Patent ID: 8593033

Claim:
A slip-stick piezo motor for minimizing or eliminating dragging during slip phases comprising: A. a piezo housing, B. a single sliding friction element, C. at least two piezo friction elements in friction communication with the single sliding friction element, said at least two piezo friction elements being adapted to move back and forth in a travel direction out of phase with at least one other piezo friction elements so as to drive said sliding friction element in a desired direction, D. at least two piezo elements, each of said at least two piezo elements being rigidly connected to said piezo housing and attached to one of the at least two piezo friction elements and adapted to move its attached piezo friction element back and forth in an alternating slip phase and stick phase out of phase with at least one other piezo friction element, and E. a plurality of alternating voltage sources, wherein each of said plurality of alternating voltage sources provides alternating voltage to one of said at least two piezo elements so that each one of said at least two piezo elements oscillates out of phase with respect to the other of said at least two piezo elements, wherein said sliding friction element is precisely driven in said desired direction with minimal or no dragging during slip phases of any of the at least two piezo elements.