Patent ID: 7501615

Claim:
A carriage assembly comprising: (A) a piezoelectric actuator having a first end and a second end, said actuator increasing in length between said first and second end upon electrical stimulation; (B) a movable element coupled to the first end of the piezoelectric actuator; (C) a frame coupled to the second end of the piezoelectric actuator and to said movable element; and (D) a translating section coupled to said movable element; wherein increase in length of said increase in length of said piezoelectric actuator imparts a motion to said movable element and said coupled translating section in a substantially different direction than the direction in which said piezoelectric actuator increases in length upon electrical stimulation and said movable element is in the form of elongate columns, and further comprising: (1) upper cross members configured to connect the first ends of the elongate columns; and (2) lower cross members configured to connect the second ends of the elongate columns.