ULTRASONIC MOTOR

摘要

An improved motor employs a stator which includes a piezoelectric wafer (18) that is poled across its thickness dimension so that a signal applied thereacross results in either an inward or outward movement of the periphery of the wafer. A pair of end caps (34) is placed on opposed surfaces of the wafer and are adhered thereto at their respective peripheries. Each end cap includes a centrally located driving segment (36), a series of peripheral segments adhered to periphery of the wafer and a plurality of arms connecting the peripheral segments to the driving segment. A rotor includes a driven portion which mates with the driving segment and is driven thereby. Application of a signal across the thickness of the piezoelectric wafer results in rotary motion being imparted to the driving segment via flexure of the arms (as a result of movement of the peripheral segments of the end caps). Further embodiments provide both rotary and linear motions.