Patent ID: 8669689

Claim:
A smart material actuator assembly kit comprising a at least one fixed supporting member having a first mounting surface, at least one mechanical web comprising a movable supporting member having a second mounting surface, at least one compliant member, and a means of mounting an actuating arm, and at least one mountable actuating arm affixable to said means of mounting an actuating arm; said kit further comprising at least one piezoelectric stack affixable between said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface; wherein said fixed supporting member is substantially rigid and is affixable to said mechanical web such that said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface are substantially parallel and upon application of an electrical potential to said multilayer piezoelectric material, said multilayer piezoelectric material expands substantially without movement of said fixed supporting member and substantially without angular movement of said piezoelectric stack; whereby substantially upon application of an electric potential to said piezoelectric stack in a smart material actuator comprising one said fixed supporting member attached to one said mechanical web with said piezoelectric stack affixed between said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface, and at least one said actuating arm attached to said mechanical web, said piezoelectric stack urges said second mounting surface away from said first mounting surface, thereby causing said compliant member to flex, thereby moving said mountable actuating arm such that motion of at least one part of said mountable actuating arm is across a distance greater than the expansion of said piezoelectric stack.