Patent ID: 6262515
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: H02N

Abstract:
A rotary piezoelectric motor comprising:(a) a disk-shaped stator having:(i) a generally circular top surface with a plurality of teeth dispersed around and projecting upwardly from the periphery of the top surface; and(ii) a generally circular bottom surface with a plurality of levers dispersed around and projecting downwardly along the periphery of the bottom surface, which levers define a plurality of slots;(b) a plurality of piezoelectric stacks which have been electrically poled along an axis of poling and fixedly mounted within the slots on the bottom surface of the stator;(c) a disk-shaped rotor having a generally circular bottom surface held in pressure contact with the teeth on the top surface of the stator; and(d) a drive source coupled to the piezoelectric stacks for inducing expansions and contractions of the stacks within the slots; wherein expansions and contractions of the piezoelectric stacks parallel to the axis of poling act upon the levers to generate a traveling wave in the stator and thereby drive the rotor of the piezoelectric motor; and wherein the levers hold the piezoelectric stacks in compression to prevent the stacks from experiencing tensile stresses during operation of the piezoelectric motor.