizuoka University
대리인 / 주소
Tobias, Michael
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
3
초록▼
An inchworm actuator which can move a movable body relative to a stationary body while selectively giving priority to displacement speed or displacement resolution in accordance with the conditions of use is provided. An inchworm actuator 100 includes a movable body 110 supported between first and s
An inchworm actuator which can move a movable body relative to a stationary body while selectively giving priority to displacement speed or displacement resolution in accordance with the conditions of use is provided. An inchworm actuator 100 includes a movable body 110 supported between first and second guides 101 and 102 which are made of a magnetic material and which extend parallel to each other. In the movable body 110, a voice coil motor 115 is supported by first and second support legs 111 and 112 through toggle mechanisms 116a and 116b. The first and second support legs 111 and 112 are made of a magnetic material and have magnetic field-forming coils 113 and 114. The toggle mechanisms 116a and 116b convert the amount of displacement input from the voice coil motor 115 using a reducing conversion ratio corresponding to the amount of the displacement and transmit a resultant displacement to the first and second support legs 111 and 112. The first and second guides 101 and 102 are connected together by upper and lower frames 103 and 104 which are made of a magnetic material and which have permanent magnets 105a and 105b.
대표청구항▼
1. An inchworm actuator comprising: a stationary body;a movable body which is movable with respect to the stationary body by inchworm drive and comprises first and second support legs, both the first and second supports being movable relative to the stationary body while being repeatedly clamped to
1. An inchworm actuator comprising: a stationary body;a movable body which is movable with respect to the stationary body by inchworm drive and comprises first and second support legs, both the first and second supports being movable relative to the stationary body while being repeatedly clamped to the stationary body and unclamped therefrom, expansion/contraction means which displaces or deforms upon receipt of electric energy or magnetic energy, and a displacement conversion mechanism which receives as an input displacement the displacement or deformation of the expansion/contraction means, converts the input displacement to an output displacement by reduction conversion or expansion conversion in accordance with a conversion ratio, and moves the first and second support legs relative to each other by the output displacement, the conversion ratio changing depending on the amount of the input displacement;clamp means for individually clamping the first and second support legs to the stationary body and individually unclamping the first and second support legs therefrom; andinchworm control means for driving the expansion/contraction means and the clamp means so as to realize an inchworm action to move the movable body relative to the stationary body. 2. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement conversion mechanism is a link mechanism. 3. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the displacement conversion mechanism is a toggle mechanism. 4. An inchworm actuator as claimed in 1, wherein the inchworm control means drives the expansion/contraction means and the clamp means so as to realize an inchworm action in a biased state in which the expansion/contraction means has been displaced or deformed by a prescribed amount. 5. An inchworm actuator as claimed in 1, wherein the expansion/contraction means comprises a voice coil motor. 6. An inchworm actuator as claimed in 1, wherein the expansion/contraction means comprises: an electromagnet;a first movable piece which is made of a magnetic material and is disposed to face a first pole of the electromagnet with a first clearance formed between the first movable piece and the first pole;a second movable piece which is made of a magnetic material and is disposed to face a second pole of the electromagnet with a second clearance formed between the second movable piece and the second pole, the second clearance being greater than the first clearance; andfirst and second elastic members which are disposed between the electromagnet and the first movable piece and between the electromagnet and the second movable piece respectively. 7. An inchworm actuator as claimed in 1, wherein at least one of the stationary body and a support leg portion including the first support leg and/or the second support leg is made of a magnetic material, and the other of the stationary body and the support leg portion includes a permanent magnet. 8. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the stationary body is made of a magnetic material;the first and second support legs are made of a magnetic material and are magnetically connected together through a magnetic conductor made of a magnetic material;the permanent magnet forms magnetic fields of the same direction in the first and second support legs;the clamp means comprises a magnetic field-forming coil provided on at least one of the first support leg, the second support leg, and the magnetic conductor; andthe inchworm control means controls operation of the magnetic field-forming coil so as to simultaneously form magnetic fields of opposite directions in the first and second support legs. 9. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the stationary body comprises first and second guides which are made of a magnetic material and extend in parallel to each other;the first and second support legs are made of a magnetic material and are disposed between the first and second guides such that the first and second support legs are magnetically connected together;the permanent magnet forms magnetic fields of the same direction in the first and second support legs;the clamp means comprises a magnetic field-forming coil provided on at least one of the first support leg, the second support leg, the first guide, and the second guide; andthe inchworm control means controls operation of the magnetic field-forming coil so as to simultaneously form magnetic fields of opposite directions in the first and second support legs. 10. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the permanent magnet is disposed on the outer side of each of the first and second support legs between the first and second guides. 11. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the clamp means comprises a magnetic field-forming coil disposed on the first support leg and a magnetic field-forming coil disposed on the second support leg. 12. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the magnetic field-forming coil disposed on the first support leg and the magnetic field-forming coil disposed on the second support leg are connected in series such that they become opposite in phase. 13. An inchworm actuator comprising: a stationary body;a movable body which is movable with respect to the stationary body by inchworm drive and comprises first and second support legs, both the first and second support legs being movable relative to the stationary body while being repeatedly clamped to and unclamped from the stationary body, a drive actuator which displaces or deforms upon receipt of electric energy or magnetic energy, and a displacement conversion mechanism which is coupled to the drive actuator and receives as an input displacement the displacement or deformation of the drive actuator and converts the input displacement to an output displacement by reduction conversion or expansion conversion in accordance with a conversion ratio and moves the first and second support legs relative to each other by the output displacement, the conversion ratio changing depending on the magnitude of the input displacement;a clamping mechanism which individually clamps the first and second support legs to the stationary body and individually unclamps the first and second support legs from the stationary body; andan inchworm controller which controls the drive actuator and the clamping mechanism so as to produce an inchworm action by the first and second support legs and produce relative movement of the movable body with respect to the stationary body. 14. An inchworm actuator comprising: a stationary body;a movable body which is movable with respect to the stationary body by inchworm drive and comprises first and second support legs, both the first and second support legs being movable relative to the stationary body, a first mechanical linkage connected between the first and second support legs, and a linear actuator having a movable portion which is displaced by operation of the linear actuator, the movable portion of the linear actuator being operatively connected to the first linkage such that movement of the movable portion causes the first linkage to exert a force on the first and second support legs in a direction producing relative movement of the first and second support legs with respect to each other;a clamping mechanism including a magnetic field-forming coil which forms a magnetic field to selectively clamp or unclamp the first and second support legs with respect to the stationary body by magnetic force; andan electronic controller which controls the linear actuator and the clamping mechanism to produce an inchworm action by the first and second support legs. 15. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the linear actuator comprises a voice coil motor. 16. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the linear actuator comprises an electromagnet which is controlled by the controller, and a magnetic member which faces a pole of the electromagnet and is movable towards and away from the electromagnet in response to a magnetic force generated by the electromagnet, wherein one of the electromagnet and the magnetic member is connected to the first linkage. 17. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clamping mechanism includes a permanent magnet which is disposed on one of the movable body and the stationary body and forms a magnetic circuit passing through at least one of the first and second support legs when the magnetic field-forming coil is energized. 18. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first linkage comprises a leaf spring connected to the first and second support legs and coupled to the linear actuator between the first and second ends of the leaf spring. 19. An inchworm actuator as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a second mechanical linkage connected between the first and second support legs, wherein the first linkage comprises a first leaf spring connected to the first and second support legs, the second linkage comprises a second leaf spring connected to the first and second support legs, and the linear actuator is disposed between and connected to the first and second leaf springs.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Rennex Brian G. (431 Muddy Branch Rd. ; #101 Gaithersburg MD 20878), Inchworm actuator.
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