Mechanical flexure for motion amplification and transducer with same

摘要

A mechanical flexure element useful for motion amplification with a closed end and two legs extending therefrom in a general U-shaped configuration. One leg may be fixed and the other leg moved, or both legs may be movable with respect to each other. Microdisplacements of a leg are amplified and translated into larger transverse movements of the closed end. Reversing the input and output displacements provides attenuation of a larger input displacement. A magnetostrictive electromechanical transducer with a flexure element having a closed end and two legs extending thereform moving towards and away from a nozzle in an enclosed nozzle chamber under fluid pressure. An electrical input signal actuates a magnetostrictive element coupled to one leg of the flexure element to move the element with respect to the nozzle thereby changing the fluid output pressure from the nozzle chamber. Diaphragm means are coupled to the moving leg of the flexure element and responsive to the changing pressure in the nozzle chamber to provide a feedback force until the final fluid output pressure is proportional to the electrical input signal.